Bad Luck

[MinnesnowtaWild]

More like $2,500 fish finder...you know who you are!

[Gordie]

More like $2,500 fish finder...you know who you are!

and it doesnt even catch fish

[rushing]

If I could find a 16ft john with a 25hp for $800, I'd be all over it BUT those sorts of deals don't come around too often.

[Gordie]

If I could find a 16ft john with a 25hp for $800, I'd be all over it BUT those sorts of deals don't come around too often.

ditto then I would beable to sell it and get the 150hp motor I need for mine

[Iowa_Josh]

Hello All,

If the weather cooperates, I plan to head out again tonight with a buddy via boat in hopes of changing my flathead luck for the year. I've spent easily over 200 hours on the river from shore and boat combined this summer without a single run and I can't help but think there's something I'm doing terribly wrong (that or I'm cursed). For the amount of time I've spent reading up tips and advice on this forum I might as well have a PhD in Catfishology, however I have no fish to show for myself. So, I'd like to share my tactics in hopes of somebody noticing any fatal errors that keep leaving me fruitless at the end of every outing.

*River: Minnesota (Carver, Chaska and Shakopee)

*Setup: 6oz coin sinker, bead, swivel, 7-inch leader, 5/0 circle hook

*Bait: live 6-8" bullie hooked under the top barbel near head

*Typical duration of outing: 5pm-1130pm

*Average time spent at spot: 30 min

*Type of structures fished: eddy's on bends (usually 12-15 ft of water), back side of downed trees with slack water (8ft) next to current, the deep side of drop offs (10-20 ft)

*Misc: don't have rod holders in the boat, so we wedge them between the oar and side of the boat with the drag set, so we can see bites (or the lack of).

Any advice??

Thanks

Bud, sometimes learnin from a book is frustrating. Sometimes these rules of thumb get thrown out and repeated a lot like they are higher learning but the conditions get left out.

I've bank fished a good bit. I'm usually 5-10 yards from the waterline. I think it's all about stealth, especially later in the year. A lot of the times I've caught fish were 1/2 hour after I got up and walked around and had a light on to check something, etc. It's also the time of year to fish all night imo. Why 8oz? I've noticed I do better when I can see my bait wiggle the pole. For one thing, that way you know you have bait on.

[hanson]

I havent stooped to that level yet.

What you meant to say was you haven't stepped up your game yet.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Bud, sometimes learnin from a book is frustrating. Sometimes these rules of thumb get thrown out and repeated a lot like they are higher learning but the conditions get left out.

I've bank fished a good bit. I'm usually 5-10 yards from the waterline. I think it's all about stealth, especially later in the year. A lot of the times I've caught fish were 1/2 hour after I got up and walked around and had a light on to check something, etc. It's also the time of year to fish all night imo. Why 8oz? I've noticed I do better when I can see my bait wiggle the pole. For one thing, that way you know you have bait on.

Don't matter how much lead ya got on if you are using a slip sinker you will be able to see your bait wiggle.

[rushing]

What you meant to say was you haven't stepped up your game yet.

I think he meant...He hasn't reached rock-bottom yet.

[Scott K]

[sanka]

Well, I finally gave up on chasing flatheads this week. Been skunked all year, so forget about them. Picked up some Sonny's Super Sticky and found a quiet place on the Minnesota. Landed 6 or 7 channels in a few hours. None were monsters, the biggest went 23", but at least I got something.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

I have no real desire to catch Channel Cats but wow lately every time I throw out cutbait I get hits left and right.

Now I'm just working on a way to hook up better. Circle hooks are a big fail for me so I am now trying 5/0 octopus hooks with the clicker on. Been working better but khales are next on my list of to try.

[blakeb]

if you cant cat h them on a octo your in trouble, khales suck go j hook before you use them.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

I know a few people who swear by khales and I have wanted to try them for a while.

For Flatheads I typically don't have any issues with an octopus and so far a smaller octopus seems promising for c-cats.

[Alagnak]

Yeah I love the regular wire kahles for channels. Just smoked them on them this week when using a clicker and bank fishing. Then I use no clicker and circle last night and missed way too many so back to kahles again for a while.

I also really like the heavy wire king kahles for flats. Right now I'm working on just as good of hook up ration on those compared to gami octo's. MUCH cheaper though.

Definitely no right or wrong way- just whatever works best for ya go with it.

[Gordie]

Definitely no right or wrong way- just whatever works best for ya go with it.

most definitely

I have straightend out a couple of light wire khale's to look like arrows from flats thou so I dont use those at all when fishin flats but havent tried the heavy's yet

[sanka]

Sonny's Super Sticky worked great again for me tonight in the Black Dog Road stretch. I also bought some Gulp catfish nuggets to experiment with. I was using a tube bait smeared with Sonny's, then I would mold one of the Gulp nuggets onto the treble.

Seemed to work very well. After about 10 minutes the Sonny's washes off, but the Gulp nugget stays on. They last at least 20 minutes in decent current. You could tell when I had the line in the water for longer than 10 minutes and only the Gulp was left. All of them were hooked just onto the treble. If they went for the Sonny's right away they just inhaled the whole thing.

In all I got 8 or 9 channels, 4 or 5 eater sized and 4 in the 24-26" range.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

I'm sure you are aware but treble hooks are illegal in MN unless on a lure. Not exactly sure obviously what you were using but if it's a bare treble just be careful.

[sanka]

Yeah, I know. I was using the tubes with a treble hook. I did however replace the tiny little treble with a bigger one.

[Monkey]

How could anyone have bad luck on the Minnesota River?

[slipperybob]

Catching sheepsheads is sometimes considered by some as bad luck. LOL's

[pureinsanity]

Catching sheepsheads is sometimes considered by some as bad luck. LOL's

Wrong I call it good luck and good bait