Willard cats - 2022-03-24

[Trent_S]

I Launched at 8am and quit at 1pm. Sunny and calm. Morning water temp was 46F, afternoon was 50F. Caught two cat-fish (21” and 23”). Launched out of the North marina and did a slow troll off the bottom with FLIGS in 10-11 FOW. Both were caught between 9am-10:30am. The bite turned off completely after 10:30am. I was trolling at 0.5mph with 1/8oz weight. The two cats were both caught using a hot-pink FLIG (#2 hook) with worm attached. No other strikes for me besides the cats. Water level was about 2’ below the dike rocks. There were about 6 boat trailers in the parking lot at 8:00am. The two boaters I talked to coming back in at 1pm caught skunks.

I ran into Tube Dude, who was putting a lot of mileage on his tube (will probably need maintenance soon ) . The DNR folks were launching at 8am, probably to do some netting for Walleye.

[Cowboypirate]

You guys getting early cat action has got poor Cookie in a lather. She may make me change our Saturday plans to go whisker searching

[wiperhunter2]

Good to hear you are getting into a few. At Willard the cats are grouped up and if we catch one in an area, there are usually more, so we will start circling the spot where we caught the first one, making bigger and bigger circles. Having side scan really helps, as there are times when we are just searching but not fishing, when we will come accross a spot where there are big numbers of fish, when we see that we stop right there and start slow trolling.  We use 3/8 oz weights to be in constant contact with the bottom, the fish will see the distubance from the weight dragging the bottom and come over to check it out, then the flig will go by and they will grab it. Lately we have been using a 15 to 20" leader between the weight and the flig. One thing I sould tell you, always check you leader after catching a cat because they have a habit of rolling when caught and their fins will nick the line, you might get that one in but the line will be weak, so the next one might get away when you are reeling it in. Willard is always tough this time of the year, so a number of years ago, when we learned, "the way of the flig", from TubeDude we started using it and it was a game changer for us, consistantly putting fish in the boat when others were having little to no luck. The catching should continue to inprove with the warming temps.

[TubeDude]

Hey Trent, it was good to meet up with you out on the water.  We've been BFT buddies for quite a while now but if I recall correctly this was the first time we have shared the water.  The trip was an "NBC" (nuttin' but cats) day for me too.  I also "scratched" only a couple of kitties...about the same sizes as you reported.

I had a chance to chat with Chris Penne...with the DWR walleye netting crew...before they launched.  He said they had started getting some spawn-ready females and it should be full on spawn very soon with the climbing water temps. 

Also got a free funny show as I was powering out of the marina.  A couple of folks in a boat had been prospecting shallow for crappies inside the marina and they got stuck on a shallow hump.  Tilted up their motor and gunned it while pushing with an oar to get free.  Good show. 

Once I got outside the marina I couldn't believe how the fish picture has changed.  Up until this week there have been good numbers of fish all over just outside the marina.  On this trip it was barren...and continued to be mostly devoid of fish on either the regular sonar or side imaging clear over to the north dike and back.  The two fish I got were right close together in one small spot.  I saw one on sonar and dropped back my chub-baited fligs and got the first one...and then a second.  And that was it.  I got a couple more pop and drops and lost two other fish...one definitely another cat but the other was either a large perch or a small walleye.  They can be anything you want them to be if you don't see them and nobody else can prove otherwise.  The pink tiger flig got most of my hits but one of the fish I lost was on an orange tiger. 

At least it was a purty day.  And the deer and the pelicans massed up for a wildlife show. 
 
By the way, I am impressed with your creative use of PVC in tricking out your toon.

[doitall5000]

Hey Pat have you ever salted your clubs to make them harded.

[TubeDude]

Hey Pat have you ever salted your clubs to make them harded.

Yes.  But I do not notice any greater attraction to the fish...for the type fishing I do most.  And since most fish are hooked on the strike, having a firmer bait is really not that much of a greater advantage.  However, if you are only using small pieces...to tip jigs for ice fishing...it is better to have a firmer bait.  But I fish mine mostly as whole small chubs...or maybe front or back halves of larger chubs.  The hook wraps around the spine and provides a good solid hold. 

I know kentofnsl always salts his chubs.  He uses them a lot for vertical jigging.  And I can personally attest that Utah Lake catfish like his "flavored" chub meat too.  What he claims to like best about it is that when heavily salted the chub meat doesn't ever freeze solid...and can be used in any state or temperature...and then put back in the freezer if there are leftovers.

[doitall5000]

Hey Pat have you ever salted your clubs to make them harded.

Yes.  But I do not notice any greater attraction to the fish...for the type fishing I do most.  And since most fish are hooked on the strike, having a firmer bait is really not that much of a greater advantage.  However, if you are only using small pieces...to tip jigs for ice fishing...it is better to have a firmer bait.  But I fish mine mostly as whole small chubs...or maybe front or back halves of larger chubs.  The hook wraps around the spine and provides a good solid hold. 

I know kentofnsl always salts his chubs.  He uses them a lot for vertical jigging.  And I can personally attest that Utah Lake catfish like his "flavored" chub meat too.  What he claims to like best about it is that when heavily salted the chub meat doesn't ever freeze solid...and can be used in any state or temperature...and then put back in the freezer if there are leftovers.

Thanks, I'm going out tomorrow I'm going to salt some tonight, try both ways.  
Want to work south harbor and SW corner, might run into the cowboy and his better half.
Latter I hope..

[Cowboypirate]

Hey Pat have you ever salted your clubs to make them harded.

Yes.  But I do not notice any greater attraction to the fish...for the type fishing I do most.  And since most fish are hooked on the strike, having a firmer bait is really not that much of a greater advantage.  However, if you are only using small pieces...to tip jigs for ice fishing...it is better to have a firmer bait.  But I fish mine mostly as whole small chubs...or maybe front or back halves of larger chubs.  The hook wraps around the spine and provides a good solid hold. 

I know kentofnsl always salts his chubs.  He uses them a lot for vertical jigging.  And I can personally attest that Utah Lake catfish like his "flavored" chub meat too.  What he claims to like best about it is that when heavily salted the chub meat doesn't ever freeze solid...and can be used in any state or temperature...and then put back in the freezer if there are leftovers.

Thanks, I'm going out tomorrow I'm going to salt some tonight, try both ways.  
Want to work south harbor and SW corner, might run into the cowboy and his better half.
Latter I hope..

You very well might see us in the SW corner, we are sitting around the table right now debating where we will go. We wanted to do our spring ice off run to Flaming Gorge but our favorite areas around the pipeline were reported a week ago as still iced up and I cant get a better report. Long drive to find it iced still. 

So my best bet is BRBR, Willard or Utah Lake.. maybe Rock - Paper - Scissors