Float fishing cats

[Timdogg]

I was wondering exactly how you use floats to fish for cats. Do they take the float under or run with it?
If you are shore fishing and don't know the depth, how deep do you fish? What are the best baits and setups?

What are the best situations to use them? Any special techniques?

Thanks again fellas for any help.

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Ryan Timmer
Warroad and Crookston, MN

[vern]

I think Timdogg is refering to bobber fishing for cats, not drift fishing. A float is just another name for a slip-bobber. I've done it in certain situations, usually in areas where there isn't much current. It's just another option for catfisherman when you need to get the bait up off the bottom a bit, like over big rocks & heavy snags. It's also a blast to watch that bobber go down! I know they are used a lot on the Lower Red. I'm sure Backwater Eddy or Stu can describe the rig they use. They have kind of a unique rig. Basically, a bobber-stop, a slip-bobber, some heavy lead to hold the bait down in the current.(a few split-shot or an egg sinker)Then a swivel & about a foot of line to the hook. Vern

[Timdogg]

Yeah, thats kinda what I was thinking. I too fish on the Lower Red and Red Lake Rivers. I've caught smaller cats while trying to catch bait on bobbers and I'm sure it would work if I put on some bait that would be worth the effort of a big piggy.

One spot I fish is on the other side of this huge fallen tree just under that has taken tons of tackle from me and I think that maybe this float fishing might be worth a shot there.

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Ryan Timmer
Warroad and Crookston, MN

[vern]

Give it a shot with a fresh piece of cut goldeye or sucker. Sometimes it's just fun to see that bobber go under! Vern

[Flashman]

yeah Vern I was talking about bobber fishing but how would you rig up a frog under a float? I think drop shot style might work, maybe put a half oz weight on the bottom and tie the hook up a foot or so from the weight. Would keep the frog down but still allow the whole setup to drift down the shore or through a hole without hanging up. the more I think about the more I seem to be talking myself right into trying to rig this one up.

I'll let you know how it works.

Ed

[EBass]

Oh whoops, my bad. Well just something else to try.

[vern]

I thought you might have been Flashman. That's an interesting idea. I have used floats before just to cover water, where there is not much depth change. Just setting the bait near the bottom & drifting it down stream or next to cover. Some kind of drop-shot rig might be worth trying, especially to slow the bait down in faster current or just to keep it off the bottom & snag-less. Something to think about. Vern

[This message has been edited by vern (edited 08-20-2003).]

[fiskyknut]

A guy can run a 3-way swivel with leader and dropper under the float, or a hook tied in ala dropshot style, and then just pinch on some splitshot for weight. These would pull off pretty easily if and when you did get snagged. I've fished float rigs with both these type set-ups and they're effective and functional.

[Flashman]

I like that split shot idea of being able to just pull them free if/when they snag up. Thanks for the pointer.

[vern]

Flashman, you could also fish a basic slipsinker rig on the bottom with a very small float or piece of cork in front of the hook. Kind of like the Lindy-Rigs with the tiny adjustable float to keep the bait up off the bottom. The 3-way rig Fiskynut described would work good this way too. Just use big enough of a float in front of the hook to keep it off the bottom. And with live-bait, they'll struggle a little bit more & will be less likely to dig in & hide on the bottom. Might work good with the frogs. Just an idea. I fish a slip-sinker bottom rig most of the time, but it's always fun to experiment. Vern

[Flashman]

I've been thinking about trying this technique with frogs on one of my next outtings. I've heard of people doing it but I've never tried it personally. I'm just thinking of floating shallow close to shore. I'm thinking of kind of a drop shot setup with a small weight below, that would hold the frog down but not enough to stop the drift. Just me thinking out loud I guess. Does anyone else have thoughts on this type of fishing?

[EBass]

I saw Bill Dance go for Blue Cats on the Sippi down south. If I remember right it's was kinda a lindy rig setup, or maybe a three way. Then floated down the river getting huge blue kitties. I can't remember what he was using for bait.

[Steve Foss]

Thill makes a tall wooden slip bobber for big fish that works well for catting. Also, the really tall narrow white/orange/black striped bottom-weighted bobbers you see for pike work.

I prefer the Thill because it's heavy enoug without being too heavy.

I just rig the knot/bead the same way you do for walleyes or pannies. Then below the bobber I'll run an egg sinker just big enough to keep the bait down above a ball-bearing swivel, with about a 1 or 2 foot leader to the hook, depending on how deep the water is.

It's easiest to slip float cats on rivers with a fairly consistent water depth. Mid- to shallow-depth flats make it easiest, as does bobbering fairly tight along a shoreline.

In both of these cases, you're looking for active cats. If they're neutral or inactive and in the deep holes, this won't work.

Generally, morning and evening is when you find the cats slamming bait in shallow, and that's when slips work best. I've caught cats on them in 2 feet of water.

I use a circle hook, which makes it very difficult for the bait to snag as it drifts along the bottom.

Don't worry about whether the fish take the bobber sideways or whatever. When you fish active cats in shallow water, there's no doubt when they pound it.

Best baits, on the Red, anyway, are cut goldeye/mooneye, sucker and whole frogs, just like always. Fresher the better.

Good luck,

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]