# Anyone here fish for Catfish????



## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

I'm not really interested in bass; don't care for the taste. Crappie are great, but you have to catch a bunch to have any to freeze. Trout are a waste of time in my opinion.

Catfish, on the other hand, are the beef cattle of the waterways. Fished properly you can go after a dozen or so two-pounders or whatever you can catch in hog-sized fish. Fellow told me once that a 40 pound catfish only produced about 20 pounds of meat. That's a lot of fish, but he cleaned his fish the way the fish farmers clean the two-pound channels. He threw away the belly meat, did not clean off the ribs, ignored the cheeks and left three quarters of an inch of meet between the ribs. I get more food off a large fish than he does.

The one thing we do alike; I use a razor sharp knife to cut away the mud strip, that line of sensory meat on both sides of a fish. On a big fish that is a couple of pounds of meat but useless anyway.

Further, I cut the big fish into steaks, cutting strips crosswise through the filet. I do not cut the fish into popcorn balls, and I fry them in cornmeal in peanut oil. 

Sheesh, I'm making myself hungry. 

I've always fished with limb lines and trotlines. Going to be a different kind of fishing here.


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## driftwood (Jun 29, 2013)

my dad and I use to trotline,limbline, when frog season would come in,,between the frogs and catfish we ate high on the hog and got quite a lot of meat in short time.... we used a wood john boat with paddles,are **** lights,,,and live and cut bluegill for bait.....the turtles we gave to an old woman who loved them...


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## arcticow (Oct 8, 2006)

Catfish, any decent size... Carp, same thing... Turtle, too... Cut the mud line out of cats and carp, big carp got lots of decent meat in spite of bones... Pressure cooking makes the bones like the ones in canned salmon...


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Oh I like fishing and really don't matter.









big rockpile


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## michael ark (Dec 11, 2013)

Yes i love to.I use a 888 zebco with 15 lb line on a heavy bass pro pole.I was taught to use chicken lives on trebil hooks wraped in panty hose to keep it on the hook.Have just started using circle hooks.Here is a good guide for you.http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/top-spots-for-100-pound-arkansas-catfish/


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Lordy, Lordy, I'm in good company. 

Rock: What bait did you use to catch the carp? I once found those things coming around a rock point, going up into a little creek where I could watch as dozens of them swam by. Caught some of them on perch hooks and corn. Mostly we netted buffalo and common carp. 

Bait: I have used chicken liver; rabbit livers stay on better, pork liver works about as well I think. Now I'm going to try what they call "punch bait" where you stick the hook in the bait with a stick and pull it out without touching it. Stink bait. For limb lines and trot lines I'm sticking with green sunfish if I can catch them. 

Turtles: I no longer bother with snappers unless they are the big, round kind that look like helmets. Softshell we ate when I was a kid. Uncle caught many; he'd punch a hole in the shell over the tail, tie the turtle to the windmill post with a heavy trot line string and leave him there where he'd be damp for a week. My aunt Mary could make those things into a feast. 

I kill them and dip them into hot water as you would a hog before I butcher. Much easier, in my opinion, to clean a turtle that way.


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## MoTightwad (Sep 6, 2011)

Cat fish are definitely my favorite. DH loves crappie but I always get a piece with a dang bone and then I am done eating fish. We used to cat h them on trotlines, but now where we used to fish in, if we put out a line we have to watch it as others come and run your line for you, take the fish and all you have is the empty line. We have stopped fishing. Good luck with you all's fishing. I envy the good eating you will do.,


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## hoddedloki (Nov 14, 2014)

I usually use other fish as bait for catfish. Specifically, a small wounded sunfish seems to work wonders for me. However, I would caution you about the big cats, as they have a few problems; since they are bottom feeders, they tend to accumulate al sorts of nasty chemicals. Check with your local Fish and game for consumption advisories for the big ones. I just throw any over 4-5 pounds back.

