Lindon Interlude 5-21-12

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]In before the wind at Lindon. Wanted to hit Lincoln Beach but the weather forecrash was not too encouraging. Figured I might be able to get in a quick trip at Lindon. Figured right.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]On the water about sixish. Motored slowly over to the inside of the west dike while getting rigged. First cast got bit...a small crappie. Second cast was a small whitie. Skunk repellent quick.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Moved along casting into shore with tandem plastic rig...hoping for a walleye but settling for another crappie and a few more whities. No walleyes around the points either. Flipped a mental coin to see which way I would go outside the harbor. North won. Headed to the mouth of battle creek.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]TubeBabe couldn't make it today. I told her "I won't be going after cats today and won't keep any if I catch them." Shoulda said walleyes. Caught quite a few cats...the first half dozen on small plastic jigs around the reeds and in the old creek channel. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Couldn't find any concentrations of decent sized whities and the lake was still pretty calm. So I motored on down to the bubbleup. Not much showing on sonar. Found a few and got a few to bite on plastics. The usual suspects. Whitieville. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Never really got into them but had enough bites to keep it interesting. No walleyes. Rigged up my bait rod with a minnow and started dragging it off to one side while I pitched plastics on the other rod. Silly catfish didn't like me multitasking and kept whacking the minnows just as I would make a long cast with the jigs. Rassled in about a half dozen up to 24" before I put up the bait rod. No walleyes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]About 10 am the forecast south breezes started tuning up. When it went from choppy to bumpy I headed my tube back to the harbor. Never did really get serious though. But I have been out there when it did. Better to err on the side of caution.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Picked up a few more whities going back into the harbor. Looks like they might be taking up residence inside now. But didn't see any of the bank tanglers drag anything out.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Water temp was just over 65 at launch...my first "wet" tubing trip this year. Warmed up to about 68 as I nosed into the ramp at noon. Air temp was already 80 and still rising. Let's see what the next storms do to conditions.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Caught a couple of crappie, about a dozen cats and a few more than that on whities. Only kept a half dozen whities for some scampi and noodles. Got mine. Wind was just starting to pick up as I headed home. Right on.[/#0000ff]
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[fordkustom]

thanx for the report TD
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[joethafoe]

Thanks for the report. Can I trouble you for some more jigs and lures. Ill pay whatever!
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[joethafoe]

Also way jealous of all the tubers and boaters. Im stuck to shore fishing and well it dont seems as good on shore, YET.
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[lavaman]

Great report, great pics!
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[chinook]

I get a big kick out of your reports and seeing how many different colors you use to catch those little buggers. I would have a brain cramp trying to decide which one of the 15 poles you have rigged up ready to go. I think you have a little game of seeing which color won't catch fish.
Do you ever put any scent on besides a crawler or minnow?

Thanks for sharing with us all again.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]You are an approved buyer. Bring money.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The store is well stocked and I have a bunch of new bling...some of which is in the pics.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Bank tanglin' can be both fun and productive. But there are some days when it pays to get a bit further out and/or to fish deeper water. Not always. But if you have a tube you have options.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Always pick on us little guys, don'tcha?[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have about 3 or 4 basic colors I use most and I choose according to species, water depth, water clarity and fishin' intooishin'. (not a word) But you are sorta kinda right about one thing. They say you shouldn't leave active fish to find more. They also say not to fix something that ain't broke...and if the fish are biting something don't change. But there are days when I get a perverse delight out of going through my goodie boxes and trying to find something that won't work. When those silly whities are biting it is tough to find anything they don't vote for. No pride and no class. Equal opportunity gluttons.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Although I like to take pics of some of the variety of colors that work, today it was overwhelmingly the red and chartreuse tube jigs (RC Killer) on several different bling heads that caught the most fish. All the jig munchin' cats ate the RC and my biggest (and littlest) whities. I actually got one small white bass about 4" long right in front of the ramp coming in...on the RC. No pic.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I always carry a container of crawdad scent when fishing Utah Lake. I use it to touch up carp meat that has soaked a while and I sometimes use it on plastics...with or without crawler. I also carry shad scent when fishing Willard. But I think I catch more fish of all species in Willard tipping with worm and adding a drop of crawdad. However, when throwing white or pearl plastics for wipers or walleyes I DO use the shad scent and it seems to add some appeal.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Part of my "problem" is that I am always tweaking my lure designs and modifying colors. If I don't put some of them in the water I never know if they will work or not. Every once in a while I come up with something that works better. The downside of that is I have lots of good stuff I seldom use anymore because I get wrapped up in the new goodies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Fun, fun, fun.[/#0000ff]
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[lavaman]

