|
|
Post by tblspoon on Sept 10, 2016 16:37:44 GMT -5
Set out to catch some catfish, at Hardy Bridge and BayRock, like I did last year.
Arrived at 5:30ish am and set out to catch bait. Bait is thick at the bridge and surrounding areas. Caught, in two throws, a variety of gizzards. Set out three down lines. As I was setting up the float, the second down line doubled over like a snag. Started pulling it up as I was pulling the telescopic net into the extended position. Pulled the fish up towards the surface and then the hook came out. Slime all over the leader.
Fished till 12ish. Had two more hits on the float. The catfish are crushing the gizzards and not getting hooked. I am using cicle hooks. Should I let the fish run with it, or, use a different hook style? Same thing happened last year with a HUGE flathead. The hook pulled free after a 5 minute game of tug-a-war.
Peace out.....
|
|
|
|
Post by bigd7400 on Sept 10, 2016 22:27:48 GMT -5
Nice report, glad you got to go out. Don't get to chase cats much though I wish I did. I've heard good and bad things about circle hooks when it comes to cat fishing, especially using live bait. Worth a shot to try j hooks since you've had some bad luck with circles. Good luck hope you haul ion se monsters
|
|
|
|
Post by Cool hand Fluke on Sept 11, 2016 14:42:20 GMT -5
I ran circle hooks up until this year, and switched to Octopus hooks much better hookup rate!
|
|
KB
New Member
Posts: 533 
|
Post by KB on Sept 11, 2016 15:44:15 GMT -5
I use circle hooks on small bait and cut bait but j hook on larger gizzards for cat fish
|
|
|
|
Post by tblspoon on Sept 11, 2016 18:04:22 GMT -5
Thank you for the information. I'm going to try again this coming weekend.
On another note, do you hook your bait through the nose or tail? The big shad showed signs of crushing halfway up from the tail.
|
|
KB
New Member
Posts: 533
|
Post by KB on Sept 11, 2016 21:03:25 GMT -5
I hook through roof of mouth to out one nostril. Keep in mind that most time a flat head hits he will run stop the run stop and on that third run or a good second run is when u jerk his lips off haha. Give him that first run to get bait in mouth. Channel cat and stripers take off like a bat out of hell most time.
|
|
|
|
Post by tblspoon on Sept 12, 2016 6:00:24 GMT -5
That's what I wanted to know. When the float was hit, it would bend the pole and release, bend it again long enough for me to get the pole out of holder, then nothing.
The striper and channels would take off. No problem with hooking them.
All that I'm doing is floating around the bait balls, not necessarily trolling, just dragging.
Thank you again.
Nice fish, by the way. Shows that you know what you're doing.
|
|
|
|
Post by Cool hand Fluke on Sept 12, 2016 7:16:35 GMT -5
I'd stick with what KB said especially if your drift fishing, but if you anchor up and bottom fish another method you could try that I started using this year, is to hook them underneath, about the same area you'd put a stinger hook, in between their tail and stomach! That way when the weight is on the bottom and they swim up with the leader they'll be in their natural position.
|
|
|
|
Post by stripercrazy on Sept 12, 2016 7:37:18 GMT -5
I like setting my bait clicker when fishing for flats , and i will let them make a couple runs. It lets them get tha bait good. When i get fish to boat its always got tha circle hook n corner of mouth .
|
|
|
|
Post by Red Bear on Sept 12, 2016 8:46:33 GMT -5
ive read on a prominent catfish forum that circle hooks dont work as well for flats as they do for channels or blues...i prefer gamakatsu octopus hooks or eagle claw baitholders...
|
|
KB
New Member
Posts: 533
|
Post by KB on Sept 12, 2016 9:55:09 GMT -5
That's what I wanted to know. When the float was hit, it would bend the pole and release, bend it again long enough for me to get the pole out of holder, then nothing. The striper and channels would take off. No problem with hooking them. All that I'm doing is floating around the bait balls, not necessarily trolling, just dragging. Thank you again. Nice fish, by the way. Shows that you know what you're doing. Another thing is if your drifting for them it is hard to run bait clicker on but i would try for simple reason that a flat head will release alot of times if they feel tension. It dosnt give them enough time to get bait in mouth all the way. |
|
|
|
Post by Pete D. on Sept 13, 2016 9:16:27 GMT -5
Yea sounds like KB got it down.
Its funny, when people tell me they are catfishing, I ask them what type of cats? If they say "I dont know, big ones." then I just laugh.
Flatties are some finnicky fish. I like to set clickers on my Abu Garcia 7000's, and let em run the clickers out 2-3 runs before I lock the bail and flip off the clicker. I use circle hooks and am happy with them. I love flatheads because they fight pound for pound the hardest out of any freshwater fish that I have ever caught.
Channels will run hard off the bat usually. Set clickers, then after they scream, lock the bail and spool em up.
The blues will finnick with the bait usually. I lock the bail and put on cut bait when fishing for blue cats. The thing that I love about blues, is they get HUGE!!!
When I catfish I usually have an assortment of cut and live baits out. And in the summer, I have a much better catch rate once the sun goes down............
|
|