Loki


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## michael ark (Dec 11, 2013)

I heard on the radio a guy in west memphis caught a 125 lb cat on a can or spam.:shrug:I had a broom of a pole snap on me and now i'm hooked.Has anyone fished Saugeye the state record was caught 8 minutes from my place.http://www.agfc.com/Record%20Fish%20Photos/Saugeye%20State%20Record.jpg


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## Snowfan (Nov 6, 2011)

I've done a little fishing for cats up here in Minnesota. I'd like to do more. I've tried making my own bait a few times with mixed results. Do you folks do most of your fishing from shore or in boats? Day or night? Sorry. Not trying to hi-jack your thread. Just curious.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Oxankle said:


> Lordy, Lordy, I'm in good company.
> 
> Rock: What bait did you use to catch the carp? I once found those things coming around a rock point, going up into a little creek where I could watch as dozens of them swam by. Caught some of them on perch hooks and corn. Mostly we netted buffalo and common carp.
> 
> ...


 I use a stiff Mush made with Cornmeal and Molasses for Carp.

Use Medium Heavy Rods with 30# Test Line for Catfish.

Fishing from bank. This what I like.





Or from the Dock, not so much but can be fun.



big rockpile


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Snowfan said:


> I've done a little fishing for cats up here in Minnesota. I'd like to do more. I've tried making my own bait a few times with mixed results. Do you folks do most of your fishing from shore or in boats? Day or night? Sorry. Not trying to hi-jack your thread. Just curious.


 Do most from bank but some from Boat.




big rockpile


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## michael ark (Dec 11, 2013)

They like deepholes and will wait for something to come by and snatch it up .Here they like the deeper waters during the summer and come out at night when it cools down.Here is the easest way to get started.
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9pVN_PPpQg"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9pVN_PPpQg[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVy6Bz2GhnM"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVy6Bz2GhnM[/ame]
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l62TXwCdg-8"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l62TXwCdg-8[/ame]


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

I call them River Chicken, I only go for the smaller ones.
Leave the Breeders.
Its mostly channel cats here,Flat heads are a rarity,no blues as far as I know.

My preferred set up is a Slip rig, egg sinker, snap swivel, then 1' leader. 
I make my own leaders far cheaper then buying ready made.
Hook depends on the bait my preference is a #6 though.

I only fish live bait (minnow do die though) Hook them by the Jaw. 
Crawlers work but you can catch anything then.
With a minnow I'm either gonna catch a Cat or a Walleye.

We also have Invasive gobies here and they are not active at night but during the day you wont keep a worm on your hook.

http://cdn.catfishedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Slip-Sinker-Catfish-Rig.jpg


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

Here we have all. They just put Slot Limit on Blues.Cut Shad here works.I also like Dip Bait for Channels. Flatheads a live Greeny works.

I've used Noodles and Limb Lines but like Rod and Reel best.

big rockpile


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## arcticow (Oct 8, 2006)

I only lip hook sunfish if I am after bass... Just under the dorsal fin but not in the backbone for anything else... As far as stink bait, any road kill can be used, and chicken gizzards stay on better'n anything...


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

arcticow said:


> I only lip hook sunfish if I am after bass... Just under the dorsal fin but not in the backbone for anything else... As far as stink bait, any road kill can be used, and chicken gizzards stay on better'n anything...


I always liked Sonny's Blood Dip Bait.

big rockpile


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

Many people make one big mistake when fishing for catfish in high or rising water. They like to sling that bait out in the middle of the creek/river when the fish are right at the bank feeding on what washes into the water from the storms.

Wade


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Downhome: Where I come from we call that slip-sinker rig a "Carolina Rig". I have poles set up for that, for the Santee-cooper rig and for float fishing set up as Charles Jones (CJ's Bait) uses, a slip float rig. 

I agree with Rock on the flatheads; green perch are the best, but I used them exclusively if I can trap them and they'll catch blues and channels too.


