# Cat Chat **URL:** \ **Category:** Utah Contests\ **Created:** [March 13, 2020, 12:20pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872 "2020-03-13T12:20:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ahi1953](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/ahi1953/32/53750_2.png) [@Ahi1953](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Ahi1953)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 12:20pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/1 "2020-03-13T12:20:49Z")
Kinda liked Jeffs idea last year of having this Thread for sharing info and just pain old fish talk. I think it helps keep our scoring threads a little cleaner making it easier for Jeff to see our entries. Good Luck To you all. Go North we got this AGAIN šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Tin-Can](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tin-Can](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Tin-Can)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 3:20pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/2 "2020-03-13T15:20:32Z")
John, wondered if Jeff would put up another thread like this. Glad you did. I got a hunch that with the site change, the ice contest ending, the Cat Contest starting, jeff is pretty busy. Was planning to head up to the river in the morning if the weather will cooperate. Been a couple nice days this past week, you been doing and good up there ? ---
**Author:** ![Jig-fisher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Jig-fisher](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Jig-fisher)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2020, 5:14pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/3 "2020-03-13T17:14:18Z")
Hey you two, you better leave some big ones for me! Hopefully I can get in a couple of hours of fishing here and there next week. Looking forward to an early charge by the North team. ---
**Author:** ![Ahi1953](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/ahi1953/32/53750_2.png) [@Ahi1953](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Ahi1953)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/7 "2020-03-14T19:05:18Z")
come rain or shine, or wind Iā€™m hitting it tomorrow. Good luck all ---
**Author:** ![Boatloadakids](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8baadc/32.png) [@Boatloadakids](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Boatloadakids)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/9 "2020-03-15T18:28:04Z")
Hey John, your ā€œCat Chatā€ thread was a good idea. Good to see you are getting out a bit and having some luck. The wind has me holed up so I canā€™t get out in my boat. Plenty of time, but still anxious to get out. I have to wonder about the impact this C-19 bug is having on everybody. Fortunately, fishing is not a spectator sport so we should be able to get out and do our thing. I feel for the guys who will lose work dollars becacuse of shut downs. Being retired and not much of a socialite Iā€™m fine just keeping a low profile. Seems like the most contagious aspect of this bug is the panicā€¦ armed confrontations over toilet paper??? Hoping for the best. I have always found the cattinā€™ to be kinda slow in the early spring. I know Pat has always done well in the early part of the year and you guys that fish the Bear always get some biguns. I long for those warm summer months when there is always the risk of having your pole ripped right out of your hands and only a foolish catter leaves an unwatched pole with the bail closed. Love it. šŸ™‚ Good on you northern guys, us southern fishers will be coming on strong as soon as the weather calms a bit.This is the year for my 36 incher. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Ahi1953](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/ahi1953/32/53750_2.png) [@Ahi1953](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Ahi1953)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2020, 10:16pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/11 "2020-03-15T22:16:33Z")
2 fish on the board already Southerns got some catchup to do. [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/3X/7/3/7393c72e353b846e87b3b3a53654f80c207790ed.jpeg)](https://ibb.co/dmBsRcj)[![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/3X/d/9/d9c2dcc062c3529d7c17535bd84f9dba9e4c6e28.jpeg)](https://ibb.co/9TKLBFV) it was windy on the bear I did find two fish that wanted to play. ---
**Author:** ![ice\_sled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@ice\_sled](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/ice_sled)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/13 "2020-03-16T02:11:52Z")
Nice going John! Enjoy it while you can! ? ---
**Author:** ![Ahi1953](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/ahi1953/32/53750_2.png) [@Ahi1953](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Ahi1953)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 11:38am UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/14 "2020-03-16T11:38:21Z")
Yes Ben I will. Glad you are sticking around for some of this years contest. the South needs all the help they can get. ---
**Author:** ![Tin-Can](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tin-Can](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Tin-Can)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 5:40pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/16 "2020-03-16T17:40:14Z")
Nice goin John. I looked out my yard several times yesterday, saw the blue sky and white clouds up towards the BRBR, and just knew you were up there hittin the contest board with something. ---
**Author:** ![Anglinarcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Anglinarcher](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Anglinarcher)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/17 "2020-03-16T23:44:15Z")
> [@Ahi1953](#): > > Kinda liked Jeffs idea last year of having this Thread for sharing info and just pain old fish talk. > I think it helps keep our scoring threads a little cleaner making it easier for Jeff to see our entries. > Good Luck To you all. Go North we got this AGAIN šŸ˜ƒ > > Can you guys give me the link to the 2020 cat challenge? Maybe I can get out of the house soon. ---
