Catfishing June 27 & 28 Photos (NEW)

BrandynS · Jun 30, 2003

One the 27th Myself, Nick, and Joe got out to the river at about 7:30 after catching Bluegills at a local pond. I put one rod out and was going to go help with the fire wood, but first talked to 2 other guys fishing for Flatheads as well. About two minutes into talking I hear my clicker. I thought maybe it was my Bluegill, but went over to check it out just in case. It went out three more times slowly and then just started taking off. I set the hook and it felt huge. I felt it turning and shaking its head, but it wasn't swimming anywhere. I realized I had it snagged up. I fought it for about 3 more minutes trying to free it and then did so. It didn't feel as big when it was free, but was fighting very well. It surfaced and it was a good above average Flathead for this part of the river. I landed her, got a photo, measurment, and release. The fish had a huge girth and a very big head. Very beautiful Flathead. We guess it was about 10-12 pounds or so. That was the only fish of the night and I only had two more hits. It got dark and we had a big fire going not even paying attention to our rods since we couldn't see them at all. The people on the island in front of us caught one 15 inch Flathead or so and kept it and the guys next to us didn't get anything while we were there. We left early at about 10:30 since it was getting worse out, weatherwise. Lightning and such. Bluegills were from 5-7 inches and got mine on a 6 incher. Size of the Bluegill really doesn't matter. If a big Flathead comes by a small Bluegill, I don't think it would'nt mind eating it since its easy. Also witht he bigger Bluegills thinking your targeting only the bigger flatheads, think again if you fish this part of the river since we have gotten 16-18 inch Flatheads on 6-7 inch Bluegills. :wink: Any size Bluegill, Green Sunfish, etc... should work. But, I prefer 6 inchers.

On the 28th Adam and I fished various ponds and lakes before we got out for some Catfishing. We stopped at one place first and caught some nice Smallies. Didn't get any photos because my camera died. The biggest Smallies were mine and Adam's 16.5 inchers. Adams was a Female and mine was a Male. We left and went to a pond and I only got one Largemouth and had one nice one on and lost a little one. Went to two other ponds and in one we got about 10-15 small Largemouth between the two of us. It was a very large pond so we had alot of shoreline to cover, which we did. Suprisingly all the Largemouth were from 10-14 inches. In the other pond we caught some Bluegill for Catfish and also seen a GIANT Grass Carp near shore. My guess would be at least 25 pounds and at the most 50-60 pounds. Hard to tell, but it was a Giant. Went to another pond and got Bluegill after taking a break at my house and it was time to go to the river. We knew it was going to rain since it already did twice throughout the day. We started at about 4 and fished on an island with only 3 hits and I lost three Bluegills. I lost them not on hooksets, but when I had hits they must have came off, but it was strange. It started pouring, good thing we had shelter, but we left two rods further out on the island. Adam went and grabbed his, but stayed in the rain and got soaked! LOL. I on the other hand took the easy was out. I ran to the end of the island, grabbed my rod, and ran back out of the rain. Then I just reeled it in from there.

Fun. Went to the middle of the river on a small island of rocks. We put out two rods each with Gills and then we both were fishing for whatever would hit a jointed rapala and an inline spinner. Adam had a hit on the spinner, and that was it since it started pouring after. We got out of the river after it started lightning and went to a bar and ate. We then decided to call it a day since we were soaked, cold, and most of the Bluegills were dead.

Fun day, no Flatheads, but it was early. We should have waited until at least 7 to start, but oh well. The rest of the year is still ahead of us.

Here are some photos of the two Smallies from a few days ago and also some Catfish photos I never posted from not to long ago.

Click here if the images do not show up above.
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse. ... ted=333479

RiverRat242 · Jun 30, 2003

Thanks for putting up the great reports. It is good to see some active posters. I'm new to this board and have re-found my love of fishing after years of inactivity. I have never heard of using bluegills and sunfish as bait for cats. I'm wondering what size hook you use, and how you hook the bluegills on them?

Thanks

JB · Jun 30, 2003

Pics

Brandyn, I can't see the pics........don't leave me hangin'. Try again please.

Guest · Jul 1, 2003

Amon242 said:
I have never heard of using bluegills and sunfish as bait for cats. I'm wondering what size hook you use, and how you hook the bluegills on them?

