Coon Rapids Dam area cats?

[MT Net]

Hi everybody,
I never fished for catfish before, but am interested in doing some shore fishing for the cats. Mainly on the Mississippi near the Coon Rapids Dam area.

Anyone have some tips for a beginner? Baits to use, tackle and equipment, areas to look for. What kind of rod/reel set up do you typically use with what # line? Where to start?

I'm typically a muskie and walleye guy, but looking to have more fun with cats on the river.

Thanks!

[Rick]

Hi MT Net,
great to hear you're thinking about moving over to the dark side

Hey all,
if we can help MT out it looks like another catman addict could be added to the growing list here.

[Aquaman01]

Welcome to the dark side! I'll trhow out general stuff, 'cause I'm new to it as well, and I'll let the King River Rats fill in the numerous blanks.

Mississippi above the joining of it & the Minnesota holds only Channel Cats - no Flats or Blues. Channel Cats will hit most anything if they're in the mood, but my best luck has been with fresh chunks or strips of sucker hooked through the skin, and firmly weighted to the bottom from a 12" leader. I look for eddys, current breaks, bottom transitions and holes. Channels seem to like a current about 1 mph at least, and hang out close to the main channel or flow. They also like to hang out under snag/timber piles if the water below that pile is 3' deep or so. Think like them - where can you safely & comfortably hang out with a good killing field and wait for food to come to you?

Use whatever rod you use for bass/pike and then after you get a few, decide how you may want to change. You may enjoy just using your current rig. Your line, however, should be such that when kitty runs for cover, you have a prayer of gettin' him out. I use 12/65 power pro. You may well be reeling Kitty against the current, as well.

Bite turns on at dusk, and in warmer water, 70+ degrees, but that's not a hard & fast law.

Cats of all sorts are sensory dymanos. They use their swim bladders as an eardrum to amplify vibrations (the only fish that does), they have a quarter of a million tastebuds in their mouth alone (bass - 37,000), and more on their skin. They can see very well, also. Keep human smells off your hands and bait and out of the water upstream from your target. Like a bullhead, the pectoral and dorsal spines are rigid daggers with mild venom. Handle with care.

Use a swivel - Channels like to roll like a rifled bullet when hooked.

Good hunting and enjoy! I love fishing cats - it's calm, it's laid back and the fight is brutal!

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[MT Net]

Thanks for the tips and encouragement, Aquaman01 and Rick. Dark side? Oh-Oh!

When I lived in Bloomington, I enjoyed carp fishing on the Minnesota River. Just sit back, wait and reel them in. The barges played havoc with the lines when going upriver.

I miss sittng on my old spots on the Minnesota. I'm so close to the Rum and Mississippi, I should have fun finding new spots. Something I should have done years ago.

What style hook do you use? I've heard about those circle hooks, but never tried them.

[Aquaman01]

I use circles and when I run out I use kahles or some leftover G-mags I have from when I wanted to be a bass fisherman . I found that a kahle will straighten out easier than a circle (big a** carp yesterday).
A couple of cat-masters told me that the important part is to have a big gap. I used a big octopus once for a flat and didn't gut-hook, but my son used one for a channel and did throat-hook. I like circles for now, and once I really get a hang for judging the run, I'll start using octopus hooks.

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Aquaman
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Peace and Fishes

[simplefish]

Bait: Junnies Wicked Sticky with the Tubee 2000. Use a swivel, they like to roll.

Med. heavy rod, long (7ft. or so), with a fast tip. With either a baitcaster or heavy open face with a large line capacity. If it has a clicker on it the better. I don't get flats there so I go with 15-20 pound line. A good quality mono or I like Power Pro superline with big game backing. Use quality gear cause them cats will put them to the test. Hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by simplefish (edited 07-31-2003).]

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 08-01-2003).]

[MT Net]

THanks for the help guys. Maybe I'll see you below the dam one of these days, and share a pop.

[korn_fish]

The coon rapids dam is a great place to catch bait (bullheads) as well. I loaded up with a bunch this week.

Channels are fun there. It is where I always go if I want some quick action. I have never been skunked there. They are all small, but fun

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