Mr. Steele Knows Cats

[Toad]

Just wanted to acknowledge and thank you Dennis, for your input on the circle hook piece in the Catfish Guide.

As most of us already know, Dennis Steele remains one of the real sharpies in the realm of catfishing, certainly one of the most intuitive cat anglers plying the Minnesota River today. This HSOforum's real lucky to have guys like him and Ed Carlson around. If you get a chance, check out Dennis' take on circle hooks in the 2005 Catfish Guide. Looking forward to tapping your mind again, Mr. Steele!

-a friend called Toad

[Ed Carlson]

Kewl, should be a good read. Tips from Fishhead and the writing prowess of our very own friend called “Toad”. Yup-Yup...is just gots to be good.

I highly recommend catr's pick up a copy of a Catfish In-Sider and consider a subscription...then there is the In-Fisherman Catfish Guide both are the da Cats Whiskers when it comes to quality info and trends in the world of catfishing.

[hanson]

Funny you guys should mention the In-Fisherman Catfish Guide. I haven't been able to find it anywhere in the twin cities but lucked out and picked up a copy at Cabelas when I was redeeming my free $30 this weekend.

As I was cruising through, I saw the same article mentioned and was going to post something here. Very good information.

[DARK30]

Always a pleasure to fish with da Fishhead!

[Dennis Steele]

Cool!

The song "Cover of the Rolling Stone" playing in the background.....

Its an honor that this common river rat was even considered.

[Aquaman01]

knock it off with the strokes, ya'll! Fishhead won't be able to get his head under bridges if ya'll keep it up!

Fer real, though - thanks fer gettin' catters some more respek!

[Mr Special]

With Dennis's rig he can just go over the bridges. Can I be Co-Pilot?

But yes he knows where those kitties are.

[Aquaman01]

Hey Phil- I got a bigger motor! Boat's in Mpls! Call ya soon!

Anyway, I picked up the 2005 Catfish Insider Guide at B & N at the Mall Of America and gave it a quick once-over in the breakroom. Nice work, guys!

Thanks again, Cory, for a good piece of writing. The 'trapper' vein you followed and supported really caught my attention and helped me focus in on the entire tackle set-up as a seamless system with a purpose as opposed to a random assembly of parts. Thanks for presenting intelligently AND clearly - something I count on in an In-Fisherman article. We should fish sometime. I make it up to Little Falls a few times a year.

Dennis - it's really an inspiration to see your expertise and hard work come together for you. Our widduw fishhead is getting SOOOO big!

Q - You indicated that Flatheads move off a bait differently in different currents, neccessitating different hook styles and sizes depending upon current and cover. What would you use for setting a bullhead, shad or chub downriver from the bank, on a point or ledge? Would Mr. Flats come out of the drop-off, grab, and go back into the channel again, or would he be likely to continue up into the shallows?

[Dennis Steele]

Rob,

A guy whould have to see the layout of the river to tell for sure.

The basics I follow are that if the fish runs upstream with the bait, (this happens more than you would guess and a lot of guys miss these fish) Your not going to want to have a circle hook on. The hook needs steadily increasing pressure on it to set properly. With a fish moving upstream you are taking up line trying to catch up to the fish. You need to be able to set the hook once you catch up and have the line taught.

If you have the bait hooked in the back near the dorsal, then I prefer a Kahle or wide gap style. If you have the bait hooked in the tail, then I would prefer an octopus or an O'Shaugnessy style hook.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Made a trip with Dennis last night, and I can vouch that his rig can't go over a bridge. Well, had the water been a foot or so higher, it could have, but not last night! Anyways, thank you Dennis for a good time!

[Toad]

Hi Rob,

Glad you enjoyed the piece. Would love to hit the river with you sometime. Cats, 'eyes, carp, smallmouths-- you name it! Come late June once the water stabilizes, I'm on the river between Aitkin down to almost Little Falls at least once or twice a week. See if we can't put something together.

Ditto on your byline (signature), by the way. Tell me Santiago couldn't have been a killer catman, eh?

-a friend,

Cory Schmidt

[Kevin Turner]

Kudos for all invlolved!! Great Read...

[EBass]

Quote:

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I'm on the river between Aitkin down to almost Little Falls at least once or twice a week.

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Toad, you fish the Atkin section? I've been there once at the Hwy 6 launch. My buddy has a cabin in Atkin and his parents moved to Deerwood. So I do get up there once or twice a summer. But there is so much to fish up there. Mille Lacs, Sippi, the mine pits and Rabbit lake to name a few. Any ways, I did catch some smallies and a nice walleye is the eddies. It's kinda weird there as the river has small rock sections and mud. I'm used to rock and more rock. Or on the Croix it's sand and more sand. Ok I'll stop rambling.