Da Knolls (Utah Lake) 4-20-09

Utah Fishing Reports & Discussion Utah Fishing General
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:sunglasses:**BFTer WeekendWarrior is an admitted troutaholic. But, he is beginning his 12 cast program to taper off. We started today with an introductory course on cat-ology. **

**We launched to nice calm conditions, no bugs yet and 54 degree water about 7 AM. Started tossing plastics and cranks while dragging a minnow. Only a couple of small whacks (whities) for about the first hour. Then a whole bunch happened all in a hurry. **

First, WW hooked into a monster and battled it to his tube. Since it was that awful gold color, with big scales and no teeth, he elected to provide a hasty gillectomy and released it unharmed.

Then my bait rod jiggled and the line popped out of the catch…and went zinging out through the guides. BENDO. First kitty of the morning. Measured out about 25 inches and was sent swimming (without surgery). As I was getting the kitty to smile for the camera, WW wailed that he was heading for shore. One side of his tube was suddenly getting squishy. Turned out to be a poorly seated valve. Got it fixed and aired back up and rejoined the chase.

**There was a light breeze most of the morning. First from one direction and then another. Never troublesome, and provided a nice little “fishing ripple”. We felt comfortable kicking further south beyond the rock point at the Knolls, and found more fish on the sonar. **

I cast shallow and got snagged. As I was kicking toward the snag, to try to retrieve my tandem jig rig, a big ol’ buglemouth slurped up the second jig and unsnagged the rig for me. Gave me some good exercise for a few moments too. I was so greatful I provide some free surgery (see pic) and sent him back to brag to all his carpy friends.

**I had worked back and forth from 4’ to 8’, trying to find catfish, walleyes…anything. Finally, I got in the 7-8’ zone that seemed to hold the most fish. Saw quite a few on sonar, but most of them had their pectoral fins upraised with the middle ray extended. **

Not many bites, but a few more kitties munched the carp minnows I offered. I ended up keeping 3 nice fat 16" to 17" speckled channel kitties, and released 3 more from 22 to 25". With the water temps still under 60 degrees, it was surprising how hard those cats fought. A couple of the bigger ones made my drag sing a few times.

WW hung in there, studying for his catology exam, but not doing much “lab work”. He missed a few “inquiries”…not being too familiar with the ways of the capricious catfish yet.

**On the way back in, kicking furiously against the flat calm glassy waters, I worked into shallower water and started smacking a bunch of small white bass. In one area I caught one every cast for several casts, including one double on my tandem jig rig. I think I was depressing WW. But, he was a trooper. He kept reminding me (through clenched teeth) “I am just here to observe today.” **

He is a GREAT observer.

Water temp was a balmy 60 degrees when we got out of the water just before 2 PM. And, it was really clearing up nicely. Pale green with visibility of almost 2 feet. Unheard of for Utah Lake.

Oh yeah, one other note. The Knolls is known for always having a lot of trash…left by a group of folks who NEVER clean up after their weekend and evening “campouts”. But today took the cake. When we pulled up to our spot at daybreak, there was a multicolored blanket, a sleeping bag and a pair of boots laying on the ground. Still there when we came back in. Wondering if someone was snoozing and got munched by the Utah Lake giant blue flathead catfish monster.

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Nice report, interesting sleeping bag. Maybe some one over sleep and was late for work

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:sunglasses:**Wonder what kind of work they do that lets them show up barefooted. **

Another one of those difficult to explain things we see from time to time in the great outdoors. As my wife and I often remark, when finding something like that “There’s gotta be a story behind that.”

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TD, glad to hear a few are biting at the Knolls. I’ve been wanting to go down there and give it a try myself - - even drove down there with my dog one day but didn’t take any gear (???). Thanks for checking it out for me! That’s a fun place for tubing. If I knew when you were going to be there again I’d join you for a mini catfest/carp smashin’ bash.

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:sunglasses:Some of us are planning a mini floatilla at Lincoln Beach early Thursday morning. I don’t think I am going to hit the Knolls again until they finish all of that work they are doing on Redwood Road between Bangerter and Saratoga Springs. Took me almost an hour to get from the Knolls to Bangerter on the way home today.

There were lots of carp jumping up in the air today, like they were trying to loosen some eggs. And, there were some big clumps of carp near shore. But, did not see any evidence of carp rolling near the shoreline yet. Another week or two of these warm temps and it will be carpalopolis. I plan to ventilate a few with some arrows again this year.

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Glad to hear they are biting!!
I need to catch some to make fish tacos.
I wish I could make it down there on Thursday with you, but I have a doc appt. that morning.
Maybe next week if this nice weather holds out.

