How Long?

[JiggingSpoon]

Just a quick question. We have been just getting in to cat fishing on the minnesota. We were out the other night with about 10 different bites with landing one nice channel. We were using about 6-7 inch live sucker minnows. Many missed fish, just wondering how long you let them run, and where you useally hook them and if anybody ever used a stinger or not? Any answers will help a bunch, thanks!! Some of the bites almost tore the rods out of our hands!! It was insane!

We would let them run a bit and then close the bail, the rod would load and then set the hook and i could just feel the sucker pull off the hook?!?

JS

[Ouchless]

Must be smaller channels. But generally, fish takes the bait from head. Two nights ago I thought I let the cat run long enough with my large sucker hooked couple in. from the tale, but when I tried to set the hook nothing happened. When I expected the sucker it was squeesed in the middle almost to the point of tearing it in half. Apparently the half with the hook was the part not in the mouth

Try hooking your suckers in the middle, right under the back fin, but don't damage the spine.

P.S. Don't forget to keep your hook sharp.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Depends on the situation. If I am close to a snag, I hit them pretty much right away. Generally, I pick the rod up to feel if the have it. If they're moving with it, I'll engage the spool with the rod nearly vertical and let them pull the tip to horizontal. Then, I cross their eyes.