Cold Cat Get Together

[Dennis Steele]

SO who is coming to the cat get together on the Horse Shoe chain on saturday March 15th.

[DARK30]

Saturday it is. sounds like the weather will finally be better too!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[The Chemist]

I will be out there. Name the place. If you plan on using cut bait you best find some near you cause they have none in Richmond.

[Guest]

I'm game. Ozzy has been trying to get me to work on Saturday, but I told him that I was heading up north. Dark- we meeting at the shop or what?
Brian

[IceHawk]

If I can swing it I'll try to make it. The weather sounds great a person should be able to fish outside. Any idea what time this thing is going to get swinging?

[Fisher Dave]

I wont be making it .. I drove by Superior today staring at the open water not too far from shore ... after that I cant bring myself to drill another hole this winter.. guess I'm going to hope for a little wind to open the shoreline and settle for smoked trout .. vs. grilled cats.

[Guest]

I haven't tried cats in MN yet, but when I lived in TN, the best bait was shrimp. Of course you had to let it sit in the sun and rippen for a day before using it. Just a thought as cut seems to be hard to come by.

[Crawlerman]

Golden- Cut bait is very easy to come by. Just go to most bait stores and ask if they have any dead suckers they can give ya. They usually will... Otherwise buy and kill the suckers yourself to make it fresher. In open water on the rivers here, you may catch shiners, suckers, or mooneye while fishing for other things. I allways take a fillet knife with for this reason when I river fish.

As far as Sat goes-- maybe... I might have something going on, but it may fall through. What time?

[This message has been edited by Crawlerman (edited 03-11-2003).]

[The Chemist]

As for cut bait. I found none in Richmond this weekend. I'm gonna call around here in the cities if anyone has any left. They don't tend to stock it anymore because the season for game fish is closed. I did fine w/ regular crappie minnows.

[Crawlerman]

True.. I didn't think about that. Hmm.. oh well. I suppose 4 dead crappie minnows shoved on a hook would work just as well, like you said.

[The Chemist]

Actually I had better luck with a single live one, than I did w/ a dead one w/ the tail and a little bit of body snipped off.

[Dennis Steele]

I haven't been up to the Shoe for over a month so if we could get a little help on locations and the bite,we could set a meeting place and a time better.Besides this is my first year icing cats and have only fished a couple spots.I aint the expert here.
Chemist,Icehawk?

[This message has been edited by Dennis Steele (edited 03-11-2003).]

[The Chemist]

We have been fishing a place called the Meth hole? Or that's what we call it. It is out in the middle off of a sharp break to 50+ of water. I moved less than 30ft on Saturday and went from 12 to 27 ft. We had been doing very well out there. Mykal and myself each caught a couple Sat. but I believe the slow bite was due to the cold. Alphid was out there last Thursday and caught I believe 10, so it may be a good possibility. I drove out and there is around 36" of solid ice.

Now the reason why it's called the Meth hole is there is an open spot of water. Maybe as big around as a 5 gallon bucket. So if you are driving out you mus t be very careful. I always get out to find it first before I get to close. Follow someone elses vehicle tracks and you should be okay. Let me know no matter what I'll be out there.

[Dennis Steele]

Scott told me to give him a call when we were getting close to the gathering.I will check with him to see what he knows.

[Dennis Steele]

I talked to Scott and he mentioned a few spots to try.I don't think driving trucks to a couple of the spots would be wise so lets meet at the access to Horse Shoe.I am not allthat familiar with the area so maybee some one could give better directions than me.

[The Chemist]

Dennis shoot me an e-mail

[email protected]

[Alphid]

Let me know how you all do.
A

[This message has been edited by Alphid (edited 03-12-2003).]

[Alphid]

When we went out last Thursday We caught cats on the cut and on fatheads. The bigger fish came on cut. We used suckers. the only problem is that there aren't many available anymore. we got ours close to the city but they were frozen. We have had luck out there in the past when cut bait has been hard to come by with getting them on Chicken Livers, chicken Gizzards, and other innerds. It is not pretty but it works. I am not going to be able to get out there Sat most likely. Would like to but can't.
Let me know how you all do.
A

[Dennis Steele]

I was guessing that Dark 30,bgr,and I should make it up there around 10:00 to 10:30.So someone pick a time to meet and if the Public Access is a bad idea.pick another spot to meet.
We are a little disorganized at the moment but hey!were just going fishing!

[The Chemist]

Best bet is the winter access on Horseshoe. The ice there is solid. At the public access there is no where to go fishing from there that I know of.

[Crawlerman]

Looks like my schedule freed up, I have something possibly later that night, but it's not that important. I'd rather be fishing. I'd like to know around when, and espically where to meet; I've never been to St. Cloud, but I could prally find the lake through yahoo maps. But I need to know where on the lake to look, and what to look for; or directions to another meeting place. I drive a silver GMC sonoma crew cab with a FM sticker in the rear window.

My e-mail address is [email protected] if your going to be arranging this via e-mail instead.

[This message has been edited by Crawlerman (edited 03-13-2003).]

[The Chemist]

Crawlerman: Where are you coming from? Horseshoe is ~ 10-20 miles outside of St. Cloud on Hwy 23 right by Richmond, Mn. Where to meet hasn't been decided I don't think or a time. I'm within 5 miles so I'l should be there early. On the map I sent you, if you are coming on 22 from Richmond the first thing you come to is the Public Landing for Horseshoe on you right. You will continue to on fro about a mile and you will see a bay on your right. The winter access is just ahead.

For all of you there is a No Parking area near the winter access but back a little you can park along the road. Just keep your eyes open for the signs. My intent is to drive on as I will have 2 kids with me. I drive a maroon/red minivan and always wear camo. If the van gets cleaned up I will have my FM sitcker back up in the rear window.

[Crawlerman]

I'm coming from the SE Metro; so it's quite a drive for me. I'll prally head out an hour and a half earlier than I intend to be there, as it's still mostly freeway. Don't know about driving on.. My truck's a compact and isn't all that big... but I guess it all depends on how warm it gets and if it rains or not that day.

[The Chemist]

Take 94 to Hwy 23 take a left. when you reach Richmond Hwy 22 is right after Richmond Marine take a left and follow 22 to wherever we are meeting. I assume you received the map I sent you. It's gonna take you at least 1.5 hours if not 1.75hours. I leave from the NW metro and the quickest I've made it is 70 minutes. You should be able to drive on. Last weekend I drilled through at least 36in of ice. Buried the auger. Just stay on previously driven paths. But it's all about your comfort w/ driving on a lake.

[Crawlerman]

I was driving on Bald Eagle eariler this year; I'm just afraid of soft ice and honeycombing made by this warm up. I suppose it won't be that bad as sat will be the first day of the really warm stuff.