Loosin' interest fast! HELP

[maxman29]

Ive been catfishing numerous times and have been goose egged evey time. I live in central Jersey, Ocean county. Anyone know good spots around my area. I know assunpink is supposed to be good but where. Ive hit at least half that lake. Thanks:embarassed:

[BIG-G]

Welcome from a fellow Joisy boy. LOL! I spend all my time on the Delaware and Maurice rivers. Good cattin just gotta learn the water. Theres plenty of it and plenty of fish. Never done much if any lake fishin for cats around here. Always found it to be pretty much a waste of time. LOL! Plenty of good feeder creeks on the delaware that are productive. Get out on the river. Ya won't be dissappointed.:wink:

[Mac.]

Brother maxman29, I do not know your waters that you fish, but I will share this with you. First, I would listen to what Big George told you. Second, we all started off just like you with little or no success.

You have started off right by joining the BOC and asking questions. You will find out that the more you fish and talk to others, the more success you will have. Read all you can on the BOC and elsewhere about catfishing, talk to the people at the bait shop that you get your supplies from, try to arrange to go cattin' with someone in your area.

You can visit the first section of this forum 'Catfish Publications' and gather tons of information to assist you. I have my own section there and it is call 'Mac Byrum's Catfish University' and most likely you will find something there to help you in your endeavors. Mac

[Moparornocar]

Hey where in Ocean county are you? Im in toms river. Ive found bullheads a few places and a white cat at forge pond in brick but thats aobut it. Mfreind did pull a 10 lb channel out of assipunk last year and 2 or 3 years ago there was a 32 pound channel at shenedoah. I think right now they are spawning because we went out the other day to our "spot" where we usually slam 'em and we got skunked. Hit assipunk that day too and all we came up with was one decent sized yellow bull head

[willcat]

Welcome to the boc Joisy boys!!!!!

[BIG-G]

Hey where in Ocean county are you? Im in toms river. Ive found bullheads a few places and a white cat at forge pond in brick but thats aobut it. Mfreind did pull a 10 lb channel out of assipunk last year and 2 or 3 years ago there was a 32 pound channel at shenedoah. I think right now they are spawning because we went out the other day to our "spot" where we usually slam 'em and we got skunked. Hit assipunk that day too and all we came up with was one decent sized yellow bull head



Are ya land bound or do ya have a boat? Welcome aboard!

[Mickey]

Dave Welcome to the BOC from Illinois. Not familiar with the waters in your area but would suggest you listen to Big George. He will stir you straight.

[Moparornocar]

Im land bound :( but i am getting a canoe soon not a real boat but its better then nothing

[catfishcrazy256]

Welcome to the BOC Dave ,Hang in there

[rob128146]

we all started off just like you with little or no success.

Don't give up just keep pluggin'!!:big_smile: i was the same way you was but when i got some pointers from the guys from the brotherhood and put them to work and LEARNED it myself guess what it worked!!:big_smile::big_smile: I was next to quitting and I'm sure glad i didn't know I can catch them with the best of'em!! The way i did it was i started small. Working with smaller channels and smaller blues, because the are in our lakes by the thousands (everywhere). I kept a diary from bite to bite day to day and fishing trip to fishing trip. i wrote down everything from water temp, weather conditions, locations, what i used as bait, time, what i caught, and anything else you can think of. then after I had a grasp on the technique then i started bugging the #%&*$@ out of the guys on here and reading in out libary here on BOC and i started putting two and two togather and I finally got it. I'm not the best catfisherman on here or in my area BUT I can compete in tournaments now and have a wonderful time when I'm just fishing!! I learned where to look for the bigguns' at and how to catch them. Oh by the way the diary thing, really do this. I know it sopunds like this is kinda wierd but you will be suprised how often you can refer to it and learn from it. Now after you do this for a while then you have a reference guide to refer to and what else are you going to do at 2 o'clock in the morning waiting on the cats to bite. I hope this helps and good luck. If you need anything all you have to do is ask anybody on this site and I'm sure they will help you including myself. DON'T QUIT!!!!:angry::embarassed::big_smile::wink:

[maxman29]

Hey where in Ocean county are you? Im in toms river. Ive found bullheads a few places and a white cat at forge pond in brick but thats aobut it. Mfreind did pull a 10 lb channel out of assipunk last year and 2 or 3 years ago there was a 32 pound channel at shenedoah. I think right now they are spawning because we went out the other day to our "spot" where we usually slam 'em and we got skunked. Hit assipunk that day too and all we came up with was one decent sized yellow bull head

where in assunpink did u manage that one. i was told dont bother unless u got a boat. Im in Jackson. I went tonight and caught a small 2lb blue outta the OCC pond. Thank you all for ur words of wisdom, encouragement and help i really appreciate it.

