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Couple of questions by a new catter


Lunker

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First of all, I've only gone once, and it was fun. I didn't have my scale, so what do channels weigh at about 24 inches?

Second, I definately want to go again, and was wondering what the best tactic for not snaggin is. I know it happens no matter what, but losing a whloe pack of hooks everytime is ridiculous. What size weight for fast current, and whats the best way to rig? Thanks.

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Losing tackle to snags is all part of the game. Thats why most of us veterans buy in bulk or make our own sinkers. Just this last trip I lost about 10 hooks and sinkers and I wasnt out long.

I am currently using size 3 or 4 bell sinkers. If you are fishing from shore you are more likely to snag as the current is dragging your bait along the bottom and it is harder to maintain a hold on the bottom because of all the drag the current is putting on your line.

I don\'t know what else to tell you. Another thing you can try is using a drop rig where the weight is on a three way swival and uses a lighter stregth line. So that if you get snagged, you can break the line that the weight is on and keeo the hook. Going with the "no-roll" sinker might help you also.

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

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Hey Lunker, I know a nice spot you should try if your shore fishing....Going down hwy 169 into Bloomington..Go east on Old Shakopee rd a couple of blocks and turn right at burger king. Follow that road just a little ways and when it curves to the left you turn right and continue straight south towards the river. Theres a park down there on your right where the old hwy 18 bridge used to be.

There is a bike path down there with a bridge crossing the river...Follow the bike path down stream on the Bloomington side until you see the likely spot. Find a y-stick and throw out some cut bait.

Good Luck!

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

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And I'm sorta new to cattin myself; I've been fishing for them coming on three years now.. but only caught that one big one, and that was out of the last place I thought I'd get it.. outa a little itty bitty pond by my house. Generally I don't get much bigger than 3lbs. I really only fish for Channels though. I want to learn how to catch some decent numbers of Channels on the St. Croix this year, so I can get some eaters. Nothing better than a catfish sandwich...

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I would have to agree with vern.It might push six if she's really fat but a 25" 12lb channel would have to 25" wide too. smile.gifSure you didn't have a thumb on the scale smile.gif

Like korn said,"Losing tackle to snags is all part of the game."
There is a few things you can do to minimize the amount of tackle you loose though.
When I cast out I engage the reel and follow the sinker down with the rod tip keeping the line taught.You will feel the sinker hit bottom.At that point do not move that sinker!It realy helps to use No Roll sinkers.They are flat and will lay on the bottom and not roll into a rock or wood.When you want to check your bait POP the sinker off the bottom with a sharp lift of the rod tip and reel as fast as you can.Use the right amount of weight.Too light and the sinker can move around pulled by your line.Too heavy and you can't pop the sinker of the bottom quickly enough to get it back.
Anchor your boat correctly.I always do my best to anchor directly up current of the area I want to fish.Drop you baits directly behind the boat and do not cast cross current.And by all means do not cast a bottom rig upstream in current.You have just lost that rig.
Using a three way with a dropper to your sinker will cut down on the number of rigs you loose.I don't use those rigs too often becuase they tend to tangle easily.

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Verifed and weighed at the local grocery store on a digital scale. It was actually 11.57; but I call it 12 wink.gif Had to lift the bugger up with two hands. Yeah.. it was a fat one... and was a darker blackish color rather than silver-spotted; but I've heard Channels once in awhile get like this. I'm sure it wasn't a bullhead or a blue cat as the fin placement/ head shape matched the channel.

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Crawlerman - The male channels get darker around spawning time. There head seems to swell up a bit too. The females will stay there silver/grey color throughout the season.

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

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Hey Dennis,

Those flat sinkers you're talking about are bank sinkers right? Where can you get them? Gander seems to only have the egg sinkers. Also, is there a company that makes non lead sinkers? I mean like big non lead.

I wonder how much lead I lost in the waters of this great state. I feel kinda bad about that. It sure would be cool to have lead banned. I know it's so cheap and easy to mold, but toxic!

Thx,
EBass

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Korn-- that would make sence for the added weight then too. It was during the summer.. but since this lake isn't stocked with channels and it was likely it was just one someone threw in, why would it go into this pattern.. or maybe there ARE more in there, and it wasn't just a fluke. Hmmm....

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I think you may be right crawlerman, I was out yesterday and I got two of those males and they were kinda goofy lookin like you said. They also were much bigger in girth and body size as well, I got a couple of the other ones like you were talking about that were the same length and the males were much heavier for their length.
As for losing tackle, I have been experimenting with all the different types of weights and the walking sinkers and the worm/bullet style ones seem to snag the least out of all of them. Another thing to try is using the least amount of weight that you can, the heavier the weight the less likely it is to bounce off of a snag.
><>deadeye

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Dennis's tips to help avoid snags were excellent and accurate.
The flat no-roll sinker he's referring to is an excellent choice that I've been using for years. For those of you that mold your own leads and might be looking for this particular style of sinker it's made by the people from "Do-it Mold company".

