tackle for channel cats

[wishbone1]

howdy all!

just thought id try to get something going for michigan river-res. fishing.

what type fishing poles, line,weights,etc.

What style,size hooks are used for river fishing channel cats
baits:
chicken livers-loose bait
chicken livers-nylon bagged
cut bait
crawlers
hot dog
etc.

also rigging tips for:
slip sinker system
bobber fishing
float
tight line
etc.

thanks for any information and ideas!

[catman4926]

BARRY,

WELCOME TO THE BOC , I CAN'T HELP YOU ON THAT BECAUSE I DO NOT FISH FOR CHANNELS,BUT HANG THERE AND SOMEONE WILL HELP YOU ,GOD BLESS AND HAPPY FISHING:big_smile:

[Mickey]

Barry Welcome to the BOC, from So. Illinois. Check out the BOC library to answer all your questions and more on channel catfishing.:0a22::0a25::0a25:

[bluejay]

Welcome to the BOC Barry. Check out the library like Mickey said. Lots of good info there.

[michiganwhitetailRLM]

Hey barry! Man i can't believe everyone of us got skunked lastnite. I think you got all the right tecniques man. I'm gonna send you a personal message with my home #, maybe we can kick back on the river sometime and share some ideas. Have a good one brother!:0a22:

[wishbone1]

Howdy all!
thanks for the warm welcome to the BOC board
and for the information.
great site!

hello Rick
ya think that temp was the big factor
(maybe the water level fluxuating had something to do with it also)
better fishing ahead:0a23:

[catfishrollo]

sounds like your on the right path brother.. I use a variety of baits and techniques for channel cats. Is one better than the other? Not nessesarily. Every situation has its place and time. I like to fish heavy structure associated with the river channel. I try to fish at the head of these areas allowing the scent to be carried into these wood and rock areas to draw the cats upsteam to my baits. Chicken livers are great, and are cutbaits such as shad, chubs, etc. The main thing is you have fresh bait full of scent , and you need to move often fishing for only active fish! Channel cats are scavengers and like to feed! You will be more productive fishing areas quickly and targeting the aggressive fish rather than trying to make them bite.... goodluck...rollo

[wishbone1]

Hey barry! Man i can't believe everyone of us got skunked lastnite. I think you got all the right tecniques man. I'm gonna send you a personal message with my home #, maybe we can kick back on the river sometime and share some ideas. Have a good one brother!:0a22:
got your pm rick
pm me your e-mail address bud
been to the river lately? (son went 27th got a small cat with crawler)

[michiganwhitetailRLM]

Hey barry! sent ya my e-mail adress. Yes i have been down there and even over to mott lake with the same results. I think it is definately the irradical temps let alone these mid 30's nights we've been having. Gonna give it another shot friday or saturday, maybe i'll see ya there @ the res.

[catfisherman_eky3]

Barry welcome to the wonderful boc, the best fishing site in the world its great to have you aboard, I know they already said but the library has all kinds of helpful information, good luck to you and keep us informed on how you do on your fishing trips.

[wishbone1]

hello Rick
you got e-mail
ya the temp is really effecting fishing, hopefully it stays warmer during the nights.

[eyeguy]

I wish I could be more help from personal experience from catching large numbers of cats but I have fished most of my 58 years so I can help some.
I use circle hooks size 3/0 or treble hooks about the same size. I use mostly live and dead minnows, night crawlers and even lures. I have met a few guys while on the river who use basically the same things. I rig with heavy line, 50 lb. spider wire and use at least a six inch wire leader as we can catch a northern pike at any time so we need to be prepared. We all use at least one barrel swivel to keep the line from twisting up.
We fish from the bank using large cylindrical slip bobbers and a three way rig with a 1oz. bell sinker about three feet below the hook. This way we can find the bottom and position the bait so it is off the bottom while the sinker holds the rig in place. This is used mostly with live minnows. I really enjoy drifting with the wind or current in a boat with bait like crawlers or dead minnows right on the bottom. I prefer keeping live minnows off the bottom two or three feet and the three way set up without a bobber works great when drift fishing. We fish it right off the edge of the boat and as the water gets deeper or shallower we adjust our depth to keep the sinker just off the bottom. Every now and then we will lower the rod to be certain we know where the bottom is.
We use fairly heavy rods and a good strong reel. When we fish from the bank we tighten the drag up so there is no drag and tie our rods to a stake we drive in the bank so the fish cant take it with him. With circle hooks, when the fish takes the bait he sets the hook himself and by not having any drag we can keep the fish out of the snags. But you will lose some to snags no matter what you do.
As far as other types of bait like hot dogs, livers etc. I have no experience but the library at this site should be able to help you there.
I hope this helps you.
eyeguy

[ittybittykitty]

I hope this gives you ideas. The lake I do most of my fishing on has a very clean bottom so I don't need a lot of abrasion resistence. I mostly use a light action spinng rod/reel with 8lb. line. I've caught fish over 32" with this rig, and small ones feel like thumpers. For teminal tackle I use a three way rig, but with a sinker slide and a barell swivel rather than a 3-way swivel. Off the snap on the sinker slide I run a piece of line about 30". I thread on a bell or egg sinker then a split shot. This makes it easy to change the depth my bait is at, and if the sinker snags, the split shot pops off and I don't have to retie, just put new sinkers on. I use a circle hook, usually inline and often about 3/0. I turn my drag very loose so I can hear it click when the fish runs, I then pick up the rod and put some pressure on the spool with my fingers. This is enough to set the hook with sharp hooks. I prefer to drift between .5 and 1mph. However, I've caught fish going much faster. In Belleville lake the main food source is shad, and if I can find a big school I'll fish it hard. Usually there are some hungry cats close by. If your lake has large schools of bait fish I would look for cats around them. Good Luck.