channel cats

[GlassEyeangler]

i used to fish for channel cats often when i lived in OH. most of our family lives down south and have spent countless hours targeting them in SC and AL...many many years ago. i remember just using a night crawler under a bobber, but not sure if that works here?! i'm close to Byellsby Lake (sp?)and really temped to get started there...what's the best presentation to use, and are they seasonal like some other species? i bring up the seasonal thing thinking of walleyes in the summer. meaning, yes they are there in the thermoclines, but not nearly as easy to catch than in the spring time. i guess my question is...is summer a good time to go after them, or wait until...?! i'm mainly looking for eaters, not trying to catch a record.

thanks

[Brad B]

you can fish cats there year round just be safe during the ice season by staying away from where the river comes into the lake and the other end by the dam. as for baits right now crawler would give you a chance to catch a lot of difernet species not just cats. I would use cut up sucker minnows or even sucker you catch over the crawlers. put the bait on the bottom and wait. look for current seams off the river channel that runs from one end of the lake to the other and deeper holes.

[GlassEyeangler]

thanks for the info, and the heads up in the winter. i'm going to give it a try next week.

[SpclPatrolGroup]

Cut sucker, gold eye, frogs, all work well. Worms work well, but there are a lot fo things that like worms, if yoru just interested in cats, cut bait is the way to go.

[RiverFish]

Don't forget about live minnows/suckers.

[GlassEyeangler]

i will give cut suckers a try next week. i haven't tried logging into the dnr lake finder site yet, but hopefully it's up soon. i heard the shut down is over?!? i have noticed in the past Byllesby (sp?) has various depths and holes to choose from. i'll post results. thanks for the help.

[GlassEyeangler]

i'm sooooooo thankful for the help here guys...i had a wonderful morning on Byllesby. I caught 10 channel cats in two hours ranging from 15" to 24"...the biggest weighed 5.5lbs. I have to work on resizing the pics cause they are too big. Chicken livers rock! can't say thanks enough, and i'll post the pics as soon as i figure out how to resize them properly.

[Brad B]

Glasseyeangler,

now that you had good luck with the cats would you say now that you are a converted eye guy that is now a cat guy. now if you want to try for some larger channels or even flatheads try the minnesota river. Glad you had a good time and the cats wanted to play.

[Brad B]

i'm sooooooo thankful for the help here guys...i had a wonderful morning on Byllesby. I caught 10 channel cats in two hours ranging from 15" to 24"...the biggest weighed 5.5lbs. I have to work on resizing the pics cause they are too big. Chicken livers rock! can't say thanks enough, and i'll post the pics as soon as i figure out how to resize them properly.

I forgot to list chicken liver as a bait option. I normally use them only during the winter when ice fishing for channel cats and in the early spring of the year(mainly the first couple weeks of april) then switch to the cut suckers. I guess I should try them when the cut suckers are not working.

[Crankbait10]

Glasseyeangler,

wow 10 cats thats really good for that short time period. Post some pics! BTW where you hookin them cats on the lake itself or under the dam shore lining them?

Livers has been working great for me too on the Mississippi, Thanks to brad as well!

[GlassEyeangler]

converted...no; however, what a blast! it would be nice to hook into a bigger cat in the future, but for now happy to find consistent action when the temps are really high. i can't afford to go up north on a regular basis, so it's nice to take a break from the walleys for a while. the thing that really made me happy was how good they taste...just like i remember them from when i was a kid! very yummy! i also have to say what a beautiful lake! i look forward to fishing for them through August, then back onto the 'eyes in Sept.

i really want to post my pics, but they are too large...any way i can resize...hopefully easily as i'm not very techy...thanks!

[pureinsanity]

converted...no; however, what a blast! it would be nice to hook into a bigger cat in the future, but for now happy to find consistent action when the temps are really high. i can't afford to go up north on a regular basis, so it's nice to take a break from the walleys for a while. the thing that really made me happy was how good they taste...just like i remember them from when i was a kid! very yummy! i also have to say what a beautiful lake! i look forward to fishing for them through August, then back onto the 'eyes in Sept.

i really want to post my pics, but they are too large...any way i can resize...hopefully easily as i'm not very techy...thanks!

What do you think made them so delicious? did you cook them whole over a fire stuffed with chicken livers ??

Mmmm chicken livers!!

[Crankbait10]

LOL

[pureinsanity]

But for real chicken liver is delicious! So are pickled turkey gizzards!

[GlassEyeangler]

LOL

i wrapped them in bacon, then stuffed the chicken livers inside while drizzling prune juice all over with a touch of cinnamon. broiled them at 500 degrees for 30 seconds...mmm, what a meal!

[Crankbait10]

dang! that sounds delicious!

[bobbymalone]

I've had my share of poultry offal and lemme tell ya... I'd rather eat cut sucker.

[pureinsanity]

I've had my share of poultry offal and lemme tell ya... I'd rather eat cut sucker.

Come on Chicken liver is the bomb! I love beef liver too. Liver pate is another tasty snack. My favorite is still pickled gizzard! I bet a channel cat would eat one of them. But I wouldn't dare waste a tasty gizzard

[Brad B]

converted...no; however, what a blast! it would be nice to hook into a bigger cat in the future, but for now happy to find consistent action when the temps are really high. i can't afford to go up north on a regular basis, so it's nice to take a break from the walleys for a while. the thing that really made me happy was how good they taste...just like i remember them from when i was a kid! very yummy! i also have to say what a beautiful lake! i look forward to fishing for them through August, then back onto the 'eyes in Sept.

i really want to post my pics, but they are too large...any way i can resize...hopefully easily as i'm not very techy...thanks!

they are good eating when you stay in that 3 to 6 lbs range. a lot of people turn their nose up at them but if they would only try them they would find out how good they are. another plus to them they are completely boneless when filleted. Go fishing on the minnesota river and you can have the best of both cats and eyes. if the cat action is slow throw out a 4 inch or smaller bullhead and you will most likely catch a walleye in the 20 to 30 inch range. One guy I told this to tried a 4" bullhead and ended up catching a 23" walleye on it. plus there is always that chance a flathead could eat it also.

[nsnutter]

Gee Brad do you have any GPS coordinates to go with all that info?

To the original poster - glad you had success fishing for channels. It's nice to take a break from your specie of choice when the action slows down for a bit. I know I have been fishing lakes while the kitties have been making babies the past few weeks

Cheers!

[Brad B]

Gee Brad do you have any GPS coordinates to go with all that info?

Nick,

actually I do have the GPS coord for spots on the mississippi I fish. Nothing secret about them since all you need to find likely spots now days is Google Earth. as for the bullhead as bait for walleyes that is kind of common sense when it comes to rivers where you have multiple species there is always a forage base of some type be it bullheads or perch or shad or suckers. plus all you have to do is spend enough time on here or the other outdoors forums and you can find these tips and tricks. How do you think I learned some of the stuff I now know. sites likes this are a great asset in my opinion.

Brad

[nsnutter]

That's not what I'm referring to ... but thanks for the lesson. I must have missed the point where you transitioned into the Dhalai Lama of catfishing?

[pureinsanity]

Do you need a hug nick?

[brian6715]

That's not what I'm referring to ... but thanks for the lesson. I must have missed the point where you transitioned into the Dhalai Lama of catfishing?

Wow! A guy asks for help and Brad was nice enough to give it. Shame on you Brad! What were you thinking?!

[RumRiverRat]

No harm in helping each other out.

What Brad said is not exactly ground breaking.

Just solid info to help someone get started.