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I am getting so schooled this morning, I dont know what to do. I am getting bites like crazy but I can't hardly hook a fish. They have got me down to my last minnow head. They hit hard but they are never there when I try to set a hook. I did catch one 12" and a 21" cat and had another heavy one on for a few cranks before it let go. I am using a carp minnows on a short drop shot rig, I have tried hooking while they are nibbling, let them take line and go and then try setting the hook. None of my old methods are working what should I do???
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What size hook? I use 5/0...
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Go to a sliding weight rig and a circle hook. Let them pick it up and move off with no tension from you, then simply lift the rod to put on tension. Do NOT jerk to "set" the hook, as the circle hook sets itself with a steady pull.
You will almost always get a good hook set right in the corner of the mouth. No swallowed hooks, and few missed sets.
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I had a 3/0 and 5/0 on. Ended up catching several more 12" cats on crawlers. I think they were too small mouthed to get the hook in their mouths. So 4 bass, 1 crappie and 4 cats on the morning. Fun but a little slow. J
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[#0000ff]Your last post answers your own question. This is the time of year that the yearling cats go on the prowl. And, as my wife puts it, "They hit bigger than they are."
Forget the big hooks and circle hooks. Those small cats have small mouths...smaller than their hunger and their attitude. They strike to disable or to tear the bait off the hook. They learn. Hard to catch those hit and run criminals.
As you should know from past experience, the bigger cats don't peck and nibble. They GULP AND GO. They have mouths large enough to slurp in even a large bait so that when you tighten up and bury the hook there is a place for the hook to penetrate. Smaller cats often have only a small piece of the bait inside their mouths so your chances of getting a hook set are reduced.
I got my tutorial on bitty kitties many years ago on a canal coming off the Colorado River along the southern California border. Same thing you had. The little cats hit like 10 pounders and just about took the rods out of the holders. But no hookups. That is until I started using a small piece of bait on a small size 4 J hook. Once the bait was small enough for them to chomp whole, I started hooking a high percentage of the hits.
On numerous occasions since then I have caught lots of small cats on small jigs tipped with worm. I have had late summer days on Willard when I caught little on the minnows I was dragging but caught 15 to 20 "underfooters" on the small jigs I always fish on the second rod.
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Thanks Rocky, I'll have to try that next time. One problem I have with that is I'm fishing in current and so the sliding doesn't work real well for me there. See the picture for other problem. Thanks for the tip. J
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Ahhh...sandwich cats. That explains it, as did the Dude.
I use a #2 octopus hook (a kind of semi-circle hook, if you will) all year long. I think they're big enough yet small enough, and you can still do a snap set if you feel you need to - or just let them hook themselves if they run with it until the rod bends.
I don't have nearly the experience that TD has, so bear that in mind.
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Yeah smaller hooks. Will do for them bait snatchers. I just picked up some more 5/0 hooks, getting low after my last round of catching snags.
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Pat you were right on... I thought they were bigger where I had caught the one 21" and had another chunker on, but I should remember that I hooked them and missed all the other hits. So are the cats still in shallow water or have they went deep? I'm finding little ones in the deep like I do in the summer when I'm finding the big boys shallow. I think I'll try shallow tomorrow and see if there is anything there now. At least if I get to go try. Bass have really shutdown so I think I'll go back after cats. Well thanks again. J
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I agree with TubeDude on down sizing hooks and bait if you want to catch these little baitrobbers. But my method is to go just the opposite. Go with larger bait and hooks. I only fish with 4/0 circle hooks and bait pieces about the size miniture candy bar.. I never try to set the hook myself. I use rods with fast action tips so the rods load up faster putting pressure on the hook. Sometimes I will go with a second or stinger type setup catching the short strikers. It is so hard to not try to set the hook because that is is what you have always been taught to do! Also what comes with downsizing is more hookups with mudcats and I hate mudders.
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[#0000FF]This time of year is a "transition" time...going from summer to fall. It can be different every year, depending on water levels, weather, actual water temps at different times of day, etc. The fish don't look at the calendar or check their watches. They act and react based upon where their food is and where the water is most comfortable to them. That can change daily...or even during the same day.
