Proper way to handle Channel Cats?

[stendec]

Hello,
New to this site, and still a rookie fisherman, although I am getting more serious about it now a days.

I was bass fishing yesterday in my "Bass Hole" (with a lot of success I may say, 10 nice healthy bass, all released!) like I have for years before, and I always seem to catch 1 or 2 Channel Cats when I am there.
Yesterday I somehow managed to snag a cat while trying to get a snag out of the rocks, got the poor guy by the stomach on both treble hooks. Since I pinch all my barbs on all my lures, it was relatively easy to get them out, and minimal damage to the fish, he/she swam away just fine.

My question is: what is the proper way to handle a cat? I know they have a spiky spine, so can you "lip" them same as bass? or hold them by the belly?

I've only ever gone for bass or perch while fishing, and I am just worrisome when catching other fish that I will harm them or myself! (Pike!!)

Any help on handling other fish would be appreciated!

Thanks, Greg

 

[AaronKrick]

I would just put one hand around the small part of the tail and the other hand under the head.

Cat

 

[rusty420]

I lip them. But make sure if its a good size you might want to wear gloves.

 

[CanadianAngler87]

Aawell small cats have protective barbs on their pectoral fins. These can cauae alot of pain if handled the wrong way.

 

[Alfiegee]

I lip them. But make sure if its a good size you might want to wear gloves.

Agreed. They can do some damage to your thumb without gloves. Lipping them keeps you away from the spikes on their fins which can be more painful. A friend developed a bad infection a few years ago after being spiked by a tiny Channel Cat.

Alfie.

 

[Dugger]

I catch Channel Cats regularly here that go from, say, 1 lb to 6 lbs. These guys are very easy to handle.

I simply hold them with one hand so there their belly is in the palm of my hand, my thumb goes against and behind one pectoral fin where it joins at the body and my remaining four fingers go against and behind the other pectoral fin.

Like I am raising a mug of beer without a handle.

By pressing my thumb/fingers against the back of the pectoral fins it forces the fin to be erect and extend 90 degrees out from the Cat's body. They rarely "flop" about when held like this, for me anyways.

But yes, I have had half pounders get me with the spike on the pectoral, just a tiny prick, but boy, that little bugger will itch for hours

A fish glove employed with this move would be awesome I am sure, I do however go barbless as well and most of my Cats are netted and released without ever leaving the net.

cheers!

 

[chris f]

i got nailed by one when i was younger right in the palm of my hand,those barbs hurt.felt the pain for a good day or say!whatever you do be careful :neutral:

 

[Dozer]

Channel cats are awesome. I remember my first, I was targeting walleye with a spinner and a 10 + lb cat got to it. I was afraid of touching the ugly beast. But after getting to know the fish well, it wasn't long after that I would be landing them with my hand gripping their lower lip, be careful though, the big ones can clamp down pretty hard and cause a bit of damage.

Dugger has the right idea, this is exactly how I handle cats, the spine in the pectoral fins makes for easier control in my opinion.