ATTN: DENNIS "FishHead"

[Mr Special]

Have you given any thought to When the Cats on Ice event might be this year?

I vote for A.S.A.P

Later bud

[I Da Man]

I have it on my calendar as March 4th.

"Wish'en I was catten!"

[Guest]

I might be open water cattin' on March 4th

[hanson]

March 4th is the date this year.

[Mr Special]

I don't know if I can wait that long

[hanson]

Quote:

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I don't know if I can wait that long

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Why? Thinking of catching fish like this?

[Dennis Steele]

Hey Phil,

Still working on some details, so I haven't posted much on it yet. But yes,it will be March 4th.

Of course, I'll be heading up as much as I can.

I'll email you when I go.

[Mr Special]

Sounds great bud.

Hanson nice fish but your not really helping. For now a fight with a Northern will have to do. I'm thinking of even trying a baitclicker reel this winter.

Later guys

[The Chemist]

Looks as though I will be able to make it again this year. Providing all goes well with the new one on the way. Guess I better get it on the calendar now.

[MURPHFISHER]

If you would be so kind. I was wondering what kind of rig/bait you guy's use to ice channel cats? I know my local lake has a nice population, but I have just started ice fishing this year and have no idea how to target ice cats. I have heard that they hold deep in big schools and do not feed. Is this true? Just for the record, anything I catch will all be going back in the lake....

[hanson]

Murph-

Very, very basic. There are essentially 2 approaches and both can be very effective- deadsticking & jigging.

Deadsticking or Bobber Fishing- I typically go with a hook, a small splitshot about 1' up from the hook and then use an Ice Buster Bobber to float the rig. See... pretty basic! I trim the Ice Buster down so the top of it floats nearly level with the water line. Sometimes, the kitties can be very, very light biters and you need a finesse approach like this to detect the subtle ones. I will usually use a small fillet of golden shiner or sucker minnow for bait when fishing like this. Alot of times, the cat will pull the bobber under 1/4" and sit there. Thats all the indication you'll have. Other times, they grab the bait and run.

Jigging- An 1/8oz- 1/4oz jigging spoon such as a Scenic Tackle Go-Devil can be very effective as well, especially if the cats are in a more active mood. JB Lures Varmint spoon is going to be another productive lure and I can't wait to try the Rattling Varmint on the cats. I'll tip the spoon with a minnow head. When you locate the fish, you can either "shake" the spoon in front of their face or jig a little more aggressively.

Electronics are key. The cats usually suspend in the deeper holes. They can be near the bottom or 10' off the bottom. You need your flasher to eliminate nonproductive water. Usually when you find them, you'll find 3,4, or 5 fish on your flasher at once.

They are a lot of fun to catch.

[The Chemist]

For me I usually have the kids out and thus I have them setup bobber fishing. But instead of a hook I have all of my lines w/ some sort of glow jig/spoon. On Horseshoe I have had my best luck w/ Red glow. Go-Devils, Gapens The Jerk, and also some custom baits that I picked up off of HSOList last year. I attach them with a snap (no swivel) and don't use a sinker. Ice Busters are the best bobber that I have found as you can trim them and icing up isn't a problem. As for poles I use spinning reels anywhere from UL to med action. (2 yrs ago we landed a 7lb cat w/ a UL and 4lb test) Have been toying with the idea of either a small fly reel or baitcaster. As for line I don't go anyhigher than 8lb test but I believe all of my reels now have either 4 or 6. Bait- I have used fatheads, crappie minnows (both whole or the breaking off the tail (last third of the minnow) and hooking through the head. Some people use liver and have actually seen where it has produced better on occasions. Lastly you do want a flasher, don't need to have a vex or marcum (I used to use a Silent sixty-one) just be willing to trust what you see. I have found fish 10ft down depending on the structure in the lake if they are coming out from a shallow area 10-12 ft they may stay at that level. When I first started I was catching crappies/eyes and cats all through the same hole.

Good Luck!

[Aquaman01]

I'll try to make it again this year.

[icehousebob]

I was at Cats On Ice last year and it was terrible. I was sitting there minding my own beer,I mean business, when a cat tried to steal one of my favorite walleye rods. When he found out he couldn't, he did his best to destroy my drag. Every time I got him near the hole, he tried to tear the gears out of my reel. Once on the ice, he flopped around like he was cold, so I took him over to Dennis Steele who warmed him up(parts of him) in hot oil. Then there were all the people forcing me to eat too much, including that bearded guy who made everyone eat baked beans---wait a minute, that was me. Will I be back?? In a heartbeat.

[rangerforme]

This sounds like a pretty good time, I've never fished Cats before though, is this event on the H-Chain? If so I'd love to come and try, just need to know where to come to and what to bring??

[I Da Man]

March 4 is the date etched in my head!

(if there's any ice left! )

Hope to see you there!