One of the other influences on bait and predator movements is the hours of daylight. Their inner computers tell them when they should be chowing down for darker, colder and leaner times ahead. So that is motivating the fish to do SOMETHING. But they also make quick changes and adaptations if a warm trend brings the water back up a couple of degrees for a day or so.
The best we can do is to TRY to figure out the pattern dujour and to rig and fish accordingly. But be prepared to alter plan A if the fish don't seem to be following your computer printout.
Always a good idea to go prepared with a range of tackle and bait options. Some days you hit it right on Plan A. Other days you can go all the way to Plan Z and still smell skunkish. That's fishing.
On a personal note...This is the time of year I start scaling down on everything...to reflect the fact that the fish are slowing down and moving deeper. So I keep repeating "lower and slower". I fish deeper than I did in warmer water and I fish smaller baits and lures...more slowly.
One good example of this is fishing for walleyes on Willard. During the warmer months after post spawn the 'eyes are movin' and groovin' on larger lures...hitting the same large cranks being dragged at mach 3 for wipers. But once the water temps drop below about 55 degrees you will catch a lot more of them on the traditional crawler rigs...at paint-drying speed right on the bottom.
I fish a lot of small plastics in late fall. I tell myself I am fishing for crappies...and/or some of the big perch that wander closer to shore in the fall. But many such trips are absolutely "ruined" when a stray walleye or two intercepts those small jigs. In years past, I usually started my day by wading in out off the points of the north marina entrance and fishing a single small jig along the channel breakline. That was usually good for one or two walleye before the sun came over the mountain or a couple of boats went out of the channel.
Then I would get in my tube to chase the "usual suspects". I continue to fish small jigs and often catch multiple species...crappies, perch, cats, walleyes and even wipers...on the small stuff.
Here's a pic of a nice walleye I picked up on a little chartreuse ice fishing jig I was using to catch perch two Novembers ago. Just ruined my whole day.
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Thanks Pat for the great insight, I tried shallow today and bank tangling and it's been pretty slow, one missed hit and then this 21" disturbed me while I was writing this post. Rocky the 2/0 circle hook did the trick. Just missed another good hit, had to jerk so I probably pulled it out of its mouth. Anyway Pat I think I'm seeing the cats move in as the temps warm like you mentioned. I hope the big fellows follow in here today. Thanks again. J
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Hey Icesled, I have done just what you recommended, but I've found the little buggers don't leave it alone they keep pecking at it and drive me nuts. So my solution has been to move to a different area and get away from them. Seems like those little guys love the deeper channels so I'm trying the shallow flats today and it's slow but the fish are better quality. The mudcats don't seem to like carp very much so I switch bait to take care of that problem. Thanks for the tips and help. J
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Kevin I went to heavy braid line and changed locations to fix my snag problem, but I still lose lots of hooks to cats that swallow them and I cut them off and let the fish go. I found some cheap circle hooks out of China on Amazon that I had to order twice to get but they seem okay especially for the price. But order now for next summer they are slooooow. Well good luck on that next trip. J
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Thanks. These have become my catfish hook of choice. Caught lots on them this year.
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I'm with you, Rocky.. that's what I'd do.
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They look like good ones. I usually use the Gamagatsu, but they get too expensive if you have many fish swallow them. Later J
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Nice Crappie. Love it when I catch those.
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Wish I could catch more than one at a time... Don't know why I can't ever figure out how to catch a couple, there must be a school there when I catch the one, but I hardly ever get more than one per outing... but I do like catching 12" crappie, been looking for a 13"er this year, but 12.5" is my best so far... Guess I should have joined the Willard spring fling when they were catching the big ones... But I think the day I fished during that run, I chased wiper and walleye instead of joining the crowd after the crappie... Don't like crowd fishing much, sort of a stick to myself sort of guy...
Hey did those carp work for you last week? I've been catching a few on them, but they sure aren't hot like they were a month ago... I ended up with two 21"ers Saturday and had some fun wrestling them in but it was really slow fishen in the shallows... I'm starting to get nervous on this contest, I don't know how I'm going to catch up now.... Still dumb enough to think I have a chance but I think it's the slowest month of the contest left and the hunts are starting so I'll be hoping for a strike of luck... You chasing ducks this weekend? Later J
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I only had a couple of nibbles on them, didn't hook any. I probably need more practice fishing with them. We are heading up to the sinks for the elk hunt, I'll be there all week.
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