[Moparornocar]

you got a cat in occ? nice i heard they werent getting them their recently. I wasnt with him at assipunk when he caught the cahnnel but he was in a boat. But you can get NICE bull head sthere off of the dock and im sure channels too

[maxman29]

you got a cat in occ? nice i heard they werent getting them their recently. I wasnt with him at assipunk when he caught the cahnnel but he was in a boat. But you can get NICE bull head sthere off of the dock and im sure channels too

yea hit a hot dog after like fifteen min. what do u find works better in jersey night or day? and just a question do u happen to know a guy named Jer in Jackson?

[maxman29]

Well that makes my total catfish count three. Caught two more channels at the OCC Pond one of which snapped line right before landing. Both were only bout 2-2 1/2lbs but its a start. Missed a big one, snapped pole:crazy::angry: but ill get em. Thanks to all that offered help. Anyone ever needs Bass info thats one fish im 100% confident with and can catch any day.

[Moparornocar]

haha ye ai know Jer lived with him out at uti. You got channels in occ? i thought only bullheads were in there sweet So far ive had better luck at night I usually fish nightcrawlers on the bottom ive relativly new to cats myself and freshwater altogether. Forge pond ive had cats hit during the day. Theyve got white cats in there and channels to i think along with the bull heads. I havent been out for cats in a few weeks ive been on a salt water binge with all these stripers and blues around

[maxman29]

haha thats funny as hell jer is my boy i see him like every other day. we gettin a few cats here and there. got alot of runs last night. prob goin again tonight wit livers this time.

[Moparornocar]

let us know how you do with the livers im thinking of trying there one day next week. This sunday im going out with my gf's brother inlaw to some lake out route 70 somewhere thats stocked with channels he had em hitting up to 16 lbs the other night ill let you know how it is and how to get there also i suggets you try forge pond oin route 70 in brick

[maxman29]

let us know how you do with the livers im thinking of trying there one day next week. This sunday im going out with my gf's brother inlaw to some lake out route 70 somewhere thats stocked with channels he had em hitting up to 16 lbs the other night ill let you know how it is and how to get there also i suggets you try forge pond oin route 70 in brick
ok im prob not goin back to occ at night. call me a sissy if u want but my buddy pulled up a 3lb eel that freaked us all out, and it being night didnt help, then watched a 5-6ft water mockison(SP) swim out of where we been washing our hands!:crazy::ooooh: after we watched 4 cops go flyin by code 3(lights and sirens) that was enough for us on friday the 13th. is forge worth it w/o a boat?

[flathunter]

If I depended on lakes to catch catfish I would have gave up 20 years ago.

If you have any rivers or creeks in your area give them a shot.

For me rivers are much eaiser to find and catch catfish

[maxman29]

If I depended on lakes to catch catfish I would have gave up 20 years ago.

If you have any rivers or creeks in your area give them a shot.

For me rivers are much eaiser to find and catch catfish
so i have heard, but being stuck on shore and the only major cat river i know of being the deleware which is a nice travel, im kinda forced to hit the lakes. and im havin a hard enough time with catching em in lakes, river id think be harder?

[Moparornocar]

I dont know if theres a trail to get to the back of forge if there is that would prbably be best because it would be more fresh water but even right off of route 70 ive caught cats from the shore a few really nice bull heads a a white cat about 2 pounds which was delicious

[maxman29]

is it right near the golfcourse? like it goes right under route 70? cuz thats the metedeconk river.

[Moparornocar]

yea forge is the name of that part of the metedeconk its fresh in forge though. Went to that lake today. Woolmans lake in mount holly. Broad daylight and i got a few nice bullheads and 2 decent channels. Going to try at night ina few days its like shooting ducks in a barrel 5 acre alke loaded with fish. Got em on hotdogs with catfish attractant sprayed on em.

[maxman29]

nice good stuff, how far of a drive was that? and where do u go at forge? what works there?

