02-12-2019, 06:58 PM
My setup seems to be kind of in the middle.
Rods: 6.5' Med Heavy ugly stick and 6.5' Med Ugly Stick Lite.
Reels: Okuma Baitfeeder spinning
Line: Currently 14 lbs Nanofil with a similar wt. leader. I'm not sure I'll stay with Nanfil, it seems to come apart over time. Casts great though.
Hooks: anywhere from 1/0 bait holder to 5/0 octopus, depending on bait size and what came out of the tackle box as I hurried to re-tie.
Method: drag or drift 0.5 to 1 mph, bobbers over rocky bottom or in water too shallow to drag.
Bait: Cut WB, Carp or shrimp. Always try to get "still bleeding" cut bait when I can.
I also fish an inline float much of the time. As I learned last year it is a variation of the Santee rig mentioned several times in this thread. My float last year was a corkie, spin n glow or wobble glow. The float stays near the bait almost like a FLIG. I also use fligs and love them. Usually one rod has just a small sinker, a hook and a bling bead or two. (If you want to know why, shine a UV light on the bling bead. The good ones light up way beyond what you and I can normally see. great for murky water)
I always try to have different presentations in the water until the fish show a strong preference. I switch up floating or not floating, bling or not bling, large or small baits, carp or WB, etc.
Most trips the fresh WB outperforms, but not always.
An earlier post mentioned shrimp under a bobber. That is how I learned to catch UL channels and loved it for many years. One year I did an experiment between fresh cut bait and shrimp. Tried to fish them in equal amounts. Total of over 100 cats that summer. 60-70% of the total number came on shrimp. 60-70% of the cats 5 lbs and larger came on cut bait. The apparent preference of larger fish for cut bait is not proof, but is statistically significant. Since I fish the contest, I now lean hard toward cut bait. That said, 2 of my top three cats took a shrimp. Go figure.
I fish almost exclusively at UL, almost entirely because it is close (and great cat fishing.)
One other apparent anomolly that might prove useful to someone. In the winter months almost all the cats I've landed came at night.
BTW, I am not a born cataholic. I fish them because they are available, hard fighting and good eating. My roots are in the rivers and coastline of SW Oregon and there things pull hard and are generally good eating. My leaning toward longer rods, smooth drags and somewhat lighter tackle also come from learning to fish chasing steehead in those rivers.
I'm looking forward to a great year for all!
[signature]
Rods: 6.5' Med Heavy ugly stick and 6.5' Med Ugly Stick Lite.
Reels: Okuma Baitfeeder spinning
Line: Currently 14 lbs Nanofil with a similar wt. leader. I'm not sure I'll stay with Nanfil, it seems to come apart over time. Casts great though.
Hooks: anywhere from 1/0 bait holder to 5/0 octopus, depending on bait size and what came out of the tackle box as I hurried to re-tie.
Method: drag or drift 0.5 to 1 mph, bobbers over rocky bottom or in water too shallow to drag.
Bait: Cut WB, Carp or shrimp. Always try to get "still bleeding" cut bait when I can.
I also fish an inline float much of the time. As I learned last year it is a variation of the Santee rig mentioned several times in this thread. My float last year was a corkie, spin n glow or wobble glow. The float stays near the bait almost like a FLIG. I also use fligs and love them. Usually one rod has just a small sinker, a hook and a bling bead or two. (If you want to know why, shine a UV light on the bling bead. The good ones light up way beyond what you and I can normally see. great for murky water)
I always try to have different presentations in the water until the fish show a strong preference. I switch up floating or not floating, bling or not bling, large or small baits, carp or WB, etc.
Most trips the fresh WB outperforms, but not always.
An earlier post mentioned shrimp under a bobber. That is how I learned to catch UL channels and loved it for many years. One year I did an experiment between fresh cut bait and shrimp. Tried to fish them in equal amounts. Total of over 100 cats that summer. 60-70% of the total number came on shrimp. 60-70% of the cats 5 lbs and larger came on cut bait. The apparent preference of larger fish for cut bait is not proof, but is statistically significant. Since I fish the contest, I now lean hard toward cut bait. That said, 2 of my top three cats took a shrimp. Go figure.
I fish almost exclusively at UL, almost entirely because it is close (and great cat fishing.)
One other apparent anomolly that might prove useful to someone. In the winter months almost all the cats I've landed came at night.
BTW, I am not a born cataholic. I fish them because they are available, hard fighting and good eating. My roots are in the rivers and coastline of SW Oregon and there things pull hard and are generally good eating. My leaning toward longer rods, smooth drags and somewhat lighter tackle also come from learning to fish chasing steehead in those rivers.
I'm looking forward to a great year for all!
[signature]