Thanks

The size hook as with any type of fishing depends on different variables...
Hook sizes will vary from company to company & from hook to hook...I've been using an 8/0 circle hook...But if you notice the fish to be a little more on the tenative side..then you'll have to switch to a smaller hook...Then you might also not want to use a circle in this situation either...When fish are on a light bite pattern you might want to switch to a kahle or octopus hook...There's 2 different way's to hook the gill...One & the most common way is to hook the fish below the dorsal fin nearer to the tail of the fish...But also being carefull not to hit the spine of the fish when hooking..And making sure there's no scale on the point of your hook after baiting up(this is very important)...Then the other way & less common I may add..Is hooking the gill through the lips as if you were placing a minnow on a jig...

1 more tip because you appear to be a novice catter...Alway's use a bead inbetween your weight & knot if your placing your weight on the main line...This help's protect your knot because these weight's will weaken your knot..

BrandynS · Jul 2, 2003

Okay new host. Sorry for the problem! Thanks

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Brandyn

Justin · Jul 3, 2003

Maybee it is just me.....they still don't work?

Why don't you just use your old image hosting?....It worked better

BrandynS · Jul 3, 2003

Just click here Justin.
http://www.villagephotos.com/pubbrowse. ... ted=333479

Hey Justin did you see the 23 pound Flathead Catfish caught in Montgomery? Oh guess what, it was caught right under the dam.

4

Looks like I was right afterall.

2

channel cat · Jul 3, 2003

Brandyn is right, bigger flatheads hang out right below the dams, with all of the current, baitfish need a lot of oxygen so they live by the dams, while spawning especially. The flatheads then eat all of the baitfish. Bigger and bigger flatheads are being caught in deep holes below dams. At night they move shallower.

Justin · Jul 4, 2003

The areas near the dam is where I usually fish. I normally fish them at night and fish in the shallows near holes. The fish will definitly be in the dams during the summer, but in the late spring the channel cats spawn in the dam. Flatheads usually spawn in rip-rap, barrels, logs, or ree-bar.

Justin

BrandynS · Jul 7, 2003

I see you talked to Jake and he informed you where you should fish.

2 But, big Flatheads are in the dam even in the day time and not only at night.

They spawn in July, not a month ago like you said, so they wont be as active. This month may be the hardest month of the year besides the winter months to catch big Flatheads. They will rarely leave the nest to search for food so you might have to move a lot. Cut bait (suckers) could be the best bait. Fish the nastiest log jam you can find, even if its only 2 feet deep.

Bronzeback Assasin03 · Jul 7, 2003

Brandyn I stopped using village, they went and don't let me use the pics on the posts!

channel cat · Jul 7, 2003

Brandyn is right about the flatheads spawning now. One or both parents excavate the nest which is usually in a natural cavity like a hole in the bank, or near a log or some other large submerged object. After spawning the male guards the nest until the fry disperse. The male eats little to no food at that time. The female leaves the nest then. If you cast into the nest the males with strike. The females are still looking for food.

BrandynS · Jul 8, 2003

But, you have to remember. There isn't as many femals as there are males. Well, in my part of the river anyway. If you have fished for Flatheads here or even Channels, you know! lol

2

Justin · Jul 9, 2003

http://www.gen.umn.edu/faculty_staff/ha ... tfish.html

I did a little research. Yes the flatheads do spawn in June and July. I never said they did not. I told Brandyn that the Channel cats spawned a while ago, not the flatheads. The channel cats were in the dam 2 weeks ago while they were spawning. I would not doubt that IF and WHEN the flatheads are done spawning there will be some in the dams, but not all of them.

Brandyn tells me about a 23 pounder caught in the dam. He has seen atleast 2 PICTURES or 20+ pounders from elsewhere, besides the dam(He knows right where they were caught) at LLoBRI bait and tackle in Montgomery.

channel cat · Jul 10, 2003

18.5lber. was caught at Mc'Henry at the dam a few days back.

muskyjake · Jul 10, 2003

cmon guys, lets stop arguing and start fishing ive never heard of anyone catching a 20lb flathead from there computer.
Jake

BrandynS · Jul 10, 2003

I never said all of the Flatheads were in the dam. I know there are some in the dam and I know of another place where they are where I havn't fished this year yet, which I was saving for this month and I might try it this weekend. When I said that it was also earlier in the year when they were starting to feed and the dam is where most of the food was. I also seen with my own eyes nice Flatheads breaking the surface at baitfish.

Justin keep doing research instead of guessing, although fishing for Flatheads is usually a big guessing game at night and usually not the day.

Jake your exactly right, maybe this topic should be locked so it will end.

Brandyn

Catfishing June 27 & 28 Photos (NEW)

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