Finally found the cats

[EBass]

Fished last night on the Mississippi. WE fished from 7-9:30 using cut bait. (Suckers)
3 guys with 5 kittys. Missed a few too. Biggest was 3lbs.

It sure was nice not catching minnow size kittys.

[Lunker]

Mind divulging the location? I went after cats for the first time a couple weeks ago and had a lot of fun under the ford dam, and was looking to get out soon. When I went, I fished the mpls side as far up the shore as you can get to the dam, the water there is deep and although fast, not nearly as fast as the main channel. We caught 3 channels in 2 hours that all went 4-7 lbs. Lots of fun.

[Fisher Dave]

Lunker...

Try fishing on top of the dam .. either the lock side (Minneapolis) or the St paul side under the Ford bridge on the downstream side.

When its hot, it's hot ... We also get Flatheads at them 2 locations up to about 35 lbs so far. The lock side you drive into the parking lot for the observation area .. theres a road out the back side of the lock that goes down near the entry to the area. You can park right next to where you fish (along chain link fence on top of concrete wall along sidewalk and bench's). They will aloow you to fish there as long as your being respectful and keeping it clean. The St Paul side you walk down the down on the upstream side of the bridge ... the hill isnt too bad.

[EBass]

Lunker,
North Mississippi Regional Park. Near the Camden bridge. However, it sounds like you got bigger ones in Pool 2.

What were you using. I went to my spot again and only had a wee little carp. I didn't have cut bait this time. I think that makes a WORLD of difference.

I want to try Fisher Daves spot to. He mentioned that to me before, but I haven't been there.

[Lunker]

I was using cut chub for one fish and cut bullhead for the other. My buddy got his on some of that catfish dough dump from powerbait. My freezers got suckers in it right now, so I'm gonna head to the Minn today.

Fisher Dave, I went down to check out that spot above the dam, and the chain link fence has these NO TRESSPASSING, GOVERMENT PROPERTY signs, did you just hop them any ways? I'd be willing to do it if I was pretty sure I wasn't gonna get in trouble. But I don't need another run in with the cops, so I'd like to know before hand. It looks really nice down there though, slow water, a few snags, and I can imagine some fish congregate there because of the dam.

[Fisher Dave]

You are correct .. they are posted no tresspassing, govt propery. Where you fish you cant jump the fence or you will land in the water. You fish where you can park along the road at, or near the very bottom. Its the same area boats wait for the lock. I generally fish this area near sunset into the night for less boat traffic. A long net really comes in handy. The lowest part of the wall is where the gate is to the observation area .. also my preferred area for channels.

I have a net that I put a PVC extension on for the really big cats. The St Paul side is at water level. If one spot is not hitting, the other usually is. THe bite usually starts around dark and the average size fish is very good.

[Lunker]

Thanks for the advice FisherDave, I headed down there this evening and fished for a few hours. The bite was slow, and the guy fishing next to me said the same as you, its always better when it's really hot.

I ended up having 2 short runs and one real taker, which produced a little 16-17" channel kitten on cut sucker, and the guy next to me had a few little runs and about a 7-8lb channel that took liver. I netted his with my net with pvc duct taped to it, still barely made it to the water! its a nice spot though, the water isn't fast, so i didn't lose any hooks, and it's deep, so i'll hit that spot again on a hot weather day. thanks for the tips

[Lunker]

Ebass, If you're ever gonna hit daves spot, shoot me an email if ya want some company, I'd like to try it again. Take his advice though, wait for a hot day.

Lunker
[email protected]

[Fisher Dave]

Its a good sign that a couple channels were caught. There are spots along that wall that are better than others. Periodicly, the fish will be right below your feet (strait down).

