My biggest channel catfish from the spring

[AaronKrick]

Well the fishing for the big lake run cats has ended, at least for erie, so I thought I'd share my best fish from the spring.



This fish was so muscular and fresh, I had to pick it as the #1 fish. It gave a great fight and it also has a cool story behind it.

So I woke up early one sunday morning and went to my favourite spot on the grand. I put a big hunk of sucker filet on, and launched it out. I already had the rod set down into the rod holder by the time the bait hit the water. I quickly reeled in the slack, and the rod was practically pulled out of my hands! The funny thing here is that a typical bottom feeding fish took my bait instantly as it hit the water on my first cast of the day. The bait certainly was no deeper than 1 ft and the water is around 8 ft deep. Plus, you'd think that a 1.5 oz sinker would send the fish scattering-well I guess not that guy. Turned out a coldfront was going through and didn't land a single other fish that day (except for a 3" channel cat, if that counts ).

Well I hope this gets everyone into channel cat fishing!

 

[staffman]

That is a great looking fish !

 

[bambam]

Very nice cat. I tend to fish for pike/bass/walleye/perch mostly but I do love catching catfish once in awhile, great fighters.

 

[Alfiegee]

Well the fishing for the big lake run cats has ended, at least for erie, so I thought I'd share my best fish from the spring.

image.jpg

This fish was so muscular and fresh, I had to pick it as the #1 fish. It gave a great fight and it also has a cool story behind it.

So I woke up early one sunday morning and went to my favourite spot on the grand. I put a big hunk of sucker filet on, and launched it out. I already had the rod set down into the rod holder by the time the bait hit the water. I quickly reeled in the slack, and the rod was practically pulled out of my hands! The funny thing here is that a typical bottom feeding fish took my bait instantly as it hit the water on my first cast of the day. The bait certainly was no deeper than 1 ft and the water is around 8 ft deep. Plus, you'd think that a 1.5 oz sinker would send the fish scattering-well I guess not that guy. Turned out a coldfront was going through and didn't land a single other fish that day (except for a 3" channel cat, if that counts ).

Well I hope this gets everyone into channel cat fishing!

Nice Kitten, Whisperer.
Have been into Channels for a long time. I love to catch any fish, and all for different reasons, but Channel Kitties are great fun for the fight they put up and sometimes they like to toy with you by swimming around with your bait for 10 minutes before they actually take it.
I'm not sure what leads to the to the popular misconception that Channels are bottom feeders other than the fact they are not a Trout, Bass, Pike or Walleye. They are a top predator, their mouths don't point down like a Sucker or Carp. I hardly ever catch them on the bottom, most of my Kitties are caught float fishing a few feet off the bottom on live minnows or worms in the Grand and 5 ft off the bottom on Sardine chunks in Cootes Paradise.

Alfie.

 

[AaronKrick]

Nice Kitten, Whisperer.
Have been into Channels for a long time. I love to catch any fish, and all for different reasons, but Channel Kitties are great fun for the fight they put up and sometimes they like to toy with you by swimming around with your bait for 10 minutes before they actually take it.
I'm not sure what leads to the to the popular misconception that Channels are bottom feeders other than the fact they are not a Trout, Bass, Pike or Walleye. They are a top predator, their mouths don't point down like a Sucker or Carp. I hardly ever catch them on the bottom, most of my Kitties are caught float fishing a few feet off the bottom on live minnows or worms in the Grand and 5 ft off the bottom on Sardine chunks in Cootes Paradise.

Alfie.

Thanks alfie! How big is the typical cat in coots?

 

[classic drifter]

hooooooly smoookkes!! thats aint a cat its a panther!

 

[Alfiegee]

Thanks alfie! How big is the typical cat in coots?

No problem FW.
Typically when I fish Sardine chunks and target Cats in Cootes I get a lot of Bullhead up to 2 lbs or so ( the bigger ones give a good account of themselves. ) As for Channels, I would say the average is 1.5 - 3 lbs, with 5 lbs not being uncommon, my biggest to date was around the 12 lb mark, I got that bad-boy 4 or 5 years ago. I have a spot I found about 7 years ago and have yet to see anyone else fishing there unless they came with me . As with anyplace, some days it is a drizzle and I only get 5 or 6 Cats, but some days it pours and 25 can come to shore. That is a combination of Channels and Bullhead, not just Channel Kitties.
I'll send you a PM.

Alfie.

 

[usernamehere]

daaaaang nice cat.

 

[OCDComputing]

Beauty fish!

 

[cptpronin]

Holy catfish!

 

[Dozer]

Fat cat!

 

[Cyphus]

Holy fack, nice fish buddy.