6When you have as many people catching and keeping the number of cats out of a water, you tend to limit the population to numbers rather than size. While there are a few of those pushing the envelope of 10plus, the dynamics favor numbers of smaller fish. Those bigger specimans will also tend to be less active, feeding at very specific times when it suits them, rather than us. They also feed less often, taking a bigger meal that lasts them longer. You almost have to hunt them, like a trophy buck or bull. Specific locations, specific times of the day, specific baits. Good luck !! Good hunting !!
Ya, I agree. And not to put too find a point on it, how many of us want to toss a bait too big to tempt the cookie cutters but be right for the trophy, knowing that we might not catch but two or three fish a year.
But, if it was a trophy buck, a trophy elk, we might. LOL
**There are an increasing number of Utah Lake cataholics who lust after the bigguns. But even those most in the know have plenty of days having to settle for “average” sized fish and not hooking anything with real shoulders. My own experience has been that I have hooked my biggest fish right in the middle of catching some of the smaller ones. And I have never been successful at targeting strictly the big fish and not catching any smaller ones. Big ones will sometimes slurp smaller baits and smaller fish will often munch the largest baits you can toss out there.
I have some pet theories about how to increase the odds…at different times of the year…but none of them prove out often enough to be considered fool-proof. So I swallow my pride and accept battle with all comers…hoping that there will be at least one or two “immovable objects” on my day’s worth of hooksets. But it’s always a good idea to rig at least one rod with a bigger and juicier bait than that on your other rod. And then accept it when the biggest fish of the day smacks a small jig you are throwing for white bass. It happens.**
I’ve been chasing big cats (not unlike Captain Ahab) for several years. PB so far is a 33 incher a few years back. The 36 incher I have been looking for is out there, it is just a matter of time until we converge. 
Good info from Therapist and, of course, TD knows a thing or two about cats.
When I finally catch that really big one, will it be male or female?? Seems to me that the males tend to bulk up in the head, shoulders,and gut with length sometimes appearing disproportionate to the size of their head. The females are more inclined to grow in length rather than having big heads. So, to answer my own question, I think the longest biggun will be female; the heaviest biggun will be male. Thoughts??
Out of 17 I got Friday and Saturday 4 were at least 26" and in the 10 lb. range. But they are back out there swimming around. Don’t most of the BFTers do mostly catch and release? Before I retired and moved to Idaho I only did catch and keep mostly. And when I had 8 would quit and go home. I fished many years with the state record holder. Although he caught his record on a chicken leg. He would rather fish with shrimp and catch many; than wait for days for a big one. That’s how I feel.
Oh, I forgot my main question. All the years I used to fish UL, we never caught many over 8 lbs. Mostly in the 5 lb. range. My biggest was 13 and I put it back. So I went over 12 years without making it back to Utah Lake. Last year at the Flotilla. I caught 10 on Friday and 10 Saterday. And several were those 10 lb.ders. So the question Pat: Don’t you think they are bigger on average now then they were in the 80’s and 90’s and early 1000,s when I used to fish it hard? And if there is more 10 lb.ers getting put back, I seen Craig catch one and release one that was over 10 as I was driving by him Saturday, won’t the average keep going up. Or am I wrong. Last year I only fished a total of 5 hours at the most. And this year 1 and 1/2 days.
“fast_randy” pid=’ wrote:
That makes me so happy. My favorite place is getting better. Thank you guys for your information. You know there might be a lot more people fishing but it is just so big, it is easy to get away from the crowd. I haven’t been to Bird Island, does anyone know if it is crowded out there. I want to get out there later.
I could take you out there some time its one of my favorites spots to fish. There’s some days there are 8-10 boats maybe a few more but usually when I go during the week only 3-5 and that is around the island but that was last year this year it could have picked up some. I can’t get there yet with my boat as I’m still breaking in New parts and can’t go fast. But soon I’ll be there I hope.
thanks for the info you guys! guess i will keep searching for that honey hole full of 30 pounders, untill then 7 foot sturgeon will have to fill the void of feeling a good battle!