**Author:** ![RollWithiT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@RollWithiT](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/RollWithiT)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 12:35am UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/20 "2020-03-18T00:35:49Z")
I got a question, so do I need to have your measuring stick Iā€™m using for the contest certified?? I saw in some other threds people talking about getting their bump boards certified? ---
**Author:** ![2knots](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/2knots/32/53731_2.png) [@2knots](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/2knots)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/22 "2020-03-18T12:37:04Z")
Anybody catch cats at Hyrum, I see them listed as a ā€œspeciesā€ in the lake ---
**Author:** ![Tin-Can](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tin-Can](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Tin-Can)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2020, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/23 "2020-03-18T14:42:54Z")
> [@2knots](#): > > Anybody catch cats at Hyrum, I see them listed as a ā€œspeciesā€ in the lake > > \*\*I have heard of Cats caught at Hyrum, never caught any myself. If they are there, water may still be a bit cold. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![SkunkedAgain](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/skunkedagain/32/53758_2.png) [@SkunkedAgain](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/SkunkedAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/24 "2020-03-19T16:57:51Z")
> [@RollWithiT](#): > > I got a question, so do I need to have your measuring stick Iā€™m using for the contest certified?? I saw in some other threds people talking about getting their bump boards certified? > > _Commercially available devices like tape measures and yard sticks are considered approved, but if you use stuff that is self printed we need to see a picture of the device with a commercial tape measure lined up along the side so we can verify that the dimensions are trueā€¦ If you build a bump board and have commercial measurement items on that bump board it will be approvedā€¦as long as the ends line up with the bump portion of the boardā€¦ I really like bump boards, they make my job so much easier to score fishā€¦ Hope this helpsā€¦ Jeff_ > > * * * > > _ā€œ2knotsā€ pid=ā€˜1095863ā€™ dateline=ā€˜1584535024ā€™ wrote:_ > > Anybody catch cats at Hyrum, I see them listed as a ā€œspeciesā€ in the lake > > [b]\*Alan, a couple years back someone found a dead cat on the beach up there at Hyrum, was easily over 30"ā€¦ So yes there are cats in there, but I donā€™t know of anyone really fishing for cats out of Hyrumā€¦ Probably not high numbers in there, but if you can figure them out, you may be on to the new trophy pond for themā€¦ I havenā€™t scored any fish from Hyrum in the past contests, butā€¦ I havenā€™t out of Mantua yet either, and they planted the big ones in there last year or the year beforeā€¦ so we could see some new cat location entries this yearā€¦ Just takes figuring them outā€¦ Good luck.. Jeff > > PSā€¦ Funny but I donā€™t see many cats from Willard, and folks catch them there all the timeā€¦ I do see some, but not a lotā€¦\*[/b] ---
**Author:** ![Anglinarcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9f8e36/32.png) [@Anglinarcher](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Anglinarcher)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/26 "2020-03-19T22:24:44Z")
> [@Tin-Can](#): > > _ā€œAnglinarcherā€ pid=ā€˜1095774ā€™ dateline=ā€˜1584402255ā€™ wrote:_ > > _ā€œAhi1953ā€ pid=ā€˜1095531ā€™ dateline=ā€˜1584102049ā€™ wrote:_ > > Kinda liked Jeffs idea last year of having this Thread for sharing info and just pain old fish talk. > I think it helps keep our scoring threads a little cleaner making it easier for Jeff to see our entries. > Good Luck To you all. Go North we got this AGAIN šŸ˜ƒ > > Can you guys give me the link to the 2020 cat challenge? Maybe I can get out of the house soon. > > **Not sure I could give you the link and make it correct, but hereā€™s the old school long hand directions. Utah Forum / Utah Contests - upper right side of contest forum click on ā€œPost Threadā€. When that opens, in thread subject box: type - 2020 Cat Fishing Contest - Anglinarcher. Then each time you catch a contest fish, make a reply to that same thread (yours) with date, place (body of water), length in half inch increments, and a photo of that fish with a measuring device and the a copy of the 2020 BFT Cat Contest placard with your user name on it. > Tips you may have missed: Take LOTS of photos, various angles and distances. Fish must be on a flat surface, measuring device flush at nose, tail pinched. Post the photo that best shows fish and measuring device. SkunkedAgain or another mod will judge the posted photo and usually respond in green font. Repeat as many times, with as many fish as you can. 3 largest will be scored for your personal score and the team score. > Hope that helpsā€¦:idea:** > > Thanks, I will probably mess up the first time, but lots of fish in them their waters. ---
