Like big fish, wanna try cat fishing..

[Alan]

I have caught plenty of Carp. And I see all these pics of these big catfish. What does a guy need to get started in cat fishing?

Rod (I have a 6.5' MH Ugly Stik, with 20lb fireline) will this work?

Reel

line

rig/set up (rig it like I rig for carp?)

bait (Stink bait, cut bait, do I just buy suckers or fat heads and cut em up? And put on the hook)

Are rivers better than lakes?

Do you have to fish for cat's at night? Can you fish during the day for these fish?

Can all you seasoned Cat fisherman give some advice for a wanna be?

[mainbutter]

somehow this was left to drop away from the first page of threads in this forum, lots of information for people new to catfishing:

http://www.fishingminnesota.com/forum/ub...ers#Post1348927

I'm thinking of trying out some catfishing myself as soon as I get back from summer vacationing and get myself an apartment in minneapolis.

[rushing]

First thing you have to have a good supply of is patients.

[DTro]

Yep, what some people fail to realize when they see all the pictures and video of these fish are all the hours spent on the water.

Granted some people can show up one night and catch a fish of a lifetime it takes a lot of time and patience. Read the thread that mainbutter linked, lots of good info there.

One of the reasons I love this kind of fishing is the solitude of the darkness on the river, to me catching fish is a bonus.

Like any big fish, in the end, you will need to put in your time to be consistantly successful.

[Sandmannd]

First thing you have to have a good supply of is patients.

Or you can just go out on Dtro's boat and hit a 40+ lbr on your first cast!

[Slowhand]

Amen to what Rushing said. I think these photos flashing on this forum create an illusion of ease.... There are exception night/days, but if you avg. fish per hour caught it would be humbling. Fishermen are can tend to be like a gambler; they're more than happy to tell you about their winnings/fish caught a little less reluctant to tell you how much they lose . That being said; its the Big Jackpot that keeps you coming back for more .

[hanson]

Sometimes its embarrassing to talk about all the nights NOT catching anything.

I started a little late this year but I've been on the water 7 of the last 13 nights. Most of the time I'm rolling into bed about 4:30am-5:00am after getting on the water at 7pm.

I think my total flathead in the boat count is 9 so far for all those hours.

[DTro]

Fishermen are can tend to be like a gambler; they're more than happy to tell you about their winnings/fish caught a little less reluctant to tell you how much they lose .

That’s a good analogy. I’d have to agree.

As for me, I have no problem saying that in the past 2 wks (14 days) I’ve spent 11 nights on the water.

4 of those nights were a complete skunk for me. So I caught at least one fish in the other 7 nights. Some of those nights I caught two and a couple of those nights I caught three. Most fish were 15lbs and under. Some of those fish were 20lbs and under and only a few were over twenty pounds.

Avg 7-8 hrs/night

Just round it up to 80hrs in the past 2 weeks and you see how much time a guy can put in to catch a few fish over 20lbs.

It gives me a headache thinking about factoring in a learning curve about the river and where these fish roam.

What keeps me out there is the love of it and knowing that at any given point, Mr Freak of nature fatty will eat my bait.

[Farmboy1]

Whenever I take someone new out, I tell them "We are fishing for the top 1% of predatory game fish, they are hard to come by."

Yeah, I'm a one percenter Just not as much as I would like.

[Scott K]

4 things will make you successfull in fishing for catfish, patients, location, luck, and experience. You can fish forever in a bad spot, and never catch a fish, you can fish 1 minute in a good spot and catch a 40lber, or you can fish 10 good spots for a week with 40 hours spent fishing that week and not get a bite. Its a whole different life being out on the river at night! Be carefull if venturing out in a boat for the first time.

[Shack]

Quote:

I think my total flathead in the boat count is 9 so far for all those hours.

Rub it in, rub it in!

That is a pretty good season so far Hanson. Could be worse.

I have 3 boat trips to the river this year and 4 or 5 shore trips to St. Paul and Miss. north. Not much time and only a couple under 10lb channels to show for it. Last season I had about 7-10 boat trips in by now and 10-15 shore trips in by this time. I had about the same catch record to show for it. Actually, do to some situations during the fishing trips this season, I almost have more drive time than on the water time. 3 hours round trip and I still keep going, after being skunked many times.

Just got'a keep in the action and you will hit the numbers at one point. I know where to go, I just got to get my self their .

This weekend baby! I feel it for the hundredth time. I am braving tornado sirens, lightening, hail, clay, fog and what ever is thrown at my boat (first year I have experienced all of these within a couple trips). I will bring rain gear also

. Snakes, bugs what ever!

[Slowhand]

What do you guys do for work that makes that many nights fished? I would guess male jigalow by your avatars, but as they say, looks can be deceiving .