05-17-2006, 04:52 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I fish 39 waters in Utah...but not all at the same time. I go where the fishin' is best, and sometimes the closest. That just happens to be Utah Lake right now. It has also been Willard Bay, Pineview, Jordanelle and Deer Creek so far this year. Soon to be Mantua, Yuba, Pelican, Starvation and several others.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We have had this discussion a bajillion times on BFT. Many anglers catch male channel cats, with their wider heads and darker colors and assume they are a different species. Nope. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Blue cats do get to be over 100 pounds, but THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The Utah state record channel cat is just over 32 pounds, from Utah Lake in 1978.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Like many people, I am anxiously awaiting the results of pending tests on the PCB levels in fish besides carp from Utah Lake. I am hoping that because the lifestyle and eating habits of cats is different than carp that they will not have the same high levels of PCB in their tissue. But, I am certain that it will be higher than it would be in other lakes, just because Utah Lake was a dumping ground for so many years and no species is going to be entirely immune. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In fact, I would not be surprised to hear that cats had an even HIGHER level of PCB's. Since that is a compound that is stored in the fatty/oily tissues of fish, catfish have a double potential for contamination. First, they are very oily. Second, they are top predators. They eat everything else in the lake...alive or dead. That tends to concentrate indestructible stuff like PCBs over time. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Remember the DDT thing? DDT was a chlorinated hydrocarbon that was very toxic and also accumulated in the oily tissues of fish, animals and birds. Those that ate critters on the lower end of the food chain developed high concentrations over time and either died or developed major health problems. In predatory birds, like pelicans, gulls and eagles, the DDT they accumulated from eating fish from DDT laced waters made them lay eggs with shells too thin to support the mother while she incubated them. The new eggs were crushed before they could hatch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No, I do not take the current news topic lightly. But, not sure I will quit fishing Utah Lake if the news is bad. I still like tusslin' with those big kitties. Nothing wrong with C & R. I can always stop at Betos for a burrito on the way home if I get hungry. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]We have had this discussion a bajillion times on BFT. Many anglers catch male channel cats, with their wider heads and darker colors and assume they are a different species. Nope. THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Blue cats do get to be over 100 pounds, but THERE ARE NO BLUE CATS IN UTAH.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The Utah state record channel cat is just over 32 pounds, from Utah Lake in 1978.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Like many people, I am anxiously awaiting the results of pending tests on the PCB levels in fish besides carp from Utah Lake. I am hoping that because the lifestyle and eating habits of cats is different than carp that they will not have the same high levels of PCB in their tissue. But, I am certain that it will be higher than it would be in other lakes, just because Utah Lake was a dumping ground for so many years and no species is going to be entirely immune. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In fact, I would not be surprised to hear that cats had an even HIGHER level of PCB's. Since that is a compound that is stored in the fatty/oily tissues of fish, catfish have a double potential for contamination. First, they are very oily. Second, they are top predators. They eat everything else in the lake...alive or dead. That tends to concentrate indestructible stuff like PCBs over time. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Remember the DDT thing? DDT was a chlorinated hydrocarbon that was very toxic and also accumulated in the oily tissues of fish, animals and birds. Those that ate critters on the lower end of the food chain developed high concentrations over time and either died or developed major health problems. In predatory birds, like pelicans, gulls and eagles, the DDT they accumulated from eating fish from DDT laced waters made them lay eggs with shells too thin to support the mother while she incubated them. The new eggs were crushed before they could hatch.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]No, I do not take the current news topic lightly. But, not sure I will quit fishing Utah Lake if the news is bad. I still like tusslin' with those big kitties. Nothing wrong with C & R. I can always stop at Betos for a burrito on the way home if I get hungry. [/#0000ff]
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