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I plan to ventilate a few with some arrows again this year.[/#0000ff][/b]

I’ll need to make that trip with you! I love that time of year.

Well a HUGE thanks you to mr TubeDude for an enjoyable morning! I arrived at the knolls around 630 to find TD wrapped up all warm in his rainbow blanket. I almost felt bad waking him up cuz he looked so comfy. Haha JK bro.

The real story is that I was a mess today and definetly learned from the master. TD went easy on me in the report but I took a lesson today! I will be to the floatilla Thursday, even if I need to leave early for that thing they call work. [crazy]

I had a blast today and was amazed by all the carps in big schools just slurpin. It reminded me of that part on I am legend where will smith finds a hive of mutants just breathing in a corner. Kinda freaky to have your legs dangling when the school splits! haha Here are some pics I took.

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:sunglasses:The fish were still out fairly deep yesterday, after the recent storms. But, they will be moving in around the reeds very soon, with the water warming up like it is. Your SPOT should be hot within a week or two.

The water level is about as high as I have seen it on Utah Lake. Way up into the shoreline brush.

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:sunglasses:Hey, you promised you wouldn’t tell about having to wake me up in my blankie if I wouldn’t tell about you kissing those carp on the lips before you released them “unharmed”.

Don’t think I do not know what you were doing (not doing) out there. After our conversation about newbies and rookies always catching the first, the most or the biggest fish…you were deliberately avoiding hooking all of those big cats that took your bait. Pretty clever…cutting off the points on the hooks so you wouldn’t make me feel bad when you outfished me while I was trying to show you how it is done.

Okay, we got the “auditing the course” session out of the way. You are on your own on Thursday and you can go ahead and WHACK those kitties. That is if you can leave the carp alone long enough to get in some serious fishing.

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TubeDude,

I love your pdf word document on Utah Lake Catfish. Had never caught a catfish prior to reading the report.

Is their a listing of any other pdf/word documents you have done. I was told their was one on Walleyes.

Thanks!

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I’ll do my best on Thursday! Them bugle-mouths sure are good kissers. My wife thought there was something fishy when I got home. [;)]

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:sunglasses:Thanks. Glad you find my stuff helpful.

**I have a fairly large (half vast) collection of “writeups” and articles I have written on Utah fishing. No actual list of categories. That will change soon when I go back and rewrite a lot of them and insert some pics. Then I will make an index. It will likely be included on the website I will be putting up in the next sixty days. **

I am finally finishing the editing and pic inserts for my book on float tubing. When I get it done, I will make it available (cheap) on the website, along with a lot of free info on a variety of subjects.

For right now, here is the PDF file on Utah Lake Walleyes. It needs some revision, to reflect some of the new info and changes to the fishery during the past couple of years.

PS…anybody can write a book on any subject. But, knowing the words and the theory is no guarantee that you can be successful on every trip. Anybody who claims to be able to catch walleyes on every trip will lie about other things too.

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:astonished:

TubeDude I got a PM from the guy that left the sleeping bag and the hi top shoes.

He told me that he was skinny dipping and when he seen you guys he ran for the bushes. Unfortunately, some pesky coyotes came and ran off with his clothes, leaving him feeling humiliated. He says he is doing ok now and said not to worry. He didn’t want me to mention his BFT name.

But he said for me to tell you congratulations on the catch.

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:sunglasses:When I saw the name Todd R. embroidered into the purty blanket I wondered if it might be yours. Sorry we interrupted your “interaction” with the carp. They can be pretty aggressive when they are approaching the spawn mode.

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[:p]

I know carp get pretty friendly at this time of the year.

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:laughing:

[inline carp-love.jpg]

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:sunglasses:That is SOOOOOOOO wrong.

You’re a sick puppy.

Love it.

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thats actually a pic of trout_slayer back when he had hair

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sure thats not trout_layer instead of slayer, lol,
sorry couldn’t resist, later chuck

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:sunglasses:Sounds like a fun trip. I’ve fished The knolls twice in the past and have been skunked both times. I usually catch at least one fish at Utah Lake no matter what…

On sunday, Beggin4bass and I after worshiping at his church in Draper went out and finished up services in his boat at the church of the 7th day angler at the Lindon chapel. Water temp was 60 in the harbor and then 55 as we moved out of it towards the North. Water temp eventually warmed up to 62 near one of the little inlets but fishing was VERY slow. Caught one Channel at 3 pounds and a little Bullhead. We even casted near that particular inlet for whities and other panfish but to no avail. I think most of the Channels were out deeper still that day. I’m sure with this warmer weather this week that they’ll start moving into their normal locations around the reeds soon…