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Hurried and moved the sprinklers this morning so I could go wet a line. Got in such a hurry I forgot all my extra poles so I had to run back home and grab them. Good thing the pond is only a few miles from home. Anyway had another area I figured the cats would be holding so I went and worked it. Guess I figured wrong, not a nibble. So headed for the river and picked up a 15" channel as I was entering the channel. Kept moving to the old honey hole and the water was up 4 or so inches so I didn't know what that would do, but as soon as I got in the zone I had my first hit, which I missed and every 100' or so it was another hit or fish on. Most today were small from 12" to 20" while I was trolling but the last two hits stole my minnow and ran. Ended up with 5 cats trolling and I put a nightcrawler on to troll back and got absolutely nothing. Found a dead mouse so I thought what the heck, put it on and casted out while I was getting loaded and ready to go. All of a sudden I seen this big ole splash and it was fish on. Ended up finishing with a 25.5" male channel for a total of six today. I'll put a few pics up later when I get to the computer. Guess I need to take more minnows and go straight to where I know the fish are, but I keep hoping to find more hot areas for when this one gets played out. But the good areas are small and so I can fish them out fast. But they sure are fun for an hour or so. Later J
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dang - and for the guy that never gets to get out, you're working that Tune (toon), and singing a song!
Um - you said that about the photos last time (drumming fingers on table). So you bounce-ing buttom, or just dragging weightless?
I've been slacking on the fishing, dealing with too many personal issues, but I sure could use a break.
Think I mentioned - didn't find my minnows wallowing, but sure plenty of carp doing the love-dance! Realized (after the fact) I DID have my camera, and could have measured out a new leader in the carp category. That was one beast - good thing I have the heavy braid. Even at near "lock" on the drag - that toad ripped line and burned for reel! Bet a few passers by on the road knew something was up - based on the bend in my Ugly Stick!
Been SO dang hot out - gotta get up early for a morning trip.
A mouse - don't doubt it. Works on browns and bass too. Heard pocket gophers work down south. Found a dead duckling once, and my boy was excited to try it!
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It's been kind of fun lately. My computer still won't connect to the Internet, so I can't upload the pictures but I'll try in the morning. I am dragging the minnows weightless but I still think they are close to the bottom. Minnows are starting to be a problem, I couldn't find very many big ones today. Guess I should have froze some last week when they were plentiful. I sure don't like the fatheads as well as the carp, but I ran out of carp and don't know where to find more until they grow up. Hope you get caught up so you can get out, but it is best to hit it early so you don't roast. Well catch ya later. J
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Here's a few pictures.. J
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[#0000FF]Looks like plenny o' fun to me.
No surprise on the mouse muncher. I know guys who deliberately trap mice just for bait. And I have filleted more than a few kitties with rodent remnants in their tummies.
I also know guys who save all the corpses from their potgut hunts. Supposedly all parts work well for trout as well as cats. I know up in Montana the "go to" bait for big bull trout on the Flathead River used to be a haunch of ground squirrel.
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Sorry about the sideways pictures, guess I should have looked at them on the computer first, but I had to run so I just hurried and stuck them in... Yup it's amazing what those fish eat... Had a snake get in my minnow trap and die, almost considered trying that, except I didn't really want to handle a snake.. a mouse was bad enough..
I had one of these fish think it was a rainbow, like you mentioned in your last post about the catfish jumping out of the water on the way in, that was fun and added some extra excitement to the fight... So when do you expect the cats to move from the shallows? I assume from past experience that they hit the deep holes as the temperature rises, but it was pretty hot yesterday and they seemed to still be shallow.. Am I  in my thinking? I still don't know what is attracting the cats to the areas that I'm finding them... I look at other areas that seem the same, and don't find a sign of fish there... Catch ya later J
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[#0000FF]Cat fish (and most other species) are motivated by three main factors...food, sex and comfort...kinda like humans.
They are always on the prowl for areas with good eats. So find the food and you will find the fish nearby. If you can't tell by looking in the water you might have to search harder. But right now they will be looking for crawdads, small fish of any species and (of course) unlucky rodents or small birds.
During the spawn the cats will search out protected areas in rocks or vegetation where they can lay eggs and defend the nests until the babies hatch and leave. They especially like old car bodies 'cause they can lock the doors and roll up the windows. (Just kidding)
One of the big motivators throughout the year is comfort. All species have temperature ranges that they like best. Catfish are warm water oriented and become most active in temps over 65...with 70 to 80 being prime. Colder than 60 and they slow down, but still continue to feed. Much above 80 and they are not as active during the day...feeding more after dark and in cooling temperatures. Even a couple of degrees up or down during transition times can get them more or less active.
The one other consideration is safety. Cats (and other species) will forage into shallower waters as long as there is good food and they feel safe from predators. But if there is too much noise and threatening activity they will move out to deeper water until things quiet down.