[Moparornocar]

hey i dunno exactly form around here because i was in atco and it was onle like 15 minuetes form there Id say maybe an hour form here. Worth it though at forge i go right at the picnic area on route 70. Ive only tried night crawlers there but im sure hotdog would work. I just came back form occ got that middle of teh night incling for some cats. Threw hotdog pieces that i had put in a bag with a couple of those fish oil gel caps that you get in the pharmacy aisle at the store. They made it stick real bad but it worked caught the bigges t brown bull head i ever caught had to be close to 4 lbs. Had 2 more one about 1.5 lb and one about 2 lbs. lots of little nibbles maybe perch taht lake is loaded with them

[maxman29]

fish oil gel caps? and where did u set up all i ever get is small channels. fish bottom or top? u gotta start puttin some picks up

[Moparornocar]

just pulled off to the side of the road and threw in right there behind the tower thing in the middle ill try to upload some picks but there on a fone so there not so good

[Moparornocar]

here are the bull heads from occ keep in mind thats a size 12 foot in the one pic so not a bad bullhead

[Moparornocar]

here are form woolamns the channels are small they said they usually go at night and get atleast 2 or 3 over ten lbs the yellow bull head fougth like crazy thought i had a channel on

[maxman29]

howd u rig up those gel caps? or did u just spill them on the dogs

[maxman29]

how u get to that woolmans lake?

[Moparornocar]

a few times i just put the gel cap on the hook. Couple itmes i put the gel cap, then a piece of hot dog, and sometimes i poured the oil on the hot dog all three resulte din bites. Woolmans is in mt holly i dont know exactly how to get there i know its around the block form the hospitol there . Its a little brown lake no bigger then the occ pond but its stocked. I think 537 takes you out to mt holly if im not mistaken

[maxman29]

we went to occ again last night. caught three small ones a snapper turtle and my buddy ant hooked a 4-5lb cat but line snapped as we were tryin to get it in:angry:

[Moparornocar]

nice were they channels or bullheads? Everyone keeps talking about channels there and i cant get one haha im going to try again tonight

[LONE STAR]

Hang in there Moparornocar just imagine it could be worst. By worst I mean you could be at home just watching fishing on TV. If you bait it they will come.

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments"

Don't give up and good things come to those who wait, besides can you just imagine the bigun you do catch is going to be one of those water level droppers:smile2:

[maxman29]

not sure. i say they are channels but my buddy thinks they are all bull heads. its a catfish none te less lol. let me know how u turn out

[Moparornocar]

went out last night and got completely skunked my freind had like 8 cats i had none sucked. Going to lake hopatcong wednesday so hopefully ill get something nice up there

[maxman29]

damn whered u guys go?

[Moparornocar]

occ forked river and woolmans and i got NUTHING haha we were out until 7 this morning o yea the easiest way to tell the two apart is bullheads have a flat tail and channels have a forked tail

[maxman29]

wow. me and my buddy went tue night to occ. three snapping turtles, i had one cat that broke loose, felt like a 2-3lb and my buddy hooked one that had to be close to 8lb but yet again snapped line:angry: other than that we caught nothing else

[Moparornocar]

went to occ the other day and had a couple small bullheads and my friend had one decent one o yea dont eat them outer there taste liek pure mud i saw a guy catch a bass there the other day that had to be 4 or 5 pounds had no idea theyd be there that big went up to hopatcong the other day didnt get any cats but lots of bass and stuff

[maxman29]

yea i figured they prob would considering the condition of the bottom there. we went last night and caught one small bull bout 2lbs and that was it. there for six hours and had one fish. where u go in forked river cuz im tryin to find a new proven spot to bring my nephew to.

[MRR]

First Welcome to the BOC. Second I'd listen too Big George. Seems like he's pretty good at catching those Channel Cats up you all ways.Go into the BOC Library can learn a lot in there. Third I've been getting rather stinky from the ole skunk myself.Spawning season isn't helping either or the stupid floods.Just don't give up.

[Moparornocar]

take the park way or route nine to lacey road and rdown near the intersection of lacey route and route 9 theres sigal lane take that down youll see a gaurd raiul with a trail behind it follow it about 100 feet theres a lake with a old wooden train bridge on it. the lakes getting choked out really bad weith weeds ever since it got warm didnt do to good last time we went there


in tr in winding river park theres a lake thats pretty clean havent treid for cats there yet but the bass and pickeral action is great and the bluegill that swim by look HUGE im gunna go there one day soon with just a box of worms and a lite pole just for them thought they were bass until i saw the spot on the gills