Circle hook side swing shuffle! With pic's

[Shack]

Hit Mississippi north for a couple of hours of channel action. Boy, am I glad we went. It look like rain as a front rolled in, but that is all that happened weather wise. Cat wise it was great.

Started a little slow, but picked up quick. With ton of little guys slamming left and right, there was no sitting around and B.S.ing. As the Green Bay game blared on the radio in the back ground from the T.V. radio my brother in-law brought, perfecting the side circle hook swing was all I could concentrate on. After a couple of smaller ones around 6lbs, I got into something I knew was not a 6lber. After a good battle and some drag pulling, we got her to shore. Tipped the scale at 13.1lbs. It is not an upgrade, but it sure was nice to pull in a good fighter again. After a double on a couple of 7-8lbs, it slowed a little. Once again, a rather large thump, thump occurred. It was very nice. This one pulled just as much, if not harder than the other big one I had gotten earlier. Sure enough, it hung up in a sunk’ in log. We sat there for over 15 minutes, letting rod sit with bail open, up and down shore, I would tug, the fish would tug, but it was never meant to be. I had to break line.

No upgrade tonight, no 18lber tonight, but it still sure was fun.

I did not want to leave, but I had to get home and get to bed. Tomorrow night we go for flats.

All in all we pulled 12 fish out. I claimed 9 with my 7/0 oci circle on my shackbash snell and cut sucker. Here are some images I shot.

Hey I smiled

[hanson]

Nice cats man!

Not quite sure what the 3rd cat is doing to your buddy but I'll chalk that one up to the blooper reel! Yikes!

[Shack]

Ya, it looked funny! I see what you mean though! LOL

Thanks

[big musk411]

Looks like a good night Shackbash ! I went out last week and it was the slowest I have ever seen, we only caught two. You must have an iron thumb .

[Shack]

I was a great night!

Bloody knuckles, bloody knuckles!!!!!!!!!!

That’s how you judge how good a night is. Bloody knuckles and they hurt. But it is a good hurt

[Shack]

Well, we hit Mississippi north again last night! The bite was hot, but the rain kept us at bay most of the night! We only got a little over an hour and half of good fish time. Between down pours, we would were able to sneak back over to spot.

Again, I had a big fish on! After it put up a good 6-8 minute battle, it run up stream to snag and tangled up. This time it got its self off and sent back a stick from snag. None of the fish we get (even 10lbs and over) have enough power when they hit shore/rock line to pull out drag and go up stream to snag. This fish does. I figure this is a smart fish. I got it close to shore twice and both time it screamed out drag and went up stream.

Ah,well! Good times! More to come next week!

The only thing to use is 5/0 to 7/0 oci circle and cut. Nothing else. J-hook failed big time last night. We all rerigged. You guys are right, cut bait=circle! Only!

Five fish total! Here are some pics.

Here is the blooper shot of the night. Again, My rother in-law! He sreamed like a girl after getting stuck! He, He. It was a good 10lb plus fish

[erickol]

Nice cats. what time were you guys on the water? Is it still low where you fished?

I fished channels just out of downtown Mpls yesterday. 1 small cat, 1 small carp, 1 decent lmb. pretty slow, but messing around with different times to catch a daytime bite.fished from 8am to around 11:30.

[Shack]

The time slot is great for weekday night fishing. They only seem to bite between 8:00 P.M. and 11:00 p.m... Kind of a ghost town before and after those times (unless early morning 2-3 am). Yes the water is low and that is a great thing. I think it gets cats in one spot, instead of spread out. We always do much better up here, when water is low and fall time.

I would use cut sucker, shad or anything cut and circle hook. Shorter leader and about 2-3 once wait. This has been working as of late.

Good luck!!!!

[erickol]

Thanks,

Was out on the river in St. Paul today for a few hours. A bunch of little cats and one nice big player on cut sheephead.

Think I'll be out tomorrow night after supper until after dark. I'm still getting used to the circle hooks.