open water cat question

[simplefish]

Is it too early to target cats in open water? I was thinking below dams, or areas where the ice has melted off. What kinds of areas should I look for? I'm itchin for some open water cat action and could use some advice on what to look for. I also posted this in the metro forum. Thanks ahead.

[smallies24]

I say no, last year I mad e a trip to the red wing dam with a guy for a walleye/catfish trip. It was the first week in march. The eyes were slow so we went after cats. In about two hours time we landed 8 cats ranging from 8 lbs to 40 lbs. Two guys fishing the same area took two close to 50 lbs....like lifting a log of the bottom of the river. Most were channels, but we caught two flatheads in the 15 lb range. The guy I went with had been out there in December. Good times

[This message has been edited by smallies24 (edited 02-25-2004).]

[smallies24]

They were channels, saw both of them landed. It was a couple of older guys that have been fishing the area for years, they said in the past three years the biggest they had ever caught was about a 48 pounder. But that day they caught two that were around 50. If I remember correctly they were a little over 45" if that makes sense. I might be able to attacha picture of one on of the smaller fish we caught if I can figure out how.

[Canuck]

Unreal and fantastic. Would love to see a pic if U can figure it out, I sure can't. A channel that is 45" would be in the 40lb range so that sounds right.

What river is this??

[smallies24]

Whoops, made a mistake on the 50 pounders, those were flatheads...sorry about that, was typing faster than my brain there for a sec. The biggest channel was close to 35 that I caught, but the only pic I have on my computer is a flat around fifty pounds or so my buddy caught the second week of march last year. All our fish were caught on the mississippi in the red wing area.

If someone can tell me how to post the pic I will Sorry about the confusion, especially when I think the state record channel isn't even 40 lbs

[Canuck]

40 and 50 lb Channel?? Would have loved to seen them. I have seen many Channel in the 25 to 32 but never a 40 let alone a 50, maybe my scales should be checked.

I might be all wet(just can't wait for open water) but were U meaning flats in the 40 & 50lb range?

[mnfisherman]

I would think dead baits would be the best bait since the cats would be feeding on the winter kill and since they are still fairly in-active they might not want to chase after a live bait.

Are there any good places I could try near Cottage Grove?

[smallies24]

If you are fishing a large body of water I think you just need to do your scouting and find a place where they are stacked up. On the mississippi people will catch them jigging for eyes with live and artificial bait in the winter. We used large jigging spoons. We would drift and leet them bounch off the bottom. I've also seen people use large jigs with plastic grubs, around and once jig with a thick 7" or so bright colored grub.

But I think the main reason we are successful is that we found a place where they are stacked up THICK in a relatively small area. I've never fished for them on the minnesota, and am looking forward to trying it out this year.

[City_Slicker]

Any of you guys fish down by the 10 st dam in St.Cloud. I was thinking about giveing it a shot.