Hey, it keeps you off the streets.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]...But not out of trouble.[/#0000ff]
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[in2fishing]

joethafoe T D is spot on . the bank can be fun but some times ya got to get out in the lake to get to the fish[fishin]. i love the tube but ...... my 8 year old and a 11 year old was mare then i could do with all of us in tubes. it was kind of like watching a train wreck !!!! i got a boat this year and i have a tube or two i could let go . send me a PM and i can hook ya up
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[fish_fear_me2]

Another great report. I am also going to need to "restock" some of my supplies. I have become a fan of your red sparkle head and thats because the fish have become fans. Looks like you found a couple nice kitties even if you swore to leave them there for next time. Wet tubing in 65 degree water.... I am a wimp. Thanks again for all the great reports. Are you going to have some goodies at the next tubing meeting??
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[BigEZ]

Amazing how fast the water warmed up. It was mid 50's Saturday morning in and around the Saratoga Springs harbor.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Yeah, I have had a couple of requests to bring some goodies for the tubers' swap meet meeting.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That red glitter head...and other lures...was the culmination of many experiments with different colors of red over the years. It is the most time consuming to make but is hands-down the deadliest color in my arsenal. I have used it on just about every plastic color available. But the epitome is that red/chartreuse tube L'il Hustler by Southern Pro.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I think you saw some of the prototypes of the experiments with adding "tle" blades to the small tube heads...including the wobble heads. Man, I am having fun with those. And the fishies vote for them too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I usually quit using waders when the water temps stay above 65. That's also when daytime air temps get warm enough that the cool water feels good by midday. I guess some of us are tougher than others. Or maybe it's because I'm just numb at both ends.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]One great thing about kitties when they hit lures. They definitely ain't delicate about it. Never a doubt when they smack it. The water had some good clarity yesterday and that always increases the ability of cats to become sight feeders...and to hit lures. And in the warming waters those cats are really brawlers. On the light tackle I was using for the whities they beat me up pretty good before crawling in my net. Maybe if they knew they would all be released they might have given up quicker.[/#0000ff]
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[TubeDude]

[quote BigEZ]Amazing how fast the water warmed up. It was mid 50's Saturday morning in and around the Saratoga Springs harbor.[/quote]

[cool][#0000ff]Utah Lake is a big shallow pond. It warms and cools much faster than deeper waters. I have seen it drop 10 to 15 degrees over a 2 day period...and warm about the same amount during a sudden hot spell. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That is why I usually like to time my fishing trips for a time when there has been a couple of warm and stable days before I go. Much better than the day after a front passes through and dropping temps. That almost always turns the fish off...or at least slows down a previously hot bite.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Great daily fluctuations in water temps are why it is sometimes better fishing later in the day during the spring and fall. Nighttime low temps cool the water and then the sun warms it back up during the day.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]And on most lakes wind is not nearly as much of a factor as it is on Utah Lake. When the fish are moving into the shallows to spawn...or feed...they are greatly affected by wind and waves. What? Wind and waves on Utah Lake? Again, because UL is so shallow a strong wind builds big waves fast. Four foot waves are higher than the water levels where the fish are gathering inshore so they typically move out into deeper water until Mama Nature settles down and conditions stabilize for a day or so.[/#0000ff]
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[fish_fear_me2]

On my last outing I used the little red sparkle roadrunners for a while and the fish gave it a 2 fins up. Even though it wasnt fast by any means I did get one double. There was no doubt about color preference. Red and chartreuse won hands down.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

[quote lavaman]Hey, it keeps you off the streets.[/quote]

but not out of the water!
'Nother nice variety day for ya there TD - you do have thick skin dontcha!

Probably need to drag your HGS back down there - see about some of them no-name mystery lures you've been creating...