Two Days on NE Cape Fear

[C_wernett]

Saturday was a beautiful day to get out early and do some bank stomping since the work to the cattoon had not been completely as had been planned. But that didn't stop us from having a very memorable day! My wife, now days from giving birth to our third child, was having a blast with 10" shellcrackers for a bit, then the bite turned smaller but she was still working those 6"-8" out left and right. My buddy and I, although using similarly technique, different baits, where have a ball with the bowfin, landing probably a dozen or more, between the two of us. His option to stick with cut shad pulled out the one cat for the day, a 5lb. channel. However, my option on my big rod, which I call, "ball-o-shiners" got the biggest fish of the day, and a personal best for either of us, a 10lb beast of a bowfin! By-the-way, King Kat Pro rods RULE!!! lol:p :)

[C_wernett]

Sunday, day two of my weekend on the NE Cape Fear, started a little later, and a lot slower. I didn't bring any shad for me, but opted to stick with crawlers and shiners for the sunfish and bowfin bite. Well, the weather was gorgeous, and it'll be next weekend before this sunburn is gone...but the fishing started to pick up around 2pm when I hooked a bowfin on my lightest rod and he cut me off. I had a few more hits, then finally caught a 3 pound bowfin on crawler, and a 5' 'gill on the next cast. Then my 6' light action rod doubled over, and I hooked what I right away knew was a cat...and a decent one on 6# gear! When all was said and done I was looking at the wiskers of my second flathead in two weekends...this one went 5lbs, and hit a CRAWLER on a size 10 octopus circle hook! I then caught one more little bowfin before I couldn't take it anymore, and headed home to treat my sunburn. Oh, and for the concerned about me eating bowfin...this weekend was entirely catch and release, with exception for that channel and the shellcrackers from Saturday. Poor mans gotta eat something...:D

[RamRod]

Looks like you had a blast! Very nice pics, thanks for sharing!:thumbsup:

[Southernraised84]

sounds like a great trip.I fish the cape all the time and i would suggest useing eel not sure if you can get them around your area but down around fayettnam the blues are eating it up. if you cant buy them around your area then talk to joe he might tell you how to make your own traps. Hope your next trip is better then the last. Nice flattie by the way

[dwreel]

How do you rig an eel for catfishing. First I've heard of useing them. What size is best?

[C_wernett]

Well, we took another attempt to get me into a blue on Saturday, but this time we got skunked on the river. I had hoped that fishing before the front would pay off, but the motor on the cattoon needed some work, so we were limited to being able to hop from here to there to try to find the cats, and it didn't pay off. We caught several small sunfish, and were using them along with cut shiner and shad, but nothing. We stopped by a shop that usually has eels, but the farm he buys from had a viral outbreak and he can't get any eels for another month!

As far as fishing eels, I'd just chunk the bigger ones and rig them like normal, or as my buddy does when fishing smaller eels for stripers, snap them against something to break their backs to keep them from balling up around the line, but keeping them alive.

[01 Mudslinger]

i hadnt ever really heard of fishing with eels, do they really work that well. ive always used shad.

[joe0580]

eels catch 3 more times the cats than shad. put it this way if eels are say steak and shad is chicken.. what would you like to eat more? i have caught cats up to and over 50 lbs on eels. ask jason that is on here. he will show you pics of some he caught on eels. i always have at least 100 at any time. i have traps in river and they work a little better than those. if need any info call me. be glad to help

[Katmaster Jr.]

eels catch 3 more times the cats than shad. put it this way if eels are say steak and shad is chicken.. what would you like to eat more? i have caught cats up to and over 50 lbs on eels. ask jason that is on here. he will show you pics of some he caught on eels. i always have at least 100 at any time. i have traps in river and they work a little better than those. if need any info call me. be glad to help

You're right, they love the eel's! I highly recommend using Live eel's but cut bait work's too. They didn't work too great for me in the lake but boy do they work in the river's!!!

Zakk

[Timber Cat]

Nice pics ! I fish the NE Cape Fear ALOT between Wallace and Burgaw.love it up that way.Glad you guys had a great time !