New Guy looking for help catching blues in cooling lake.

Discussion in 'Blue Catfishing' started by coondogg, Mar 18, 2008.

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  1. Mar 18, 2008 #1
    coondogg

    coondogg New Member

    Messages:
    18
    State:
    illinois
    Im new to the site. I am learning a great amount of information about catching blues. My question is..I fish a cooling lake and on the hot water discharge side the water is 75 degrees, the coolest side is 58 degrees. (Right now anyways.) What is a blue cats preferred tempature that they are most likely to be active and bite? Should i fish the hot side or on the cooler side? Both sides mark fish on the finder. I fished this lake alot last year ,but only for a month in one hole i found. The temp was 85 degrees on the cool side in august and i caught many cats in the 20 lb range. Hooked into 2 i fought for 1 hour plus and couldnt turn. I have been out 3 times this year and all i seem to cach are smaller fish 2-4 lbs. In some places the lake is 70 ft deep. Thanks for your help guys. Im happy to be a part of the site. Shaun
     
    coondogg, Mar 18, 2008
    coondogg, Mar 18, 2008
  3. Mar 19, 2008 #2
    brother hilljack

    brother hilljack New Member

    Messages:
    7,305
    State:
    Shelbyville, TN
    Welcome to the BOC, This site is full of useful information and even more fish stories.
     
    brother hilljack, Mar 19, 2008
    brother hilljack, Mar 19, 2008

  5. Mar 19, 2008 #3
    coondogg

    coondogg New Member

    Messages:
    18
    State:
    illinois
    Thank You!! It is a great site. It needs to be advertised more so more people find out about it.
     
    coondogg, Mar 19, 2008
    coondogg, Mar 19, 2008
  6. Mar 19, 2008 #4
    Ulikedew

    Ulikedew New Member

    Messages:
    1,821
    State:
    Georgetown IN
    Welcome to the BOC from the Hoosier State.
     
    Ulikedew, Mar 19, 2008
    Ulikedew, Mar 19, 2008
  7. Mar 19, 2008 #5
    mariofish

    mariofish New Member

    Messages:
    914
    State:
    wv
    i love that cards:cool2:
     
    mariofish, Mar 19, 2008
    mariofish, Mar 19, 2008
  8. Mar 19, 2008 #6
    catfishbills

    catfishbills New Member

    Messages:
    630
    State:
    Tennessee
    Welcome to the BOC from the VOLUNTEER state!:big_smile:
     
    catfishbills, Mar 19, 2008
    catfishbills, Mar 19, 2008
  9. Mar 19, 2008 #7
    billcatfish

    billcatfish New Member

    Messages:
    1,571
    State:
    evansville Ind
    first of all welcome to the BOC sounds like you have a nice lake there to fishi would be fishing the deeper waters looking for holes in the deeper water or logs an trees laying there or if you have sharp drop offs that would be a nice place to start as well depends the size of the lake id try drifting fishing the lake an see how that works an try changing t your bait up with some fresh cut shad or live shad or cut skipjack
     
    billcatfish, Mar 19, 2008
    billcatfish, Mar 19, 2008
  10. Mar 19, 2008 #8
    massa_jorge

    massa_jorge New Member

    Messages:
    2,137
    State:
    TEXAS
    welcome to the boc from texas! and remember, deeper water=cooler water. i would try several different depths if that don't work. also i would definitely duplicate whatever you were doing when you were fighting a fish for an hour and couldn't turn it!!! what kind of rod and reel are you using? if you go a little heavier than what you have now you might be able to turn some of those hawgs.
     
    massa_jorge, Mar 19, 2008
    massa_jorge, Mar 19, 2008
  11. Mar 19, 2008 #9
    CJ21

    CJ21 New Member

    Messages:
    4,303
    State:
    Montgomery, Alabama
    Welcome to the BOC, Shaun.
     
    CJ21, Mar 19, 2008
    CJ21, Mar 19, 2008
  12. Mar 19, 2008 #10
    jtrew

    jtrew New Member

    Messages:
    4,404
    State:
    Little Rock, AR
    Welcome to the BOC, Shaun! I used to fish the warm water outlet of the nuclear power plant near Russellville, back when I lived in that area. I'd mainly fish it in the spring when the Arkansas River was too high to fish safely. When the lake water started warming up, the outlet cove water would get above body temperature; to me, that's just too hot to fish, since I like to keep eating size fish. My best areas were about halfway out to the lake when the lake water was still cool (about 1/4 to 1/2 mile from where the hot water leaves the plant), and later in the year, the mouth of the cove where the warm water mixes with the lake water. However, I certainly wouldn't hesitate to try any spot where I marked fish.
     
