A few more newbie questions

[Ralph Wiggum]

#1 How do you pick up a decent sized catfish? If you want to keep your hands out of their mouth and gills, what do you grab?

#2 Where do you find decent-sized live bait, and if you catch it yourself, how do you go about this?

#3 Is it legal to have a small fire on the banks of the Minnesota or Mississippi anywhere?

#4 When fishing from shore and leaving your rod in a rod-holder, do you keep your bail open or closed?

Thanks for helping this new catter! I hope to get out for my first run at it next week!

[Mudcat21]

1. If you catch a decent sized kitty there is no other way of handling them other then by the gill plate or mouth. Don't worry, they don't bite to hard.

2. I use sucker minnows from the local bait store. They don't have to be the biggest ones either to catch big fish. I have caught many decent size kitty's on average sized suckers.

3. Not sure on the fires....I fish the St. Croix and have alway's had a fire and nobody has said anything to me yet.

4.Leave the bail closed but loosen your drag so the cat can easily take the bait. When the cat starts running you will then hear the clicking of the drag.....That's the best sound you will hear in the middle of the night! Tighten the drag up and set the hook and let the battle begin.

Have fun

[Ralph Wiggum]

Thanks, Mudcat!

[korn_fish]

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1. If you catch a decent sized kitty there is no other way of handling them other then by the gill plate or mouth. Don't worry, they don't bite to hard.

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UMM....UMMM....The big flaties, the only way to take them is by the mouth. their lower jaw is just like a suitcase handle. Channels on the other hand!!!!!! Careful with these boys as I have seen them break peoples wrists. You will scrape your fingers up here, but I put my thumb in the corner of their mouth with my other fingers getting part of the gill plate making sure not to touch the gills themselves. Keep watch for them to try and do a "death roll" on you. Channels love to roll and if you have too much of your hand in their mouth, you might just end up breaking your writs. If you have just a thumb, you might just sprain a thumb or most likely just have some bloody knuckles. Channels like to clamp down and not let go. Remember, channels can crush clams so they can eat them.

#2 - my live bait I catch myself or get from Jim at the Dam store in Rapidan, MN. I prefer big creek chubs to suckers and will travel the extra miles to get them if I can not catch them. Another common choice are bullheads. Many ponds around the metro have them. As for where I catch my creek chubs, well they arent always there and there arent that many to be had, so I have to keep that info to myself....sorry

#3Most places you can have a fire. Restrictions are usually on state/federal grounds.

#4 - I use abu garcia 6500's with it in freespool and the clicker on. They also make spincast reals with line out cababilities... but can't remember the names of the manufacturers right now.

[Ralph Wiggum]

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If you have just a thumb, you might just sprain a thumb or most likely just have some bloody knuckles.

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I'm already missing one thumb from an accident, I'll watch my other one!!!

[Dennis Steele]

Ralph,

Hook up with someone to go fishing with from the forums. That is the best way to learn. The more guys you go fishing with the more you will learn. Every one has a different way of doing things and there is rarely a wrong way.

Most of the guys on this forum would be more than willing to show you the ropes. Myself included.

Just ask buddy!

[Ralph Wiggum]

Alright, I'll throw this out there. A friend and I would like to get out shorefishing sometime next week. We're both greener than grass to catfishing, so if anyone would like to teach us a few things, get ahold of me. We both work regular day hours. Thanks for all the help, guys.

rjbielat at hotmail dot com

[DARK30]

Ralph, If you can get in Dennis's jet boat..do it! I'd be happy to show you some shore spots and give you a few tips too...OR, maybe we could BOTH get in Dennis's boat!

[hanson]

Hey Ralph-

Maybe we can learn some of this stuff together. I'm turning my attention this summer to catfish also. I fished them a few times last summer and got hooked. Spent a good part of the winter fishing for them also through the ice. I'm definitely a newbie though when it comes to river fishing cats so I'm trying to soak up as much info as I can and will more than likely ask many dumb questions.