Another tactic you can try when you're trying to remove your snagged line without breaking-off. Feed out approximately 30 feet line let the current gather up this extra line taking down river which in turn forms a loop from your snagged line back to your pole. Once the loop has been formed hold your fairly high and pull back "fast & hard"
just as if you were setting the hook on 'ol whiskers. Quite often I set the hook two or three times in quick rapid succession. What you are accomplishing by doing this is moving your lead a "fraction" of an inch which in most cases is all it takes to free it from the snag. This method works only if the snag is caused by the lead being hung-up, if the hook is the reason behind the snag chances are you won't pop it free......

Fish "Hard" Forever!

Stu McKay
www.catsonthered.com
[email protected]

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No-Roll sinkers -

I read somewhere of a guy taking big eggs, running a cut-off wire clothes hanger through them, and pounding them flat on a anvil with a wide flat hammer.

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Aquaman
<')}}}}}><{
Peace and Fishes

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I've never seen the no-roll sinkers on sale anywhere. Found out about them on a tri to Lockport fishing with Stu, and a buddy of mine when I used to live in Grand Forks found a mold in a Bismarck tackle store (not sure which one), so I'd mold a ton of the 3 oz in his garage.

These are the most snagless sinker I have ever used, and I fished for years from shore on the Red, and shore fishing EATS tackle.

Another way to go snagless is to use circle hooks. There were many outings on the Red from shore in the rocks and wood where I'd go a whole night with no-rolls and circle hooks and not lose a single rig.

Oh almost forgot. From shore, best way to keep it from snagging is to cast out, close the bail, set the rod in the stick and let the current set the sinker where it will. DON'T keep picking the rod up and picking the sinker back up off the bottom, and don't fool with it at all once it's set. When it's time to check the bait, give it a hard jerk and reel fast, but I never fooled with it between bites or bait checks. The more you let it bump along, the more likely it'll find a crack in the rocks.


[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 06-08-2003).]

[This message has been edited by stfcatfish (edited 06-08-2003).]

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I'm making my own no roll river slip weights for my own needs but these are going 8-10 oz and 14-16 oz steel. I need to keep a very large live bait in the current without it moving into a snag.

The protypes work great but I don't know how much its going to cost to produce quantity yet.

WET NETS

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

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Lunker,

Being your in the Twin Cities, the Minnesota river is home to some real nice Flat heads- 25-50# ers. We launch out of Shakapee and head up river. Look for some good cover or holes.

We use 3oz flat tear drop sinkers, Not bad for snags however that is fishing. Stu is right on the dot again. That snag remover tip works wonders most of the time.

I get my molds from Cabela's. Many of the bait shope here sell them due the demand of caters like us.

Good luck.

Rusty
A bad day of fishing is still better than a good day at work.

[This message has been edited by Wiskers Guiding Service (edited 06-09-2003).]

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You can make jobbered No-Roll sinkers this way guys.

If you have a big egg mold poor up a mess of sumo egg weights.

Then take the stainless steel wire that is used in the insert and put it in a couple of eggs. Now WHACK that puppy with a 5 LB sledge hammer a couple of times.

Arrr...THUMP...Arrr...Thump...Arrrrr!
(Ah....Try NOT to hit your thump.....it kinda-sorta hurts Eh.)

Now you need to take a plier and twist the flattened lead eggs a bit to get them off the wire. A bit crude yet it gets the job done ok Eh. (If you have a hand tourch handy heat up the SS wire first, it slips out much better after you thump the eggs.)

Not perfect, but if the lead is clean it will work well and you get a knock off No-Roll sinker good for most cat'n.

Or.....you can order a No-Roll sinker mold from Do-It Molds. They run about $30 for a 3 cavity 1 1/2, 2, and 3 oz mold.

www.[YouNeedAuthorization].com


Ed "Backwater Eddy" Carlson

get_file.html?mid=172

Backwater Guiding "ED on the RED"

[This message has been edited by Backwater Eddy (edited 06-09-2003).]

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The best way I found to not snag up is to cast out, when it hits
water thumb the spool to follow the weight down till it hits bottom with a little lift in the rod, leave it alone. When its time to move, reel all the way down to so your rod tip is pointing directly at the sinker without moving it, give a big lift to clear any obstructions and reel fast, no snagy. No roll sinkers are no doubt the best river sinker I've used, got that tip on the forum, Ive no problem finding them here up north, don't know where this guy gets them from but he's never out. Rusty you probebly know him. Used to use lindy sinkers,all but threw them away. Later boar

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