Gimme sone how to info, please

[Lunker]

I have NEVER caught a catfish. I don't attribute it to lack of skill, but to lack of fishing for them. I have never fished for catfish. I've fished the rivers for whatever specie wants to bite, but didn't catch any cats. If I were to ask you to give advice for a beginner, in the cities, what would be the response. Body of water, location on water, tackle, bait, etc. I'm sure I have tackle that I can use(my MH baitcaster with 17lb?) but would like a little advice before I blindly tackle the sport of catfishing. My boat is a 12 ft jon, so shorefishing would be better for the rivers. Thanks if anyone can help(Im sure dennis will be the first to reply)

Catch the big ones(then throw em back)

[cvikes80]

Well, your rod and reel with 17lb will get you started if you decide to really get into it you may want to get a little heavier gear 25 - 30 lb test rig. As far as bait it depends on what sort of catfish your hunting, channel or flatheads? channels seem to prefer anything that stinks in the spring or early ice out, early summer to mid summer they hit more on fresh cutbait and late summer early fall they begin to favor frogs. While some or all of these will work on all seasons this is the most productive fishing pattern that i have noticed on the red river of the north. As far as flatheads are concerned, which are not in the red river, they seem to be much more picky with what they eat. They will take fresh cutbait but prefer live baits many of which are not legal in MN such as bluegills. If flatheads are your target, plan on getting out your camping gear cause the best bites are late into the nights which, can be a hoot. Channels on the other hand are more of a dawn and dusk bite. With both of these fish you will periodicly catch one or 2 in the "off" hours but its a very significant difference when fishing in their prime feeding times.

[vern]

Hey Lunker, I'm sure everyone here will have some good info for you, but first I would search through all of the cat topics in this forum from the last year or so. There is a lot of great info already posted. Also, check out some of the In-Fisherman & Gapen cat videos. Lot's of great info & fun to watch. Vern

[Dennis Steele]

I think that your 12 foot boat would be fine for fishing the shallower section of the Minnesota upstream of Shakopee.You don't have to worry about any barge traffic and could get by just fine if the water is not high.DO wear your life jacket!
For spring time cats I would look for areas that have reduced current near areas with warmer water entering the river.You will want a little current but not alot.Look for inside bends in the river next to deep slow water.I do best in areas that have some hard bottom.Hard packed sand,gravel or rock.If you cast out and you keep your line taught you should feel a sharp thunk on your line.If you don't, I would move on.This area of hard bottom does not have to be all that big.The bottom washed out from the current going around a downed tree or "snag" will expose the hard bottom.Another area to try would be where the current pushes up against the bank to create an eddy.The winters die off will collect here and the cats will feast on dead minnow and whatever ends up in the eddy.Again if there is some hard bottom with slower current it will produce better.With the water stil very cool another place to try is in the deep holes.Again look for slower current or anything that might break the current like the back or side of a deep water bar.If there is a sharp break near the end of the hole start looking there.
Some good baits to start out with for channels in the spring are cut bait,soured baits.crawlers and prepared bait(stink, dip, etc.)
Smaller live chubs,suckers and cut bait and crawlers will take some flatheads in the spring.
If your going after some flathead I would go with a heavier line.I like 50lb+.
17lb test line is plenty strong for channel.A sensitive rod like Countrykats punch bait rods may come in handy in the spring as the fish will not be as agressive and may be bitting a little light.

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Minnesota River Guided Fishing
"fishhead"
[email protected]
mnriverguidedfishing.homestead.com/

[Kevin Turner]

Humor....

[This message has been edited by Kevin Turner (edited 03-17-2003).]

[Dennis Steele]

Kevin,
It sounds to me like you should try fishing for smallies.
I don't care for the stinky stuff myself but a guy has to do what the fish want.I will bait your hook for ya if you are that squeemish!

I have done well drifting for channels along long current edges and along rip rap shore lines.A plain jig with a big hook(bass style jig) and a hunk of smashed sucker or chub works great.

[korn_fish]

Lunker - The earlier post of watching the videos is great. Particular the catfish fever video from in-fisherman. Its just the basics on primarily channels and a portion on flatheads. They have other ones but are more focused on trophy or big water resevoir fishing. Fun to watch though.

As for your jon boat. I fished out of a 12 foot jon for 5 years for channels and flats. Usually would be camping on shore and shore fishing at night for the flats. Just like they do in the catfish fever video.

You don't need to start out with big gear. Start with what you have and then when you start getting into the cats, move to bigger gear if you want to focus on trophy fish.

As for the post by someone that indicated that they wouldn't touch the fish, all I can say is that if you can't respect a fish enough to touch it, then you shouldn't disgrace the fish by catching it. I'll make sure that guy never gets in my boat

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catchabiggun
http://www.angelfire.com/mn/flatheadpride/index.html

[Lunker]

Thanks guys, I will take your tactics into consideration, I'm sure they will help me when I begin chuckin some smelly old piece of something down at the river this summer. When does the bite start heating up? If I tie into some cats this year, I will be sure to post and thank everyone. And show off of course. Just kidding, I am the student here.

[LuckyFish]

Question from another "cat" rookie. This is the second time I heard the term punch bait used. Can someone explain what this is?

Lucky

[deadeye]

Lunker,
I too live in the cities in the summer and I am located about two blocks from the mississippi river. If you really want to get some catfish I would try going after channel cats on the river. You have the right kind of tackle to use since the average size there is about 2-3lbs. For bait I would suggest useing dipbait. You can get the bait and dipworms at fleet farm, vados, bass pro and other places. I would suggest some of the sonny's original formula dipbait. You rig it basically like you would a lindy rig for walleyes, a slip sinker about a foot and a half above the worm. When using this rig I just cast it out and set the pole in a forked stick or a pole holder you get at the store, and then wait for one to latch on. For a place to fish, I like to find a point that juts out into the river with a eddy on the downstream side OR I really like to fish the downstream side of a island i.e. the one north of the 694 bridge. Doing these things will get you lots of channel cats that are average sized. Good luck ><>
deadeye

[Aquaman01]

Okay, so with the info presented by ya'll on current & structure, and with the Mississippi Cat gathering being in Elk River at 101 park, where ya gonna fish? One guess of mine would be the out-flow from the power plant, the island tail, the side eddies form the bridge piers - what else? My fam is gonna be on shore with me - is the park's shore good?
I'm gonna be using a floppy old fiberglass rod (don't wanna snap my walleye or panfish sticks) for this introductory event, unless I find an MH at a pawn shop cheap.

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Aquaman
< )/////><{
"I think we're gonna need a bigger boat."

[Guest]

Lucky, here is a discussion that we had a couple days ago on the board.

http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum29/HTML/000177.html

Hope it helps out some.

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Jim Reed
www.countrykatfishing.com

[LuckyFish]

Thanks Country Kat, question answered. Next question What's your recipe?
Lucky

[Guest]

Ancient Chinese secret. I sell it if you want some.

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Jim Reed
www.countrykatfishing.com

[LuckyFish]

CountryKat, Once I get the hang of this catfishing I most likly will buy some, but more likly to buy one of those E-glass rods they look great!

[Guest]

Thanks, I look forward to it.

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Jim Reed
www.countrykatfishing.com