[ToonCat]

It's getting toward the time of the year where mussels seem to work pretty well for cats, at least on my home lake, Lake Wylie. I've always picked them from sandy shores, normally buried, threw them in warm to hot water to loosen them up, then loaded them on a hook. Saw something interesting over the weekend. I think it was in SC Sportsman, but the guy says only use mussels you find floating....they're what cats like, and don't waste your time on anything else So, why is that and if you have any opinions pro or con, I'd sure like to hear them.

 

[Bill in SC]

When they are floating, I do see lots of surface feeding cats. However, they feed directly on the mussel beds on the bottom too, eating fresh mussels. No idea why they would say to ONLY use the floating ones, but obviously they have researched and found them to bite better on them.
Bill in SC

 

[auptbass]

How do you find mussel beds?

 

[JimmyJonny]

Do you guys know if the beds can be marked on the sonar ?

 

[Dirtdobber]

I look for mud bottom in about 3' of water. Back in the early 80's we dove for mussels here on Lake Ft Gibson. Now there is a size restriction on them and they are hard to find. I know where the beds are at so I float cut bait over them. I hope in a year or two they will be big enough to harvest. They make great bait.