TOMORROW - Cool Cats 2005 - Saturday, 3/5/05

[Dennis Steele]

Ice Leaders 3rd Annual Cool Cats

All are invited to the 3rd anual Ice Leaders Cool Cats get together on Horseshoe Lake in Richmond MN.The date will be Saturday March 5th 2005.We will meet on the ice at 8:00 AM. (see map for location)

Sponsor Prize drawings will be held at Noon along with a fish fry/pot luck lunch.Catfish will be on the menu!

This is a fun,free get together.

Come and join us for an exciting day catching catfish through the ice and meet your FM and Ice leader friends.

From I 94 near St Cloud take hwy 23 west to Richmond.Then go south on hwy 22.

Here is a few pics from last years event

Frying up some catfish

Sharing tips and hot spots.

Wastewaterguru and Matt Johnson icing a catifsh.

[metrojoe]

Sounds like alot of fun. I may have to mark it on my calender.

Never tried for cats through the ice before.

Where might a guy find some good info on gear and techniques?

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RAGNAR!!??....BAH!!! BRING BACK HUB!!

[MattT]

It does sound like fun-I've never caught a cat throught the ice before and I remember reading how everybody there last year thought it was a blast. I also am curious as to if I would want any specific gear for this, as I usually target crappie/sunnies and have a few Wally rigs. I'm guessing from former posts that stink baits are not par for the course on the ice-I hope not anyway! lol!

[arbuck]

No stink baits????? How do you catch cats with out stink bait??? I might have to try to make this. If for no other reason than to meet everyone. It sounds like a blast hope to see everyone then, I will mark it on my calender.

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Why golf when you can fish?
arbuck

[Matt Johnson]

This is one fun event! If you haven't experienced the thrill of pulling up a cat through the ice than this is definitely something worth while. The Horseshoe Chain is an excellent fishery and is home to a variety of species. Catfishin' through the ice, you gotta love it!!

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Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson
Pro Staff Coordinator
FishingMN Sponsors

Matt Johnson Outdoors
[email protected]
Guided Ice Fishing and More...

[Rick]

Bring your walleye gear and ice fishing spoons. It's very likely you will be dealing with suspended cats so be sure to bring your MarCum or vex.

The guys were very happy with the 1/8th and 1/4 oz Go Devils on those cats and walleyes. When they got finicky, the Angel Eye Jr was very good. There is an awesome article on spoons here:

To Spoon or not to Spoon - CLICK HERE

You can see the Go Devils, Angel Eye Jrs and other hot ice fishing gear at:
TackleCity.com

[ATM]

This is great a couple of months to clear my schedule. I plan on being there. Also I spent some time out there so if anybody would like to do some fishing out there before this event just let me know. Besides cats I did quite well on eyes out there last year. Bring on the ice. Adam

[Corey Bechtold]

MEEE-YAOOOOO, I can smell the brats and hear the polka music already

Corey Bechtold

[Dennis Steele]

Yup
All a guy needs is a good walleye rod and some jigging spoons.
MY favorite last year was a yellow green or yellow orange Go Devil.Weight depended on how agressive the cats were.
I am sure there will be a lot of guys at the event who know a thing or two about icing cats.Thats one of the reasons we put this on.We get to talk "shop",sharing tips and techniques.
I did write an article on cats through the ice that might find its way onto the Ice Leaders front page.If it does please remember it is the first article I have ever written.

[Matt Johnson]

I've had the best luck using 1/8oz jigging spoons with pieces of minnow. I usually hook the minnow on one of the hooks of the treble through the head, and than I rip the minnow in half and hook the bottom half on a different hook of the treble. This provides a lot of scent and triggering power for those often time light biting cats.

Setting a hook into a cat through the ice is like hooking a cinder block

Here's a couple more pics from the Horseshoe Chain...

IceHawk with a Channel Cat

My dad and I getting in on the cattin' action

I can't wait to hit the ice again this winter in pursuit of cats!

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Good Fishin,
Matt Johnson
Pro Staff Coordinator
FishingMN Sponsors

Matt Johnson Outdoors
[email protected]
Guided Ice Fishing and More...

[This message has been edited by Matt Johnson (edited 10-16-2004).]

[hanson]

I think this one I'm going to have to attend.

Got my first taste of catfishing this summer and them kitties fight like you wouldn't believe. I'm getting excited just thinking about one on the end of my ice rod!

How big do the Horseshoe Chain cats get anyway??

