Catfishing For Beginners

[DTro]

.....and if you would like to know why

get a magic 8 Ball

[hanso612]

The reason is that the DNR does not want to have people transporting carp caught for bait into a body of water that does not have carp.

This is another "make enforcement easier rule" like many recent rules I have argued against lately.

The rule of not transporting any bait or bilge water should cover the carp bait problem. So now the no carp as bait law is redundant and should be removed.

I had a sure thing on the Croix and had it robbed by such rules and am still a little bitter. I had a 33 foot 1942 Chris craft that had a very shallow draft and a protected prop with a keel guard so I could go anywhere on the river. My good holes were north of the highbridge and because I was moored at Sunnyside I couldn't take the boat north of the arbitrary Zebra mussle line.

I will argue fiercly that as soon as a Zebra mussle is found north of the line this rule should be changed and the line moved north.

Just as I will argue fiercly that the carp rule should be changed and bait fishing using bait from water where the bait is caught should remain legal regardless of virus threats.

With the risk of VHS I would also like to see the bait options expanded. I think it makes more sense to use perch and sunfish for bait from the lake you are fishing than transport suckers from a bait pond to a bait store and to the lake.

Anybody else see the easy loop hole of taking suckers from a river putting them in an air bag and saying they are from the bait store? Now we need to come up with a rule to fix that. Just a thought on how these loophole fixing or enforcement rules can cascade.Hans

[ec30_06]

I have heard that carp aren't that good of a bait anyway.

[hanso612]

The reason is that the DNR does not want to have people transporting carp caught for bait into a body of water that does not have carp.

This is another "make enforcement easier rule" like many recent rules I have argued against lately.

The rule of not transporting any bait or bilge water should cover the carp bait problem. So now the no carp as bait law is redundant and should be removed.

I had a sure thing on the Croix and had it robbed by such rules and am still a little bitter. I had a 33 foot 1942 Chris craft that had a very shallow draft and a protected prop with a keel guard so I could go anywhere on the river. My good holes were north of the highbridge and because I was moored at Sunnyside I couldn't take the boat north of the arbitrary Zebra mussle line.

I will argue fiercly that as soon as a Zebra mussle is found north of the line this rule should be changed and the line moved north.

Just as I will argue fiercly that the carp rule should be changed and bait fishing using bait from water where the bait is caught should remain legal regardless of virus threats.

With the risk of VHS I would also like to see the bait options expanded. I think it makes more sense to use perch and sunfish for bait from the lake you are fishing than transport suckers from a bait pond to a bait store and to the lake.

Anybody else see the easy loop hole of taking suckers from a river putting them in an air bag and saying they are from the bait store? Now we need to come up with a rule to fix that. Just a thought on how these loophole fixing or enforcement rules can cascade.Hans

[Note from admin: Hanso let's not hijack this thread and get it back on topic. If you wish to discuss these rules/regs please take it to the Outdoor Discussion Forum. Thanks much.]

[fishinJohn]

Thanks for all the tips. I bought some stuff online and man are 3 and 4 oz. sinkers heavy! I bought some barrel swiverls that were made for high pound test line and when they came I could not believe how big they are. I fish some bodies of water with big cats so hopefully I won't be over loaded. Thanks also for the info on current too, I 've heard of undertow but I think I have a better image of what is going on now.

[Mr Special]

I've used the Demon C-hooks 2/0-4/0. They work, but I've had a couple break right in the middle and those fish weren't pigs by any means.

I've also used the Big gun hooks and I think they're ok at best. I wouldn't use them again.

I also favor the Gamakatsu Circle hooks for cutbait and they're regular Octopus hooks for live bait.

[wastewaterguru]

Phil......when are we going fishing??

The bait tank is full and the boat is ready to rock.

[still floats guy]

I was wondering how many of you clip the barbed fins off bullheads when fishing for flatheads?

Does it make the bullie less lively?