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## buslady (Feb 14, 2008)

John & I used shad for cat. We used to catch a lot on a lazy weekend, on our pontoon. Got to be too much for John with his health, so sold the pontoon. He then went to the lake with me, and I would bank fish. 
The best part was the company. 
John has now been gone 11 months. Seems an eternity.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

I did forget to mention the bead keeps the sinker from getting caught on the swivel.

The name you use is what many here would call a crappie rig, two arms separated by a coil, each with a hook but rigged on line with a drop sinker.

Seen a few different builds, some arms independent and others one piece. 

Only good for drop fishing, IMO, Deep hole and low current or Lake.

I prefer fishing a river. 

I can be fishing with 20 others and I'm catching fish... lol

gonna hit it hard pretty soon. 

Gave them last year off!


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Ever use a stinger hook?


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## indianjoe (Jan 12, 2011)

We have a basket and fish with stinky cheese which gets us quite a few fish during the winter months without too many turtles. So far we are up to about 600.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Buslady; Condolences; been there, done that. Time helps.

Downhome; I think the Carolina rig is the slipsinker rig you speak of. The crappie rig you describe is used here, but not for catfish. Some people used the bead, some do not.

Santee Cooper rig has a float ahead of the sinker, close to the bait. Sinker hold the line on the bottom, the float raises the bait just off the bottom.

CJ's rig has a slip float with a bobber stop, and only a tiny weight to sink the bait. He uses a long, slim float with a bead between the float and the bobber stop. The float has big eyes and slips easily. The bead is what acts on the bobber stop. There is a video of CJ's fishing, and I think it may be on Catfish Edge too.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Been looking for places to fish off the bank. Fellow told me about a place on Table Rock lake, a spot where people can pull right off the highway onto a patch of beach that provides camping spots, places for fires and a boat launch. About ten miles SW of Blue Eye Mo. on the Arkansas side. Pretty place, some shade trees, gentle slopes and apparently heavily used. Drove up there today; that makes four such spots that offer some hope of success. I gotta go catfishing SOON.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Had some good times fishing channel cats after dark. Got a near-20 pounder once, which is huge up here. Have to travel 1+ hours to get to some catfish rivers.

I would rig up a glowing red diode on the rod tip - often I would cut off the end of a night bobber and tape to my rod tip. Mostly used nightcrawlers or worms, but stink bait worked too.

Nothing, pound per pound, fights like a channel cat!


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Michael, What is the big fish? Your fishing in Wisconsin would be completely different from that I've seen. Even here in Arkansas the fishing is unlike anything I'm used to. 
We did not pole fish at night; night fishing was trotlining or set lines; check 'em in the morning. If we camped out we might run them a couple of times during the night to take off any catch and re-bait the lines.

Weather is supposed to be decent Monday and Tuesday; I plan to give it a whirl. 
Ox


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Looks like a channel cat and a small mouth bass.

Smallies put up a decent fight.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Oxankle said:


> Michael, What is the big fish? Your fishing in Wisconsin would be completely different from that I've seen. Even here in Arkansas the fishing is unlike anything I'm used to.
> We did not pole fish at night; night fishing was trotlining or set lines; check 'em in the morning. If we camped out we might run them a couple of times during the night to take off any catch and re-bait the lines.
> 
> Weather is supposed to be decent Monday and Tuesday; I plan to give it a whirl.
> Ox


The big fish is a channel cat. The smaller is smallmouth bass. Up by us, you do not catch too many channel cats during the day. Trot lines and set lines are not legal. Have to get into the Mississippi River watershed to find catfish but also the St. Louis watershed in MN has them. I don't think we have near the numbers of Arkansas or other southern states - if you can catch 3 or 4 in a night you are doing very well.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Strange looking catfish, with red-eye too. For a channel cat that's a pretty big fish.