    jtrew, Mar 19, 2008
    jtrew, Mar 19, 2008
  13. Mar 19, 2008 #11
    kmcalester

    kmcalester Active Member

    Messages:
    1,340
    State:
    Kansas City
    The show me state says welcome.
     
    kmcalester, Mar 19, 2008
    kmcalester, Mar 19, 2008
  14. Mar 19, 2008 #12
    catfishjohn

    catfishjohn New Member

    Messages:
    10,217
    State:
    Greenup Co. KY
    Welcome to the BOC!!!:big_smile:
     
    catfishjohn, Mar 19, 2008
    catfishjohn, Mar 19, 2008
  15. Mar 19, 2008 #13
    coondogg

    coondogg New Member

    Messages:
    18
    State:
    illinois
    Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. Im happy to be a part of the BOC. I used cut gizzard shad most of last year. Some mornings i could catch 20 fish between 15-25 lbs in one spot. There is not much structure in the lake i fish,there are only a few manmade brushpiles and rockpiles. There is alot of steep drop offs though. Thats mainly where i had good luck. I just need some time to find the fish this time of year. There has been some crappy weather here lately and hope to get out again soon. Do you guys think i would have better luck in 55 degree water or more luck in 75 degree water. I mainly fish with floats a couple feet from the bottom ,or where i mark the fish in the column.As for my gear...Last year i was using light tackle 8 lb test 5'9 fenwick or 10 lb test 6 ft fenwick. I could catch a 20-25 lb catfish in about 20 min of fighting,but it cost me some big boys. I now have a 6'6 fenwick med heavy and a abu garcia record with 14 lb. I have many bigger rods but i enjoy the fight and challenge. I also dont think the blues are much bigger than 30 lbs in this lake. The big fish i had and lost i think were flats. I may be wrong though,i never seen them. Thanks for your help.....Any more info on what tempature might be better fo catching these fish would be appreciated. Thanks Shaun
     
    coondogg, Mar 19, 2008
    coondogg, Mar 19, 2008
  16. Mar 20, 2008 #14
    cumberlandcat

    cumberlandcat Active Member

    Messages:
    1,169
    State:
    Tennessee
    Well if you are going to start fishing for cats a lot I would bump my tackle up, I use heavy rods that can handle about 2 to 8 oz of weight and 30 to 80 lb line with 100lb test leaders. Now some use heavier tackle than thatbut I still like to have a good fight so I use heavy line to make up for it but the lightest line I use is 30lb. I just hate to lose a fish over not having big enough line and tackle. And if you are fishing in a lot of structure heavy line will help there too.
     
    cumberlandcat, Mar 20, 2008
    cumberlandcat, Mar 20, 2008
  17. Mar 20, 2008 #15
    deadweight_sinkersho

    deadweight_sinkersho New Member

    Messages:
    31
    State:
    Iowa
    welcome to the site its right cool enjoy learn and maybe teach a few trix to newer guys:big_smile:
     
    deadweight_sinkersho, Mar 20, 2008
    deadweight_sinkersho, Mar 20, 2008
  18. Mar 20, 2008 #16
    massa_jorge

    massa_jorge New Member

    Messages:
    2,137
    State:
    TEXAS
    even with a heavy rod and tougher line, the bigguns fight good :wink:
     
    massa_jorge, Mar 20, 2008
    massa_jorge, Mar 20, 2008
  19. Mar 21, 2008 #17
    firechief4201

    firechief4201 New Member

    Messages:
    1,055
    State:
    Catlettsburg, Kentucky
    Welcome to the BOC from East Kentucky.
     
    firechief4201, Mar 21, 2008
    firechief4201, Mar 21, 2008
  20. Mar 25, 2008 #18
    Junior42

    Junior42 New Member

    Messages:
    500
    State:
    Catlettsburg, KY
    Welcome to the BOC.:big_smile:
     
    Junior42, Mar 25, 2008
    Junior42, Mar 25, 2008
  21. Mar 27, 2008 #19
    coyotee1

    coyotee1 New Member

    Messages:
    15
    State:
    indiana
    Shawn i fish turtle creek in indiana, Its also a cooling lake for a coal burning power plant, the best luck i have is right after a rain i go to the north end of the lake which is the warm side, a pretty go rain too a least a inch, where the cooler water is running into the warmer water, If you can find a creek at the warm side and get some running water Id bet that would be the spot good luck, happy fishin
     
    coyotee1, Mar 27, 2008
    coyotee1, Mar 27, 2008
  22. Mar 27, 2008 #20
    mariofish

    mariofish New Member

    Messages:
    914
    State:
    wv
    welcome to boc good tips in boc lib
     
    mariofish, Mar 27, 2008
    mariofish, Mar 27, 2008
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