I'm experiencing post ice fishing withdrawal right now and will probably take a few weeks to escape its grip. I'll be starting to gear up and get more serious about these kitties in a few weeks now- new rod, reel, etc., etc.

[RalphTheNoober]

hey ralph you should ask fisher dave. he'll give some great advice.i myself a newbie, having the best catches in my life.go for the gusto,the monster will be waiting

[RalphTheNoober]

hey kevin thanks for the welcome on this site. hope to see ya out there again.if you don't get the monster cat, i will try my hardest to get him myself..lol.

see ya,

ralph

[Fisher Dave]

The thing about putting anything part of your body in a larger channel (10# plus, maybe smaller) ... DONT DO IT..

I had on making me scream like a baby years back when it clamped on my hand.. I would be willing to bet it was a minute before I got it off me.. it felt like an eternity. It had all 4 fingers on my right hand and I heard some weird snapping and popping going on... I was literally swinging this fish around clamped onto my hand trying to get it to come off.. it just kept biting as hard as it could .. flexing its jaws on my hand.

In the end I started to reach for a rock and the fish let go.. I realease 99% of the cats I catch, but this fish was given to another individual fishing the area to find a place on the dinner table.

Flatheads are fine to grab by the mouth. You will end up with a few scratch's from their *36 grit sandpaper* like teeth... but nothing terrible.

[barnyard]

All good advice here, except about the bail for the spinning reel.

We use homemade rodholders and leave the bail open. The line is held by a Du Bro line release clip. It is similiar to a planer board release, but attaches to a rod. The tension is adjustable, so you can set it as tight or as loose as needed.

We set ours tight enough to that when a fish pulls hard enough to pop the line from the release, they are hooked. We use circle hooks, so setting is not needed.

If you set any spinning reel so that line is paid out, you introduce tremendous amounts of line twist. You are far better off back reeling, then letting the drag slip.

Tom B

[Dennis Steele]

I use "bait feeder" spinning reels on 9ft rods such as surf rods or Berkley Reflex rods. When fishing channel cats with circle hooks there is usually no need to pay out line. I just leave then in the holder locked down. The slow load on the long rod sets the circle hook into the side of the cats mouth.

I also use these same rods for flatheads and set the bait feeder. If you use these type of reels you won't have line twist problems especialy if your using braids.

This is one of the kinds of "bait feeder" spinning reels I use. It has two drag systems. One is your regualr drag for fighting fish and the second drag is the bait feed function, set by the lever you see on the back of the reel can be set loosely so that you can pay out line with the bail closed.

The one I have pictured is made by Okuma called Epixor EB.

Shimano also makes a model called Bait Runner.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'll look for that next time. As for now, I've just got the Cabela's King Kat on one of their 8 foot e-glass rods. Do you find large circle hooks at stores around here? I haven't found anything big enough. I'll probably have to order some. Just about all I could find were some 2/0 and 3/0 Kahle hooks.

[PikeTipper]

Dennis,

Does the bait feeder have a clicker or is it silent when line is being taken?

[barnyard]

I quit using a bait feeding spinning reel because of line twist.I also rarely let a fish take line with the drag, I back reel. The less line twist, the better.

I also use circle hooks and the power that it takes to pop the line from the release clip is enough to set the hook.

I have used bait runners in the past though. They were the first "big" spinning reels that I used. The extra casting distance that you get with a larger reel convinced me to upgrade all my reels. I typically use a size larger than what most do. I can cast farther and larger reels have larger drags. Even though I don't use a drag, on purpose.

Tom B

[Crappiechaser]

What am I doing wrong? People around have been catching cats and ive only caught one. I have used crawlers what caught the one cat. Then I tryed Powerbaits cat chunks and nothin happened. What else can I try?

[Ralph Wiggum]

Well, I made my first cat trip tonight and came up empty on the Minnesota in Chaska. I was using a couple of fathead with one slit open on a hook and a buddy was using a stink/blood bait. I'll attribute it to the cool water for now, but I really have no clue. It was a great night to sit on the banks and enjoy a few beers either way!!!