I'm proposing to set out a dozen yo-yo's, three cat poles and a sunfish rig. If I can catch any bluegills or other sunfish I'll replace the chicken livers on my yo-yo's with the sunfish. I'll use punch bait on the poles. Strange fishing to me, but I'll adapt.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

I've seen bigger channels then that... Never caught them but I was their when reeled in.

The red eyes from the camera I'm pretty sure.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Downhome; I think you'll agree that for a channel that's a pretty good fish. Not too many channels that large are caught. If I caught one of those on a pole I'd be pretty excited---five pounds are so has been my record, though I've bought hatchery sows that were ten or twelve pounds for our gun club breeding ponds.

Yeah, the redeye was camera--never saw a red-eyed fish.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

Well, I also used some "fisherman's photo" technique too. Note the arm straight out extending the fish out in front of my son. Still, it was pushing 20 pounds as I remember.


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## big rockpile (Feb 24, 2003)

MichaelZ said:


> Had some good times fishing channel cats after dark. Got a near-20 pounder once, which is huge up here. Have to travel 1+ hours to get to some catfish rivers.
> 
> I would rig up a glowing red diode on the rod tip - often I would cut off the end of a night bobber and tape to my rod tip. Mostly used nightcrawlers or worms, but stink bait worked too.
> 
> Nothing, pound per pound, fights like a channel cat!


 I buy bulk 3 inch Glow Sticks use Small Zip Ties to fasten them on the end of my Rods. Work great and Bugs won't bother you because of Lights.

big rockpile


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Man I wish that was the case here, light or not the skeeters will carry you off.

I think we have a better time of it with the lanterns and cooler temps of night.

They draw a lot of skeeters to them rather then myself.

Normally have two double mantle pressurized burning gas, hung high.

I found just painting you tip white, low light is not a issue.

Bells are also option.


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

Oxankle said:


> Downhome; I think you'll agree that for a channel that's a pretty good fish. Not too many channels that large are caught. If I caught one of those on a pole I'd be pretty excited---five pounds are so has been my record, though I've bought hatchery sows that were ten or twelve pounds for our gun club breeding ponds.
> 
> Yeah, the redeye was camera--never saw a red-eyed fish.


no argument, but I have seen bigger.

One trip to the saint Joe here, with dad brothers and Uncle and cousins, us kids fished bait most of the day, had a five gallon bucket of bluegill,Sunfish. Toward evening we moved to a private spot, we cleaned a few for us and dad and uncle chopped about half the bucket for chum, which is not legal... but thats what they did, tossing a bit out, little at a time,
little after dark the action started, I think they had us kids unbaited, Worried we get dragged in! My Uncle pulled out three that dwarfed me at the time. We where in a K car at the time, those three fish had that thing dragging before us four kids where in the back seat... I had to be at least 3' if not 3 1/2, those cats where at least 4' if not a bit bigger...

Really depends on the water body, fish grow to their environment.

The St Joes pretty good sized river.

Bigger the water Bigger the Fish.


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## Riverdale (Jan 20, 2008)

||Downhome|| said:


> Man I wish that was the case here, light or not the skeeters will carry you off.
> 
> I think we have a better time of it with the lanterns and cooler temps of night.
> 
> ...


Skeeters, you mean the state bird? :happy2:

Never fished for cats,, but fish the heck out of salmon and lake trout.


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## michael ark (Dec 11, 2013)

Around here people will let a bucket of soybeans ferment and chum with that or when you slaughter something add gelatin powder to the blood let it ferment and you have chum.


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## Oxankle (Jun 20, 2003)

Downhome: I agree, big water, big fish, though there have been some monster bass caught in farm ponds. Friend had a mile of river in OK, pretty often caught cats in the 40-50 pound range, blues and flatheads. 

A gunny sack of range cubes will also draw fish, and a friend who had a boat docked at a lake in Texas told me that he had a deer feeder set to throw dog food off the back of his dock. That kept him in the catfish pool.


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