Catfishing

[Nick]

what do ya'll use to catch big cats? i've used eels,shad, and stink bait i just cant seem to catch the bigboys

[jeffman]

MUSKEEMAN,
I am not a cat man, but my dad was and he used chicken entrails a lot. Also, try the rotten cheese/shad mixture that you fish on a sponge bait with a treble hook. There is also the bait you buy in a tube and squeeze onto a ribbed worm-like outfit. Almost anything dead and rotting will work for cats. (Really makes you want to eat them, don't it.

JackL

[Nick]

yea

Shad and Shrimp, i think are the best baits.

Sandra

[fastcat]

Liver works for me. You can also use pretty much any cut bait.

[bass72542]

i always use chicken livers

[Nick]

i've tried just about everything i probably over $400 worth of catfishin bait

[OKie]

Chicken liver is the way to go!!

[bass72542]

400!!!!!!!$$$$$$$$ dang I WOULD NOT HAVE SPENT THAT MUCH ON CATFISHIN UMUST BE RICH..... LOL

[Nick]

no im just dedicated i dont wanna give up catfishin. i just dont seem to catch the bigones

[keeb]

chicken blood dough baits

[Makitcnt4u]

Bill dance and other guys have stuff they use called: Catfish Dynamite. It comes in dough balls or a dip that you can dip the sponge in or put a zipper worm like thing in it and it will hold the dip.

[bassfisher14]

The best thing to use to catch the bigboys is shad. You have to find them first though.

Do you fish out of a boat, or are you stuck to the banks?

If you own a boat with a fishfinder, then use it to your advantage. Locate the schools of shad and see if there are any cats sitting under them. Drop you a shad under that school right on top of those cats and hang on. Here is a good site to check out. It is out of Texas, but he same principles apply almost anywhere for cats.

[ftp]www.whiskerkitty.com[/ftp]

Go to the forum section and read up.

[Rob Mak]

i use everything from white perch to shad to brim. i prefure bait fish of several kinds if i can get them. depending on what kind of cat fish i am looking for. dead bait-frozen shad- is my #1 choice for cat fishing for blues and channel cats. for flat heads i like large brim or 6-8" white perch. at night during the warmer months -when the water is over 60 degrees- i drift a frozen bait under a small cork no more than 4 feet deep. and i run jugs. if i am fishing for flat heads-which almost never feed at the surface- i hook large brim or perch thruogh the tail and carolina rig the live bait. in a nasty snag filled area or deep hole. but i keep my tackle at a minimum and simple. my cork rig consit of a small lead loaded cork 2-4 feet above a 8-10/0 circle hook. attached to 15 pound mono on a 7-14 foot e-glass stick.-casting or spinning really don't matter much.

the flat head rig is nothing more than a carolina rig -3/4-3 oz egg sinker- above a swivel with a leader-mostly less than 24"-and a 8-10/0 circle hook. half way between the hook and the swivel i place a small lead loaded cork. for flat heads i like the longer 12-14 foot sticks basicly cause i can haul the fish out of cover a tad more easily.

i know 15 pound mono don't sound that strong but then again it is ande and i have caught 70+ pound fish on 15 pound test. besides breaking heavier pound test is not an easy thing.


zooker

[Nick]

i went catfishing last night and we stoped over what we thought was a school of catfis and we tried everythin and didnt even get a bite

[Stan]

since we're on the subject.. back home i fish for the big cats close to a hydro-electric plant...the bottom of the river is filled with big rocks to prevent erotion...i tried tight-lining there but keep gettin hung up..any ideas to keep me from gettin hung up so much??? i just get bored with snagging and wanna try somthing diff...

[Rob Mak]

1 of the damest riggs i have everseen is a tail race rig which i use anytime i am in tailraces with bait any way. first you tie a weight on the bottom-normally and egg sinker- then 8-12 "above the weight you cleat loop a circle hook.. cleat loop is basicly a polymar knot with out the over hand loop.that is thru and around.


zooker

[Bassin_Dude]

sounds to me like a drop shot rig zook :-/

[Rob Mak]

yeah i know but mostly us 1-6oz egg sinker.

zooker

[Nick]

yea

[quote author=Muskeeman34 link=board=Tourneys;num=1118492287;start=0#9 date=06/11/05 at 13:53:46]no im just dedicated i dont wanna give up catfishin. i just dont seem to catch the bigones[/quote]

The ones that are just over 12 inches are the better tasting ones anyway !!

Sandra

[Scott_Calvin]

good ole chicken liver soaked in chiken blood ;D

[Nick]

yea but the just dont bite...i fish in the chicahomony and on smith mountain lake and i aint caught anything over 5 lbs.

[coolman]

Man i was fishing a hotdog like 2 1/2 weeks ago (before i found this site) and caught a 6 1/2 pound Cat!!!!! But he didnt stay for dinner that night :'( I wouldve been nice but Oh well!!!!!!

[jdkc]

I have catfished for a long time. Me and my friend will go out to a pond or channel at night. Personal favorite is to go to the store and buy the bloodiest chicken liver you can find. Also what kind of rig do you use? First, put on the egg sinker, second the swivel, then a 12 inch leader with your hook and bait. When catfish pick up bait they usually play with it for a second in their mouth, and if they feel that weight they will spit it out. Cast it out, put it in your rod holder tighten it up and we put bells on the ends of our poles. When you see it moving dont' get up right away and set the hook, wait till the end of that rod drops big time then do it. Then get ready for the battle. Best part of catfishin is sittin on the bank, with some cold drinks, a nice fire, and friends. Don't get no better than that.