**Author:** ![SkunkedAgain](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/skunkedagain/32/53758_2.png) [@SkunkedAgain](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/SkunkedAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 1:56pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/27 "2020-03-20T13:56:10Z")
_Okay I have a topic that I could use some help with: Yesterday when I went out I actually had several hits I missed, well truth be told the day went like thisā€¦ First cast out of both poles I had a fish grab my left pole which had a big honking quarter pound of carp on itā€¦ It had an 8 ought hook with a 3 ought stinger hook right by it with both hooks in the same piece of bait. As the bobber took off I was so excited I immediately tried to set the hook and gave a big harry jerk and pulled it right out of its mouth, no contactā€¦ While later right pole bobber takes off.. Note this pole has a flig baited with carp and then two other 4 ought hooks lower with less bait on this rig prospecting for what they wanted. Anyway it is under a bobber and the bobber takes off, this pole has my bait feeder reel on so I let it take off and swimā€¦ note they are moving slow, not the summer grab and run ā€¦ The fish gets out maybe 10 yards and I decide to set the hook, so I cranked into it and all heck breaks lose as the fish thrashes like an alligator, the head pops out and itā€™s a big boy, like probably 28 plus fishā€¦ I fight for maybe two or three seconds after and itā€™s gone, like opened its mouth and spit it outā€¦ As the afternoon went on, two more takes and total whiffs when I try to set the hook after the bobbers being carried a long ways awayā€¦ So I tried to cut my bait into smaller pieces so the hooks stuck out better and casted back outā€¦ Then I caught the 22"er, but it was hooked on the outside of the mouth, so probably not the hook it tookā€¦ A long time later I got the 26.5 and it had swallowed it so I did get a good hook set there. My question is, how should I be baiting up or rigging my hooks so I get a better hook up ratioā€¦ I donā€™t usually get many bites and if I miss them I have a good chance on not catching anythingā€¦ Anyone willing to do a basic rigging baiting piece so I can try and do better? Thanks Jeff_ ---
**Author:** ![Tin-Can](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tin-Can](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Tin-Can)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/28 "2020-03-20T18:05:42Z")
\*\*Well, I did venture out to the River yesterday. Rain and wind off and on. Still no bites for me. But I did get a good laugh. I pulled up to the boat ramp, saw something strange sticking out of a fence post. When I got close enough I could see that it was a camera tri-pod. Now there may be other guys, but I only know one that takes and uses a camera tri-pod at the riverā€¦Ahi1953 John. Shortly after seeing it, John pulled up. I had already taken and put it in my truck, figure I would be a good deed angler friend and keep it for him. I see him at the river just about every weekend. I show it to him, he says, ā€œyeah, that was my old broken one. I got a new one. I put this one in the trash can in the bathroom at the bottom parking areaā€ Well I guess there was someone else at the river, saw it in the trash and decided they would also be a good deed anglerā€¦and stuck it in the fence post at the ramp. šŸ˜ƒ (I had a photo of it, but must have cleared it off my phone) Anyway, glad John caught another Cat yeasterday. \*\* * * * > [@Tin-Can](#): > > _ā€œJig-fisherā€ pid=ā€˜1095565ā€™ dateline=ā€˜1584119658ā€™ wrote:_ > > Hey you two, you better leave some big ones for me! Hopefully I can get in a couple of hours of fishing here and there next week. Looking forward to an early charge by the North team. > > šŸ˜ƒ šŸ˜ƒ \*\*ah Paul, thats funnyā€¦only one you need to worry about ā€œleaving you some big onesā€ is John. Weather forecast isnā€™t too good t his weekend, but I am gonna at least go up, drown some more bait, and sit in my truck. \*\* > > \*\*Paul, guess you donā€™t need to worry about me getting your big cats, or any right nowā€¦you and John have hit them all so far. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Tin-Can](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tin-Can](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Tin-Can)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2020, 3:33pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/38 "2020-03-25T15:33:41Z")
> [@Ahi1953](#): > > Not sure whats happening Jeff. I have had fish that pick up the bait and run without getting the hook and fish that get hooked in the wiskers. When using circle hooks the main thing to remmber snell them with the leader comming out of the front of the eye [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/4/44d8d2eb09c2d89069913528bc3c6199870dd66a.jpeg)](https://ibb.co/3yRDcyM) > > **John, sent you a PM** ---
**Author:** ![Tin-Can](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cab0a1/32.png) [@Tin-Can](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/Tin-Can)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2020, 1:27pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/40 "2020-03-26T13:27:05Z")
> [@Ahi1953](#): > > sorry Forest I sent reply > > **I got it, thanks** ---
**Author:** ![SkunkedAgain](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/forum.bigfishtackle.com/skunkedagain/32/53758_2.png) [@SkunkedAgain](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/u/SkunkedAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872/42 "2020-03-28T13:28:20Z")
_I vote for better weather as well. Man itā€™s cold when that wind gets blowing. Tough cattin lately. Later J_ * * * > > Not sure whats happening Jeff. I have had fish that pick up the bait and run without getting the hook and fish that get hooked in the wiskers. When using circle hooks the main thing to remmber snell them with the leader comming out of the front of the eye [![](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/bigfishtackle/original/2X/4/44d8d2eb09c2d89069913528bc3c6199870dd66a.jpeg)](https://ibb.co/3yRDcyM) _Hey John Iā€™ve never learned to tie a snell hook, I use the Palomar knot and itā€™s easy and doesnā€™t fail me. So thatā€™s my knot of choice. I let that last one take its time with the take and it swallowed it deep, but luckily it was easy to get out without hurting the fish. Poor fish looked like it had been fighting already, it had quite the wounds already. Maybe it found a boat motor. Hope the coming week will be better fishen. Later J_ [Next page](https://forum.bigfishtackle.com/t/cat-chat/318872.md?page=2)