[Matt Johnson]

The average size is about 18-21 inches and 2-3 pounds. We normally catch a few in the 4-5 pound range as well. Larger fish are caught too. I know a few guys who caught cats in the 15-16 pound range last winter, some nice fish.

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[buzbunni]

This event was a blast! If the weekend comes and you're hesitating, get over it and go. The hands on knowledge I gained on the ice with fellow FMr's was invaluable to me personally. Plus, it was just a fun time(and I won a Rock 'n Reel...after buying a Rock 'n Reel...woo hoo).

I had a strong bite on a black whistler jig with a gobbed on nightcrawler. Ignorance is bliss...sometimes .

[tisch008]

Arrrghhh!!!

I was just informed by the fiance that I will be attending a wedding that day!!!

Who plans a wedding on March 5th?!?!?!?

[hanson]

Cool Cats 2005!!!! Approximately 1 month away now!!!!

Here's a photo from my first trip up to the chain a couple weeks ago. Even a rookie cat guy can get them to cooperate some times. This was an average fish for me that day. The cats were light biting and I had best luck deadsticking a plain hook and chunk of cut bait. They do put up a very nice fight!!!

Hope to see everybody there!!

[BD110]

Nice photo hanson,

It looks like I'll have that day free. I'm thinking about making the trip from Duluth. I'm going to post something in the Duluth forum to see if there is anymore interest from up this way. If all goes as planned and I leave by 4:30am I should see some of you folks on the ice.

Take care,

Tom (BD110)

[BD110]

Hey Guys,

With this event less then a week away I thought I would bump it back to the top. It sounds like myself and pout-slayer will be riding together. Northlander is also planning on going down for this event. I'm not sure if anyone else is making the trip from Duluth but know would be a good time to sound off if you are. I figure we'll have to be on the road by 4:30am in order to make it to the H.Q. and ready to go. I was wondering if any one bait does better then others. I have never fished cats thru the ice and I'm looking forward to it. Any other thoughts on what to bring would be great. Not sure if I say something about pot luck or what is the plan other then frying up some cat fish. Any info would be great!!! And your heading down from the Duluth area give a post. An early morning trip always goes better if you have the car in front of you to focus on and I'm sure Channel 7 on the two-ways will also be in use to keep are driving skills sharp. See everyone on the ice. This should be a great time.

Take care,

Tom (BD110)

P.S. Don't forget your new fishing lisc. and shelter tags!!!

[Dennis Steele]

Hey BD

Lots of baits work for the cats but just a good stand by of a hunk of minnow on a jigging spoon seems to work best for me.

We will be frying up some cats on the ice, and having a pot luck style lunch. Were going to have a good turn out so just bring a little extra something/anything for a picnic style lunch. Just a taste to share. We will have some cats to fry up and I am going to bring a little marinated venison. Bring a small grill if you have stuff to grill.

Jason Boser has donated some of his Fish Fever batter that we will be frying up the cats with. I am looking forward to trying that.

We will have lunch around noon and I have some goodies to give away then also.

This is going to be a fun informal get together. There will be quite a few guys who know catching cats through the ice to share tips and techniques with or just share tall stories!

[Captain B.R.K]

I'll bring my portable propane grill for use. If we use it, great---if not, so be it. I have a huge bag of kitty pieces for us to fry up on Saturday!

Looking forward to a great day next Saturday!

[Matt Johnson]

Dennis,

I'll have some catfish fillets for you I think I have a limit that you can use...

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[Captain B.R.K]

Dennis- That makes another limit you can have for Saturday. I even cut them up into little catfish fingers --just like you like em'!

[hanson]

Catfish fingers... my favorite also!!!

Can't wait for another little gathering.

BRK- Did you get to the spot you were planning on or find an alternate area this weekend??

[Captain B.R.K]

Got to the spot I was planning on getting to!

How do you fry up your catfish fingers??

[Matt Johnson]

Cajun I like to use a cajun breading of some sort and I'll fry it up just like you would walleye or pannies. Shorelunch makes a cajun batter that will work just fine. Jason Boser's batter is phenomenal on catfish! Just cut out the mud vein, soak em in milk, toss em in some cajun batter, then fry them babies up! Dennis makes an awesome batch of catfish. You'll see on Saturday

Good Fishin,

Matt Johnson

[MinnesotaMuskie]

I will be there for sure. I am going to bring a big pot of chili:) Hope that is OK:).