All catfish habitats seem to produce different sets of conditions and the fish become attuned to that environment. Thus, they will usually act differently in one habitat than they would in another...even though the two might seem otherwise similar. The fish do their own thing...for their own reasons...and don't seem inclined to offer any reasonable explanations. And just about the time you start to think you got it figured out, they change it all up. Kinda like marriage.
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Thanks TD, do they eat carp eggs? Seems like I'm finding them around spawning carp. I guess flexibility and being open to move and keep looking are prerequisites to becoming proficient at catching cats. I have sure enjoyed catching these cats the last month or so. Between the north marina closed and the price of gas it's become my go to fishing hole this month even though I should be fishing Willard so I can catch my first wiper. One of these days I'll knock that one off my bucket list. Thanks again for your insight. Later J
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[#0000FF]I am sure that catfish would not turn down a carp omelet. But I suspect it is more of a food chain thing. The carp eggs attract minnows, crawdads and other invertebrates that feed on them. The cats follow the other critters to chow down on them in turn.
Sometimes it seems like cats follow splashing carp around. Don't know whether it is just the commotion that attracts them or the potential for munching on the little egg eaters. But there are lots of anglers who cast jigs into the carp to try to hook one for bait and end up fighting a kitty that was hanging out with them.
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Well, TD I start looking at all of your tips I have put to work and I'm pretty sure the last six trips with an average over 5 fish per trip wouldn't have happened without your kindness in teaching me how to build a toon that would float after I put the motor and battery on board, and taught me how to fish a minnow in shallow water... Great advice that really has paid off for me... I sure appreciate you being willing to share that info, I don't think I hurt the population much since I don't keep fish very often, but it sure has been fun.. I hope to pass this on to my scouts so they can get a love of fishing as well... I had a master take me fishing when I was 13 or 14 and although I thought I knew how to catch fish, I learned then that there was a lot more to fishing when he had the first time fishermen totally cleaning my clock with the fish they were catching.. I ate crow and went and let him teach me what to do for that lake that day.. I hope I can show my scouts a fun time so they will remember this when they get older.. Well catch ya next time... J
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[#0000FF]Glad I have been able to contribute to your sinful ways and I appreciate your appreciation. Pay it forward.
I have always believed in a kind of fishing "socialism". Take whatever help you can get from others...and be properly grateful. Then pass it along to anybody else who needs it...willingly and without thought of personal reward. You will get your rewards in seeing the excitement in those you help when they are able to put your help to good use.
Keep on keepin' on.
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I'll do my best! I'm going to have to take my cat hat off now and see if I remember how to catch trout. We are going to the Wind Rivers in a couple weeks and fishing some larger lakes that have Mac and Golden trout along with Cutts and Brookies. Pretty excited about this trip the scenery is incredible and the fishing has always been good. Guess the trick will be getting down deep enough to find the Mac. I think I'm still dumb enough to pack my tube in with me. I've wanted to take my little toon, I picked up a Bucks Bags Pony but I'm afraid it's too far to carry when I need gear too. Pretty hard to beat a float on a high mountain lake even though the streams are great. Anyway, got a great group of boys that love fishing so we'll fling some flies and have some fun, may even get them a badge or two. We'll be crossing a 12,400+ Ft pass into one lake on a day trip. Probably just take my pole that day. I'm thinking the trip this year has potential to be our best yet, hope I'm still healthy enough to do it. I'll try to put a report together after so I can share it with the crew. I may have to figure out the in-line feature to do the trip justice. Hope to teach a new generation of leader how to pull off a backcountry trip. Like you said pass it on. Later J
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[#0000FF]Hope you guys have a great trip. It has been a lot of years since I headed upwards from Pinedale into those trout-filled mountains. Never got one of the huge goldens that used to live there but ODed on scenery and plenty of decent sized fish.
When I was younger and lived in California I also worked with scouts. And we took a lot of long hikes in the Sierras...earning merit badges as we went. Always planned out what we needed in advance and then did what was necessary to git 'er done.
Our troop earned some citations for going in and cleaning up some of the remote camping areas that had been systematically trashed over time. Worked out a deal with one of the pack outfits to load up the bags of unburnable trash we collected and haul it out to the trailhead for pickup.
Highest pass we went over was only about 11,500 feet. But we got to the top of Whitney several times...just under 15,000. And I have caught goldens out of several lakes that were well above timberline. Almost like being on the moon in some of those remote rocky pockets.
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Wow, 15,000 that's a big pull to top that out. Seems like Cali mountains start from lower elevations too, so you had lots of ground to gain.
I hope I can get a golden on the line. I don't know of ever catching one defore, so it would be a first for me. I'll bet you were a great scout leader, those boys had a great mentor to learn from. Well got to get back at it. Catch ya later. J
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