I prefer to go all the way down next to the gate and make a very long cast at a 45 degree angle downstream (toward lock). The lock next to the dam has not been used for years and there always seems to be some channels in front of it out of the boat traffic. For the flatheads, most of the fish have come from about 50' upstream from the gate, and cast way out by the buoy (need one hell of a rod and weight). Most all I have caught there have been on fresh cut bait. I dont have much faith in suckers there(hint). If you can get ahold of a mooneye or some other greasy fish you will improve your catch.

[EBass]

Thanks for the report and offer Lunker. And Fisher Dave for the hint. I have no idea how to get Mooneyes though.

I'm sure I'll take you up on that soon.

Tomorrow Moby1 is taking me to Medicine for some bass action in the early AM. If it's not storming out I may hit the North Miss Regional Park in the afternoon. Off 94 and Dowling. I spelled that wrong I think.

Mr. Special and Lunker you're welcome to come along. Shore fishing of course. (trying to get a boat here soon)

Home # as that would be the only to get a hold of me 952-545-2904 Eric is the name. Cut sucker works great at this spot.

[This message has been edited by EBass (edited 06-20-2003).]

[Lunker]

I too have no idea how to get mooneye, but if you read in tennesseans post about catching bait(including mooneye) some advice is given.

Thanks for the offer Ebass, but I'm headed to Big Marine tommorrow to do a little prefishing for the next metro LETS tourney. Good luck though.

Fisherdave, you and others tell me to use mooneye. Are they very easy to get? I have never caught these fish and it seems like it would be harder to find them than the cats! Thanks for the tips!

[EBass]

Lunker,

I went to the Missy on Sunday. Total kitty's were 12 in 3 1/2hours. Most of them around 2lbs and a couple around 4lbs. (just guessing, but nice cats)Missed a few to per usual.

Cut sucker again was good.

[This message has been edited by EBass (edited 06-23-2003).]

[EBass]

Going out to the same spot. I'll post my results tomorrow. Here Kitty, Kitty, Kitty

[Sturgeon46]

Do you guys eat the pool 2 kitties?

[EBass]

Nope, 99% of the time I release everything. In the winter I'll take a smaller waldo, but that's about it. I hate cleaning them.

I went back to my spot and was skunked. 6 one day and nothing the next. I missed a few hits. My buddies caught 2 each. Biggest again was around 4lbs.

Cut sucker was the bait of choice.

[Lunker]

No, I don't eat the cats, although I do know some people who do. I don't eat any fish out of the river, although it says you can. Most of my meat comes from my cabin up north, and I'm fine with that.

Ebass, sounds like you've been doing well, I might head out tommorrow but with all this rain i don't know.

[EBass]

Lunker,
My shore spot washed away. Need to give the river a few days of rest. I did get a boat though (finally) so I'll be heading to some lakes to get comfortable with it first.

With all this rain I believe the cats rush the dam for new food. I heard that somewhere.

[towtruk7]

There shouldn't be too much of a problem eating some of the smaller fish. I have never kept any fish from the river in the city but I have kept quite a few from farther south around Alma WI. I have kept Walleye and smaller Channel cats and haven't started glowing yet.

[Aquaman01]

I consider the upper Missy to carry the same advisories as the lakes in their watershed. Heck, most of the stuff we should be concerned with is airborn 'acid rain' fallout anyway. That's how Kab, Rainy, & LOW got merc advisories.

I eat river fish - just not the big ones.

------------------
Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[simplefish]

I've eaten some fish out of the north metro part of the missy and don't glow anymore than when I eat micowave popcorn. I don't eat anything beyond 2 or 3 pounds. What I do eat is most often cats and figure that if anything's gonna make ya' glow, it's going to be a cat. I think the limit is 1 fish meal out of the river a week. I could be wrong. I don't recommend eating anything big, they don't taste as well and they have a higher mercury content. Even though they put up a heck of a fight.

[Sturgeon46]

I eat the some of the legals I catch in the St Croix but I've been wondering about some of the nice 2 - 3 lb channels from pool 2. I'd avoid anything from the MN river but I wonder if the metro rivers are really any worse than the 7 county metro lakes.