[smitty0312]

I live in nw Illinois and live by a state park that has channel cats in it, but never fished for them, I ussually fish the Mississippi river for cats but that is really high from all the rain we have had lately, lake is max 25ft deep, 20 acres or so, where should I target them? Deep water? It's been pretty hot lately, I will be out 5-10pm, have to be off lake by 10pm. Gonna try stink bait and cut bait. Any help well appreciated! Smitty

 

[tightline_69]

Try to get a topo map of the lake. Target any inlet and outlets of the lake. Check drop offs and cover structure. Another way to target the fish is ask some of the locals who have fished this body of water before. If there are boat docks, these provide structure and cover, is another place to target at night and during the later part of the day.

 

[m slayton]

the channel cats hunt in the shallow waters at nite or near the bank or grass lilly pad any vedgatation that attract bait and offer them hiding spots .

so if you fishing from the bank try 3 inch cut bream or blue gill or live 1-3 inch blue gill small ones <--- to target the fat cats ... on a big circle hook :cowboy: and tie this rod to a tree!!

then i'd try some liver or stink bait, garlic sented items hot dog ,bacon any thing that will get the eater sized ones in your bucket or cooler.

you can fish like 4 poles or more if your careful "ty god for the okuma avengers" when i bank fish with the wife we have 8-12 poles all at diffrent distances staggered 1 way out 1 way in 1way out one middle n so on LOL gettin er dun son with lake or pond fishing the smell will get them moving in for the bait so change it up or spread it out if you have a buffet you will find a bait they hit twice then use more of that .

as far as a good spot to chose from shore is a spot thats user friendly for a start as in with any luck theres a lite pole close by and that will be where i set up the said buffet.
because cat fish smell it and i bet you set 1 hour re bait all 30 minutes in and you should be catching cats .
if have no bait runner or bait clickers loosen the drags way up so they can have the line and not the rod and reel "spit happens " when you tangle with CAT FISH" so rod holders some type, {mine} pvc pipe <--- cheap cut and angled and pound in the mud and set back n relax .

bells lite sticks glow bobbers all help but a bait runner and ugly stick will rox there sox !!

gl my friend and let the mayhem BEGIN LOL i love bank fishing for channel cats

 

[smitty0312]

the channel cats hunt in the shallow waters at nite or near the bank or grass lilly pad any vedgatation that attract bait and offer them hiding spots .

so if you fishing from the bank try 3 inch cut bream or blue gill or live 1-3 inch blue gill small ones <--- to target the fat cats ... on a big circle hook :cowboy: and tie this rod to a tree!!

then i'd try some liver or stink bait, garlic sented items hot dog ,bacon any thing that will get the eater sized ones in your bucket or cooler.

you can fish like 4 poles or more if your careful "ty god for the okuma avengers" when i bank fish with the wife we have 8-12 poles all at diffrent distances staggered 1 way out 1 way in 1way out one middle n so on LOL gettin er dun son with lake or pond fishing the smell will get them moving in for the bait so change it up or spread it out if you have a buffet you will find a bait they hit twice then use more of that .

as far as a good spot to chose from shore is a spot thats user friendly for a start as in with any luck theres a lite pole close by and that will be where i set up the said buffet.
because cat fish smell it and i bet you set 1 hour re bait all 30 minutes in and you should be catching cats .
if have no bait runner or bait clickers loosen the drags way up so they can have the line and not the rod and reel "spit happens " when you tangle with CAT FISH" so rod holders some type, {mine} pvc pipe <--- cheap cut and angled and pound in the mud and set back n relax .

bells lite sticks glow bobbers all help but a bait runner and ugly stick will rox there sox !!

gl my friend and let the mayhem BEGIN LOL i love bank fishing for channel cats

Thanks for the pointers, I have a boat so I can go where ever I want. The lake is not that big, so I can move around and try different spots.

 

[m slayton]

the boat is a great tool at nite time you can either run your fish finder and locate holes or drop off or structure and paas the hole and anchor up and fish towards the hole this was you get many angles to fish example , can fish one in the hole and one just out side and one on the shallow slope leading to the hole. or what i'd do is locate a sand bar and work baits shallow to deep and focus on drop offs and cover if you have a fish finder if not then i'd make a chum pipe or two and set up a sent trail to the boat gl and be safe

 

[jack-o]

Lake that small, I'd troll/drift ALL of it. You find a hot spot, you toss out anchor if you want. Since I learned how to troll/drift my anchors haven't gotten wet.....

 

[m slayton]

perhaps when you get time maybe you could post how to drift/troll so brothers new to boating can cut learning time in half.

when i troll/drift its in a tiny john boat . first i read the wind or find out what way its blowing then drive the boat to the farthest shore and let the wind blow me back accrost. i have 3poles out the back and i keep the bait just off the bottom it the wind is light i keep the boat sideways in to the wind and set the poles on one side of the boat,
if the wind is really bad i keep my back to it and poles out the back trolling sinkers or no snag sinkers are your best bet for trolling . i have no fish finder or gas motor so if its really windy i troll till i find one and anchor up there gl this is just my way of drifting there are many ways i am sure