Does the bullie have the same level of mobility under water?

It just seems to make sense that a soft bullie would be a little more pallatable and a little less work for a flathead.

[crazyice]

I don't really think it matters to them, an easy meal is an easy meal! Just my .02 worth

[HuskerBen]

I don't know that it makes any difference in attracting the fish or not. I've done it because I hook the bully through the back, and I figured it would make setting the hook easier, since the fins can't lock into position.

[Shack]

At first I can see where it might help with learning how to hold bullies (they do poke ya), but after you just hook them on.

If a flatty wants it, it will take it

[still floats guy]

It's no fun holding a bullhead unless there is the chance of getting stuck.

I was just thinking that the top fin might mess up the hookset and the side fins might make it uncomfortable to the point that the flathead might drop the bait.

[mplspug]

 Originally Posted By: still floats guy

It just seems to make sense that a soft bullie would be a little more pallatable and a little less work for a flathead.

Hmmm. If that were true I think that the metal hook attached to a line with a 4oz rock just in front of it would deter them first!

[harvey lee]

They will hit the bullie.

[hanson]

Guess I personally don't feel that leaving the spines on the bullhead will affect a hook up ratio at all.

We've actually caught a few small flatheads over the years (2-3lbs) that have fully ingested the bullhead into their stomachs. Upon getting them in the boat, you can see where the spines are poking into the skin on the flathead. I'm not sure where the photos are at but I think Ralph Wiggum has at least one photo.

[mplspug]

I've seen that too Hanson. Talk about a bad-arse fish!

[Ralph Wiggum]

 Originally Posted By: hanson

Upon getting them in the boat, you can see where the spines are poking into the skin on the flathead. I'm not sure where the photos are at but I think Ralph Wiggum has at least one photo.

Cue Ralph:

This can't be comfortable.

[still floats guy]

Thanks for the pic. I guess it's settled then. Fins or no fins, a lively bullhead goes down like a White Castle slider as long as the fish is hungry.

Then again, sliders aren't always the most comfortble food either.

[Larry FlatCaster]

I think some like to trim the fins for a couple reasons. It throws the balance of the bait off there by making it struggle more and putting off more action. It also throws some extra scent in the water. Flats are by no means a shark..... but as a top chain predator, I would guess that they can sense injured bait.

I've trimmed the fins on occasion, Never noticed any noticeable difference catch ratios.

[DTro]

 Originally Posted By: still floats guy

I guess it's settled then.

I think it’s safe to say that just about nothing has ever been “settled “ here. Just when you think you’ve got it all figured out……WHAMO the exact opposite seems true.

[Shack]

That right Dtro! Come to think of it my biggest flat last year was caught off of a pruned bully. I started off the season pruning every one and by the middle of the summer I stopped. I guess a guy gets lazy.

LFC brings up good points also.

The distress of the injured bully could help the flats find it more so than a bully trying to stick to the bottom and go unnoticed.

[rushing]

Clipping the spines on a bully because a flat might drop it is just not needed. Flats are not affected by the spines. If you are getting "rips" but they drop the bully, well there are other fish that find them bullheads tasty.

Clipping/trimming the fins for the bully to give off an injured fish vibe or have to struggle more then thats another story and I only think about trying that if its a very slow night.

If the fish are biting it just doesn't make any difference what you do as long as the bully is lively.

[rockingroy]

I see Hanson said to cut the heads off of a sucker when using it as cutbait, why is this? Often the suckers I get are not that huge and I thought just cutting them in half might be enough. What is gained be cutting off the head?

[Grant Pearson]

better scent trail for the most part, and the head for some reason doesn't produce all that much.

[DTro]

When the minnow are smaller, I do just that.

A favorite of mine is about a 6" Creek Chub cut in half using the head/torso section. Lot of big channels and Flats using that.

Also have caught fish just using the head of a bigger minnow.

Down South, the Blue Cat guys love to use a Shad head.