68 replies to this topic

[dusty122]

hi, 

i catfish and i cant catch anything.

 

i have the same set up and everyone else i fish with. 

 

i use shrimp. and fish off the bottom. 

i fish with a guy thats been fishing for the past 15 years in that spot and hes been pulling out 7-15 pounders all most everytime we go out of that area. 

 

like i said i fish with the same set up. 

i fish near snags deep spots in strong current, no current at all. 

 

its been since the beginning of april and i caught 3 channels and thats it.....hes caught about 10 so far. (like i said i have same set up)

sometimes i fish literaly in the same spot like 3 feet away.........

 

let alone its a river and full of snags....i lost about 10 sinkers, 6 leader,7 hooks....or maybe even more..........      

 

the only thing i can thin of is that i fish durring the day, i need to go at night......but like i said hes been fishing for about 15 years that and mostly in the day....and he said hes never seen it this dead.......could the winter we had push the season like 3months ahead of what is normal for the cats?

 

any one can think of anything.......

 

[cptpronin]

No worries Dusty, we all have that aweful dry spell.  Don't let it get to your head and second guesse yourself.  You got to keep your confidence up for when the bite starts to pick up.

 

That's why they call it fishing, not catching.

[buckhorn-bassin]

Start smoking.. Kills the time when not catching anything

[Aqua]

Try golf.

[xxxSIBxxx]

^^ that's what I was gonna say lol

[dusty122]

Start smoking.. Kills the time when not catching anything

lol it wont kill just time 

 

 another thing i can think of is the water is 66*F so im gonna continue for a while there and when it hits 70+ ill go again. i heard that the higher the temp the more the cats body demands more food perday. so ill need to keep it up. 

 

i hate to just drop it cause those cats are one hell of a fight and tasty too

[cptpronin]

lol

[staffman]

Try chicken livers fished on bottom.

[dusty122]

yea i heard about that. and i fish off the bottom with shrimps.

[staffman]

Catfish are bottom feeders so you are really limiting your chances if your bait is not sitting on the bottom.

[thebigchombowombocombo]

I think it just depends on the locations. Catfish aren't very picky and I've caught them on everything from shrimp, minnows, hotdogs, worms and even gulp plastics. It depends on the time of the day and location.

 

For example, there's this spot i fish (pretty busy) and its somewhat shallow. It's a flat bottom but theres a groove that probably goes 3 ft deep. During hot sunny days, cast anywhere except that spot and you get skunked.

 

But then again I think the long winter has effected the fishing =D

[DILLIGAF?!]

My setup for Catfish. Bleeding crawler on 2 feet leader. swivel.  slip sinker. patience. Once you dialed one catfish the rest will be there.

[azp]

DON"T keep doing what you're doing..fishing is all about subtleties and adjustments...the rewards of finding out the "X" factor is what makes fishing such a challenge and addiction at the same time

 

keep at er....the other guy has 14 years ahead of you haha hope it doesn't take u that long to find out

[dusty122]

yea iv read and studied catfish as much as i can. i fish were i would be able to find them. upriver ripples, near snags ect.......

my set up is usually 2 egg sinkers from canadian tire on my main line to a 6 inch leader and a big hook, with a shrimp and thats what my friend and i have been using. 

 

i think the long winter did affect the cats. we have been having long hot days over here and its getting warmer. the water is between 62-66*F im gonna wait for 70+ and hopfully they will bite. 

 

BTW anyone know were to by cheap leaders online? iv seen some on amazon for cheap cheap but at the rate i loose them in the river on snags i dont feeel like paying 5$ for just a few of them. i want them in bulk. anyone know any good places?

[staffman]

I would recommend tying your own. Buy some long shank hooks from a tackle store some 12-15 lb. line and you can tie as many as you need.

[dusty122]

i use 50lb braid lol i dont think the cats can break that but id rather be safe than sorry ;P 

[DILLIGAF?!]

i use 50lb braid lol i dont think the cats can break that but id rather be safe than sorry ;P

 

50Lb braid?! dude...I only use 6lb.  mono

[DitchWizard]

50lb braid to what leader? Try a 10-15lb main line to a 6-10lb floro leader. Also try leaders longer than 6in, try a foot and a half. Don't worry about losing leaders and hooks. I use hundreds of dollars worth of high end leader material alone a year.

[dusty122]

i know lol yea 50lb is my main line. i use it for mudcats perch, pike, bass, pickerel, channels, sheephead,trout ect.......it dont matter, i have the sensitivity  of braid and i can pull anyhting in. 

 

why put line that will break on you if by accident get a big fish u cant handle.......to me its pointless ill use 65lb if i can find some. but hey thats just me. 

 

i want to bring in what i catch. sometimes i clear the river i fish in. ill bring in stick and log fish       

 

im not work as a few of you know  i dont have the money for a jig rod,a musky rod, a bass rod, a cat rod, aaa ect..... so i have 1 rod that will bring in a 15lb cat to a 1lb perch. and it works just fine....sooo yeaaaa

 

 

50lb braid to what leader? Try a 10-15lb main line to a 6-10lb floro leader. Also try leaders longer than 6in, try a foot and a half. Don't worry about losing leaders and hooks. I use hundreds of dollars worth of high end leader material alone a year.

i was using 6-12inch leaders, around 20-35lb each. and so that would break before my line would. save my line that way. lol. on amazon theres a person selling like 75leaders from 3inch to 12 inch for like 5$ i might just get it. otherwise its like 6$ for 5 leaders. but with the cats now im just going with my main line no leaders. i need to savve them......

[cptpronin]

^^^

 

Ok, you know what, maybe I gave you too much credit.

 

Fish see line.  When fish sees line.  Fish no bite.  Fishing 101.

 

Do yourself a favour, buy some light mono, some assorted hooks and a box of worms like every other person who woke up one Saturday and decided to try fishing.