Channel Cat Question..on the Mississippi...Ford D*m

[Alan]

I am thinking about trying my luck at fishing for Channel cats on the Mississippi. I never targeted them before, but I want to target something with a little more muscle than a Carp..

I was thinking of walking up close to the ford d*m on the St Paul side. Does this area hold channel cats? Just below the D*m.?

I am going to Fleet Farm tonight and getting some circle hooks...what size should I get? And should I stop at the bait shop and pick up some fat head's and cut em up? Or could I get away with hot dogs...or crawlers?

[Shack]

Click Here Alan. Good Luck and Have Fun!!!!!!

[mplspug]

Fish the Eddy just after the outward bend and let us know how you do. I haven't fished there since last spring and I am curious how the action is.

The spot I speak of can be found this way. Walk up the shoreline toward the dam. You'll see the first bend in the river where the rocky shore bends back into the river, narrowing the river. Where that bend then bends back down river there should be a riffle and you will see a seam flowing towards the main channnel. Just behind that on the downstream side will be the eddy I speak of.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I never targeted them before, but I want to target something with a little more muscle than a Carp.

As much as I love catfish, I don't think you're going to find much that will put up more fight than a nice carp

[bobbymalone]

I agree with ralph wiggum, you will have a hard time finding something with more muscle than a great big ol' carp.

I have always had success with cut sucker on 4/0 - 6/0 octopus circle hooks for good size channels. Crawlers work, but usually only entice the lil' guys into biting. A big bunch of fatheads should work too, but I would just get some big suckers and steak them out.

I usually go with a 6/0 - 8/0 octo circle for flats with a big piece of cut sucker or a bullhead.

When I target catfish, carp, suckers, etc. I go with circle hooks 99% of time. I miss some fish, but I think my catch rate has improved dramatically after switching to circles.