Snags

[TheJigMaster]

Questions for all you cat fishing pros out there. I have landed many catfish in my day but never a massive flathead which I have been trying for the past year or so. I have had a few large fish on and but they seem to always out smart me by getting deep into a snag which always ends with me breaking my line. It's not that i don’t have the right line or gear I just don't know what to do and get impatient. I can feel them on there and have even let a ton of line out thinking that it will free itself but they just stay put. Does this happen to anyone else or does anyone have any suggestions on how i can prevent this or get the fish to come out?

Thanks

[JimBuck]

No pro here but I would just keep sticking with it. It's the nature of the beast and your gonna lose fish. I'd try fishing something other than wood to avoid getting hung up in snags.

[bchevycaprice]

when im in snags i like to realy horse them in using 80 sufix braid to keep them from getin a chance to get hung up

[Loose]

when im in snags i like to realy horse them in using 80 sufix braid to keep them from getin a chance to get hung up

+1

[dan z]

Id have to say stick with it. We use 80# power pro. We also use graphic. rods. When fishing were there is alot of stags dont let them run to long sit the hook soon as you can.

[DARK30]

Welcome to the Minnesota River...its like playing shutes n ladders. Snags are snags and I try to avoid them too.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

This is where beefy equipment and tackle come into play. A reel with a strong drag mixed with strong line and swivels will help you out. When I'm fishing a snaggy area I tighten my drag all the way down and I don't let the fish take much line out when it picks up the bait and runs.

[TruthWalleyes]

Keep with it. 3 times this year i've had to pull anchor with a fish on the rod and reposition the boat so i can yank them out of the snag(not an easy thing to do by yourself)....makes it fun & interesting! I've also lost 3 in the timber, including a real nice one.

I use 80# power pro and tighten that drag as much as possible...at times i'm throwing my bait right into the snag, just set that hook and pull them out hard...sometimes you lose em!

[Gordie]

everything said so far is a +1 from me with one other tactic that you can try that has worked for me in the past but not always is to just let your line slack and let line out. Try and let the fish swim out on its own. I do this as a last resort effort before I know I have to break the line and I have gotten some out and not gotten others out. Last year I did manage to pull a 44 incher out of a snag that way and a 42 incher.

Its a matter of time and you will have one to show us in a photo

Good luck and keep on trying

[rushing]

I am constantly puling them out of snags when I am out noodling.

[Gordie]

I am constantly puling them out of snags when I am out noodling.

[Ed Carlson]

Snags = Structure.. & ..Structure = Cats...so it's the nature of the beast.

The best advice is get them up and out as soon as they pick up the bait, if you know they are near cover that will prove bothersome.

If they are grabbing, crushing, and retreating to cover, try not to feed them enough leash to make it back to home base...Zap them...quicker the better, and turn then up so they get disorientated so you can get them to play your game.

I find as much as you can keep there head up, so they try to circle wide to reorient themselves over open water trying to again locate home base.

I'm assuming your running a very snort leader, or non at all, so that helps. Longer leads tend to allow for hangs when close to involved structural elements.

So I use two basic strategies when in cover intense waters, a float rig to force them to feed up and away from the cover (Call them out to play), or a point blank weight to hook rig to limit straying... and I stay sharp to get on them fast to avoid that round trip back to him home snag.

[Ed Carlson]

Welcome to the Minnesota River...its like playing shutes n ladders. Snags are snags and I try to avoid them too.

Dark....I think you need to design a new board game...for catfisherman. Something to sit around the fire with and cuss at while you wait for a clicker to go off.

Call it "Kitty's and Snags".

[TruthWalleyes]

Snags = Structure.. & ..Structure = Cats...so it's the nature of the beast.

So I use two basic strategies when in cover intense waters, a float rig to force them to feed up and away from the cover (Call them out to play)

How far under the float are you putting your bait? I've got some massive bobbers i've been waiting to try.

[Gordie]

Dark....I think you need to design a new board game...for catfisherman. Something to sit around the fire with and cuss at while you wait for a clicker to go off.

Call it "Kitty's and Snags".

Snags and Snadbars would be a hit on the Minnesota River Ed

[DARK30]

I'm sure someone could come up with a board game for catmen. What about something a little more action packed to play on shore? How about "Y-Stick"...

Two y-sticks are placed about 30 feet apart. Each player gets to fling three old pairs of wet underwear at the opposite y-stick. Points for touching the y-stick, landing on the y-stick, and the most points for a (leg) hole over the y-stick.

No wonder the secret "smelling yours fingers" sign is becoming the best why to identify a fellow catman....we'll just skip the secret handshake.

[Gordie]

Dark I think you would be playing that one by yourself and BTW is that why they call it stinkbait on a stick

[rushing]

Hungry Hungry Flathead

[Ed Carlson]

I'm sure someone could come up with a board game for catmen. What about something a little more action packed to play on shore? How about "Y-Stick"...

Two y-sticks are placed about 30 feet apart. Each player gets to fling three old pairs of wet underwear at the opposite y-stick. Points for touching the y-stick, landing on the y-stick, and the most points for a (leg) hole over the y-stick.

No wonder the secret "smelling yours fingers" sign is becoming the best why to identify a fellow catman....we'll just skip the secret handshake.

Do Lena's Granny Panty's qualify too Dark?

[DARK30]

In keeping with the required "family site" guidelines...I think the said throwable objects should be referred to as tighty whities. This could be the next game at the olympics man....I wonder who would show up with a check first, Hanes or Friut of the Loom?

I'm sorry, was this a thred about snags? I really need to go get some bullheads.

[Ed Carlson]

Fair enough....Olympic Man's event.....OK...that's funny!

[Gordie]

First off Dark dont you mean cheek

OK I'm going back on topic last night the guy I was fishin with hooked up with a cat and it went into a snag we repositioned several times trying to get it out but no luck and you could feel and see that the fish was on the other end for sure and it also felt like the sinker was just snagged up. So I took a empty five hour power bottle and wrapped the line around the bottle cap threads and then put the cap on and let line out and the fish pulled the bottle to the sinker and free it up enough to get the fish in. It wasnt a huge fish as a matter of fact it was the smallest of the night but it didnt matter the trick worked. Now I'm not saying this will always work but I will be trying it again, BTW the fish was a two and a half pound flattie

You probally could do this with a small bobber as well but didnt think of that then also I had the boat positioned over the top of the fish so the bottle and line didnt have to travel that far.

[aanderud]

Great thinking, Gordie. Next time that happens to me, I think I'll try it. I know a guy who had a huge fish on earlier this year for league who might have been able to use that tactic.

[Gordie]

Great thinking, Gordie. Next time that happens to me, I think I'll try it. I know a guy who had a huge fish on earlier this year for league who might have been able to use that tactic.

yea I texted that guy last night while we were fighting thsat fish but I didnt put two and two together HMMM wonder if thats why he didnt tezt me back

[DTro]

Hardy har har

It's pretty bad when the sober guy sends a drunk like message, and then a drunk guy has to figure it out:

"We got one in a poi yet going to try the bottle triCk"

I was speechless I guess.