MN River Cats...what's going on?

[B17]

A buddy and I hit up the MN River about a month back. Another guy he knew had apparently been killing the catfish near the 35W bridge. So we thought we would give it a shot from shore. Got out there at about 10pm and stayed til about 1pm. Nothing. Not even a nibble.

We did get "stalked" by something though. It was brave enough to charge us. Never saw what it was but there are just a couple animals that would do that during the night.

All I have caught down there in recent memory is a few small cats, carp, and your one offs of other species.

[Alagnak]

We did get "stalked" by something though. It was brave enough to charge us. Never saw what it was but there are just a couple animals that would do that during the night.

Like the racoons that 'stalked' me last night? Oh wait, maybe they were stalking the chicken bone I threw in the woods. lol

[Gordie]

Down south there are waters far more productive, with longer growing seasons and more fish than the MN. Noodling generally targets cats during spawning, when fish are defending their nest cavities - just like how you can catch a bedding bass multiple times if you keep releasing it. Also, the number of people who actually noodle is miniscule compared to hook and line anglers, even where noodling is legal.

Its still pressure on those fish and that is the argument that most people are saying is that it is causing them to make the fish more scarce.

Most people up here are not keeping the catfish but some say the pressure has driven them away.

Those fish down south don't dissappear from that extra pressure unless nothing is being released.

IMO it could only be one thing and that is the instinct of the fish to survive and if they can't spawn in one place they will migrate to where they can.

[B17]

Alagnak - Like the racoons that 'stalked' me last night? Oh wait, maybe they were stalking the chicken bone I threw in the woods. lol