What took so long?

[HooknHorns]

Well I finally caught a catfish jigging for eyes by Red Wing. Only around a 7 or 8 pound flathead but, man what a fight. After some high fives my buddy couldnt believe after 30yrs of fishing that it was my first cat.

So now after reading a ton of posts on a few forums. Im thinking about taking my musky set up and turning it into a flathead setup. I would love to hook up with a bigger flat and Im willing to put in time. I will spend some time on Lake Zumbro to try for channels just to scratch the itch but, want to feel some serious weight of a monster. The real problem is I dont know that many of guys who want to catfish. Found out my wife wont because I bought some stink bait and I think she threw up. Most likley will be multiple solo trips on shore and not taking the boat. Does anyone else do this by Red Wing or do I need the boat?

[Ed Carlson]

I have caught literally tons of cats on jigs, and cranks. The trick is to recognize when they are catchable on active presentations like these.

A short list of when and were to look for these opportunity's.

1 - Dams in tailrace areas on current breaks.

* Cats tend to "Ride High" in this situation, closer to the surface.

* Use your eyes, often you can see cats tailing in the current...see this, game on.

* Try to establish what forage they are hunting, minnows, shad, smelt, ect...match the size.

* Quarter your presentation across the current just faster than the flow.

2 - Drains and Culvers after a hard rain.

* Jigs often excel here. Again cats could be anywhere in the water column, experiment with depth of presentation.

* Cranks may also work, use dark baits, I like black or glow Pink, and baits that chatter loudly, like lippless cranks.

3 - Deep trolling river holes with large divers with crawlers on the rear treble hook, or on the front treble.

* Pay close attention at the head and tail out of these holes, cats in ambush often await here.

Cats are very predatory. I have caught them on 12" Muskie cranks and swim baits in areas as shallow as 1', and they hit like a freight train. If they are in the mood to hunt, so learn to recognize the signs to key in on the bite.

[rushing]

Nice write up, Ed.