How much time do you spend in one spot?

[TheJigMaster]

Hello guys,

Just wanted to get some different opinions on this. When river fishing with either cut bait or live suckers/bullheads how long do you try in one spot? I guess my real question is do channel/flat heads move out of there daytime spot and look for food or do they wait for food to come to them mainly...so am I better off targeting areas I think they might be and wait or try many different areas throughout the night? I'm pretty new to cat fishing so any help or tips would be appreciated.

[rushing]

Depends on your confidence in a spot. I have bounce around all night and have caught nothing and I have stayed in one spot and nailed them.

[mainbutter]

I rarely fish more than one or two spots over the course of 6 hours.

That's cuz I'm lazy when I shore fish. If I had a boat for the river, I'd move around more

[DTro]

I like to try a new spot each time out. Will give that maybe an hour, then it's off to proven spots. It's much easier to sit for a long time at a spot you've caught big fish before.

Studies have shown the Flatheads will move out of cover near dark and go out to find some food. So you have a good chance if you have your bait in one of three places. Where it leaves it's home, on the way to the food, or where the food is at. The first one is a high percentage area (usually a big old snag), but only a shot at a couple of fish, whereas the highway, and the food spot could be good all night long.

[Boker001]

I mainly stick to one and sometimes 2 spots for the whole night into the morning. If the spot looks good you have to give it more than a few hours to see if it will be worth coming back to. If you don't hit then try a new spot next time.

I almost always fish big snags later in the year. What do the highways look like?

[Gordie]

I'm much like rushing I have sat in one spot all night and caught a few and then went from spot to spot every hour and done the same then Its been gang busters at times jumpimg form spot to spot.

I will ussally sit in a spot for a half hour, 45 min just depends on the area if its a proven spot like dtro talks about or its new is what I base it on.

[Alagnak]

Yep- I tend to move a lot during the day and keep pounding spots- every half hour or so for me at the most. Then sit on a spot at/near dark for and hour or two, then start to hit obvious haunts on the way back to the landing as I prepare to go home. Like DTRO said, its nice to try a new spot every time out or every other time, you can alway go back to the confidence spots.

[snags]

I move around Every 60 - 90 minutes during daylight ..Sun sets, i look for log jams in shallow water and sit all night..

[wastewaterguru]

It really depends on my motivation level on any given night.

[Scott K]

It really depends on my motivation level on any given night.

This is the best answer so far, and fits me as well

[mrklean]

most depends on if they are biting or if i have had any action if i am there for an hour or two with no action at all i might move, but sometimes ill wait it out as well

[Ed Carlson]

For Channel cats and flatheads during the day move often when using cutbaits, and keep the baits fresh.

I seldom sit on a spot for longer than 20 minutes....10 minutes is more common for me if nothing hits. The more you move the more you catch, or at least odds are higher in encountering more fish actively feeding.

Large live baits set on a high confidence location deserve more time to draw in a predator on the hunt, especially at night, so I feel more patience is well advised there.

If you have a "Milk Run" of high percentage structure locations pinpointed and scouted before dark, then you may wish to split up your time among them at night.

[Surreal Deal]

If you have a "Milk Run" of high percentage structure locations pinpointed and scouted before dark, then you may wish to split up your time among them at night.

I agree with this, if you already know the area that you will be fishing it is a great idea to pick out multiple spots ahead of time and have a thought toward moving if the spot that you are on is not working out.

Also, if you get into that mindset you can save yourself some frustration when you get to "Site A" and some guy is already set up on it; - No worries, you just move on to "Site B."

Also I recommend that you keep a notebook and record your outings - Date, Location, weather conditions, type of bait used, what you caught, etc. - It helps you in planning future outings!

[whisker_lust]

I have had good luck staying in one spot on shore, however sometimes you will hit a dry spell and have to wait it out for a couple hours before they turn back on. i have caught my biggest channels up here from shore after catching little to nothing all night until 4 am!

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Once I get set up on a shore spot, I am not moving! That's one plus that I have found between fishing from a boat and fishing from shore. Shore fishing requires a lot more patience and it can really pay off when you don't have a choice but to wait it out (unless you want to pack up and move that bad).

Obviously though it's nice to hit multiple spots in one night.

[ec30_06]

For Channel cats and flatheads during the day move often when using cutbaits, and keep the baits fresh.

I seldom sit on a spot for longer than 20 minutes....10 minutes is more common for me if nothing hits. The more you move the more you catch, or at least odds are higher in encountering more fish actively feeding.

Large live baits set on a high confidence location deserve more time to draw in a predictor on the hunt, especially at night, so I feel more patience is well advised there.

If you have a "Milk Run" of high percentage structure locations pinpointed and scouted before dark, then you may wish to split up your time among them at night.

Exactly what I usually do

[rockingroy]

I generally sit by my fire pit with my rod in the pole at the end of my dock and wait for the the channels to come to me. Sometimes I get nothing, but at least I can walk up to the cabin and get beers from the fridge and enjoy the fire. Other nights I will pick up 2 or 3, seldom more, but usually the ones I catch will be 26"-33", and very seldom do I get anything smaller than 24" at night with cut bait. Lately I've caught a few northerns on cut bait too and occasionally a large snapping turtle, which is a pain in the arse. If I use nightcrawlers instead of cutbait, I get too many sheepshead. I finally bought lights for the boat, so maybe I'll venture out more this year, but I do like catching cats in the backyard.

[nsnutter]

Wow RR that sound rough, how do you deal with the uncomfortable amenities of a fire pit and fridge stocked with beer? haha

[DARK30]

Even fishing from shore, moving your bait can make all the difference. I know one thing..when you got a nice smartfire going...its easier to let the fish move.

Almost time to get mudeye bait

[rockingroy]

I admit, it's the good life, and I do throw out to different spots, and change my baits. Usually my wife is out there with me so I will throw one line straight out from the dock towards the seam, and one down river a ways. Too shallow for Flatheads, it's strictly channels, though I keep waiting for the day I accidentally hook into a Sturgeon. The river is high right now, and the dock is mostly underwater.