cats through the ice

[Guest]

one of my friends is really interested in fishing for cats through the ice. how easy are cats to find during the winter(he doesnt have a gas auger sonit takes awhile to drill a hole)?

Thanks

[Guest]

If you find a lake with a good population with cats they will be roaming the deep flats assuming that we're talking about lakes with depths no deeper then 25 feet or so. Deep holes will hold them too. I know that cats were being caught last year on Golden Lake through the ice by the 24 foot hole. The cats stayed close to the bottom but with a little coaxing and some fatheads they bit. I don't think that any monsters came out but I know of some five pounders.

Backwaters or resourviors of the minnesota or mississippi should hold some cats too. I haven't fished any but I would assume that if they see depths of 10 feet or so then you could find some cats.

I can scrounge up some info if you want some more. Let me know.

I plan on tryig Golden Lake this winter for some cat fishing. After watching the Ice Tech video by In-Fisherman and seeing them catch cats through the ice I'm a little curious to try it. Looks like they put up quite the fight. Let me know if you are going to give it a try and I'll go with you if you want a partner.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 12-04-2002).]

[Crawlerman]

I'm interested in learning how to do that too. I think the In-Fisherman should run an article about catching cats through the ice; they'd have my attention. What about deeper lakes like Tanners? That place holds a decent number of channels in it; I've caught a few in the summer there. Problem is Tanners has a lot of deep water to cover in it. I guess Silver would be the other choice for that area; altough I'm not too nuts for trusting the ice as it has an aeration system in it. I guess Beaver is also stocked with them; altough I don't like the part of town it's in. I got bad vibes the one time I did fish it during the summer. I feel safer on Tanners or Silver. I guess Como is stocked as well; but I know that place has odd hours. Anyone wants to try it in the metro; LMK i'd be willing to tag along

[Nels]

MJ5 and Crawlerman:
Let me know when you go to Golden. I would like to try for cats too, and it isn't too far from me.
I fished there 2x last winter and only caught crappies. I tried using tip-ups/suckers for cats, but that didn't work. (Or maybe I didn't give it enough time.)
I plan on fishing there a couple times this year.
Nels

[This message has been edited by Nels (edited 12-04-2002).]

[Guest]

Crawlerman, In-Fisherman had an article in one of their past Ice Guide's. I'll try and retrieve some info.

Crawlerman and Nels, we should plan an outting to Golden and see what we can do. If all else fails we can fish for crappies and gills, I know Golden is loaded with them.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[DARK30]

Drogers9317, Theres a short article in the new In-Fisherman Catfish In-Sider (page 80).

Channel Cats don't go dormant under the ice but they do stay deep,stay put, and feed less. You have to get right on top of them to have any fun.

------------------
cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Crawlerman]

MJ-- where is golden lake? And that information in the article would be helpful too; perhaps you can bring it with...

[This message has been edited by Crawlerman (edited 12-05-2002).]

[Guest]

Crwalerman, Golden Lake is in Circle Pines. Take hwy 10 to 35 W and take 35 W to 23. Golden is right off of 23. Let me know where you are coming from and I can get you better directions. I'll be sure to bring the info on cats through the ice too if we go.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Crawlerman]

Ok. I know how to get to 35W... I don't do much fishing on the Minneapolis side of the river, so I'll need more specific directions once I get off 35 W. I usually get lost in the last leg of the trip. Plan on a time of year you'd like to hit it; and I'll check my work schedule and let you know. Same goes for hitting Linwood for Crappies N such.

[Guest]

Crawlerman, nice meeting you at the show. I'll be sure to let you know when I head out to Golden and I'll get you more exact directions. I'm sure I'll be on Linwood soon. Crappies should be biting. I'll let you know.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Crawlerman]

I got a "special edition" In-Fisherman in the mail today.. it has a small article about targeting winter cats both in open rivers and through the ice. Doesn't say a whole lot about location... but gives a few ideas for bait. I wonder if either the latest cat guide or ice fishing guide would have more info regarding this? May need to head down to B. Dalton and find this out....

[Guest]

Crawlerman, the new ice guide doesn't talk about catfish through the ice. One of the last editions does though. We'll have to try Golden one of these days and I'll bring the info.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Guest]

MJ and Crawlerman let me know when you guys head out to Golden.I would like to tag along.I am a diehard catman but never iced one and this winter that is going to change!

[Guest]

fishhead, consider yourself in. I'll be sure to let you know and all of us can ice some cats.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[smallies24]

Anyone know how the ice on Golden is? I got into some of those cats last year, nothing huge butfun. I am in Mankato for school right now and haven't the slightest idea what the ice is like. I'm hesitant to just go running out there (given the aerator and all). I'm back this next week and am itching to do some fishing.

I'm interested to see what it is like this year. I don't think the lake has all that many cats, but I think we ran into them because they were in such an isolated area.

[Guest]

smallies24, do you go to MSU? Just curious because I'm at BLC. Also in Mankato.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Guest]

I'm from Coon Rapids. I haven't ice fished any lakes down here. Never have the time. I'll have to bring a rod a the vex back after break. I go back on monday.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[This message has been edited by MJ5 (edited 12-14-2002).]

[smallies24]

I do go to MSU, we'll have to do some fishin down here. Where are you from originally, I'm from Lino lakes. I'll be heading back up there tomorrow.

[Nels]

I was out on Golden on 12/6. There was 4-5 inches in the smaller bay. There was only 2 inches out the rest of the way out to 24 feet. It was a solid 2" and there was no cracking as I went out. Someone had been out earlier that day and left 3 gills on the ice. I saw fish on the vex, but no hits.
I should have gone yesterday, but I figured with the weather and aerator, I should wait for a cold snap.I will try to get out there in the next couple of days and give a more timely update as to ice thickness.

[Guest]

anyone have any luck at golden through the ice for cats yet. i want to head out there sometime this year.

[smallies24]

Well, I finally made it out to golden, ice is plenty good, 5"-6". As for the fishing, the crappies were active, but I had to keep moving to consistently catch fish. Mostly small, but there were a few decent fish in the bunch.

As for cats, well, that's why I was catching crappies. I spent a good 4 hours turning the lake into swiss cheese to try and find the cats with nothing doing. oh well, the crappies were fun enough.

[Guest]

smallies have you had much luck on golden for catfish in past years

[Crawlerman]

Theres a number of other metro lakes that hold cats in them. There are three around the Maplewood/N st Paul area that I hear people catch some out of. Tanners (I've caught one there during the summer) Silver and Beaver. Tried silver with no luck; and I don't care for the area that Beaver is in. Doesn't look too safe at night. MIght try Silver some more later in the year (cause of aerator) and hover over that hole and see if they will bite. Tanners has a lot of deep water for them to hide in; so I would think it would be harder to find them under the ice, though they have been stocked there the longest. Might give it a try. Still interested in trying golden too though.

[smallies24]

Me and a buddy got a few there last year two days in a row, but never found them again, they are in there, but I'm really not sure there's much of a fishable population. They were stocked a number of years ago after a winter kill to help keep the exploding sunfish populaiton in check. I think last year we just ran into a school of them because I've never found them since.

It did wet my tastebuds though, so I think I'm going to start looking into ice fishing the rivers for them.

[Alphid]

On the St. Cloud forum area. Check out the page about fishing cats through the ice. the cats on Horseshoue are very easy tyo catch and the sizes are very respectable. No Flatheads, but nice size channels, 5-15#.
Should check it out if your serious about getting some. Have a good one.
A