[Canuck]

Here are a few hints I have found to increas my hook ups. We only have channels so I can NOT help on blue or flats.

Scent: Channels are scent feeders. Ask youself, what did touch in the last hr, well that scent is also on your bait. I often get guys saying the kitties are just picking up the bait and then dropping it. They have NO idea but I would bet it has scented something different than the bait they were using. I personally wash my hands with a scent free soap before I head out then when I get in the boat I rub on garlic oil.

Bait: Channels are at the top of the food chain and I have seen a kitty vomit up a 12" sauger in the bottom of the boat. I personally are a cut bait guy. Stink baits will catch fish but not near as well or as large a fish as cut bait. Pick a fish that is natural to your water and but up as fresh a piece (NOT ROTTEN) about 1" square. If U do not get a bite in 10 minutes change your bait.

Be willing to move: Do NOT plant your butt in a spot and say I caught fish they yesterday and will wait them out. I won't stay in one spot more than half an hr, more like 20 minutes without a bite.

Enough weight. Remember kitties are scent feeders and if your bait is swinging across the river, think how are they going to find it. In the early spring with lots of current I have used 6 oz inline sinkers and 10" snells then in the summer down to 2 oz and 20" snells.

Change types of bait: I usually have back up bait, ie: yes they may have been hitting suckers yesterday but today it is very slow, maybeeeeee they have changed their diet. I have seen it happen in mid day. I usually carry some shrimp (frozen) in my cooler just incase the kitties want to change up their diet. Shrimp act as cray fish in scent for kitties.

Use fresh bait. If I can catch fresh bait immediately before heading out I will but if not I have frozen bait in my cooler. I keep the bait frozen and as fresh as possible. Do NOT believe the tales that kitties like stinky rotten bait. They may take stink bait but that is different from rotten bait.

There are so many other little things, ie: strumming, knocking and sharp hooks etc ....... It takes time and be willing to change and keep an open mind. I find I am always learning new things.

ps: I am not a circle hook fan but have seen lots of guys/gals have succes with them. I personally like a good 2/0 wide gap, but put a little more off set.

[Dennis Steele]

The bait feeder spinning reels do have a line out alarm, however they are not as loud as level wind. Don't rely on them to wake you if your going to take a knap!

What I like best about them is that you can adjust the tension on the bait feeders. You can have them set so that the slightest pull will feed line or crank them down as tight or tighter than your main drag. When you start playing a fish as soon as you turn the handle(on the mid price models) your back to your main drag setting and can fight the fish without readjusting the main drag.

Barnyards Dubro clip is another option. I used them when I first started cattin, until I upgraded my equipment.

Canuck offers some sound advice.

I might also add that you need to put some thought into where to place your baits.

In the lower water temps and high dirty water, I doubt that many cats are in the main current. I would be placing my bait in slower current areas that are fed by the main current. Scum and debris on top of a slack area gives away these locations.

Once all the ice comes off the backwater sloughs and the creeks warm, give the creeks a try.

In my opinion current is the most important thing to consider when placing your baits. Whether fishing snags,mud/sand/gravel flats or river channels, I always place my baits in or near a current edge. My general rule of thimb is slower current, or slack water fed by slow current in cooler water untill the temps reach into the mid 50's.

[Canuck]

Another idea is watch the birds. What U say???? Well, up here at Lockport I always watch the Pelicans and they are after the bait fish and where there are bait fish that is where U will find the kitties.

Another thing to watch is transfering noise (metal) down the line. I used to leave my bail open and just crank the handle and the bail snapped shut and several times the kitty or carp were gone. Try and flip the bail with your hand. Also I find guys/gals will have their rod in a rod holder and when they go to pick up the rod the will either knock the side of the boat and the fail to get a hook up. Also be careful when U pick your rod out of the rod holder in that you don't drop the rod tip too much and thereby give slack or vice a versa, remember U are moving your hook/bait in doing this.

In essence I am saying pay attention to the little things and U will be surprised at the increase in hook ups U have.