# Bay Catfishing - need to go again



## SPLMAX SAM (Jul 10, 2010)

First time in a long time (hadn’t been there since I was a kid) - Dragged my boat up to Sandusky Bay and tried for some channel catfish. 
Amazed me how much current was in the bay by the bridges. Also amazed on how active the catfish were. 

Had a slow start. Poor anchor control. After hour or two of no bites, made some adjustments and got some solid bites. 
















I wish I had some shad for bait. All I had was some shrimp and chicken liver. 

Got to get back there again soon





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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

The key to fishing the bay besides finding current is to have 2 anchors that both weigh double what you think that you need to hold your boat in place.


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## FishyMcFisherson (Jul 7, 2019)

Shrimp always hammers them on the bay


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## SPLMAX SAM (Jul 10, 2010)

What is (are) some good Boat rigs?
I used egg sinker circle hook (colorado type rig). I was thinking maybe perch spreader on the bottom may also be good?


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

I have always used an egg sinker above an eagle claw #84 hook, no swivel in between, just a bead to cushion the knot, 20 pound big game line. Fish that on a slightly slack line baited with shrimp or cut shad. Night crawlers are just to expensive anymore to go cat fishing with. No worms in my yard. Sit back and wait for the clicker on the spinning reel to scream. If you don’t catch a fish in 15 minutes move. Actually if I can fish two rods I keep moving until I can only only fish one.


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## FishyMcFisherson (Jul 7, 2019)

I've seen guys use spreaders. I just use a 2-4 oz. Egg sinker and a circle hook set as a carolina rig. That's the thing, I think almost any set up will work on the bay. I've never been and not caught something. Catch between a few and a few dozen everytime out


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

We use a trolley rig when we fish for cats. 1.5oz pyramid sinker on the bottom. 24" leader of 20# mono up to a three-way swivel. 4" mono dropper off three-way to a circle hook. Use a bait-runner reel and raw frozen shrimp. If you don't want to invest in baitrunners, just set the drags really light but you'll miss a lot of fish because you forget to tighten before cranking. Keep the rod tip up to create some angle to your line and keep the bait slightly off the bottom. Leave the shell on as much as you can to keep the gobies at bay. 

We use braid for our mainline but NEVER for the leader from the weight to the swivel. Reason being, that weight often ends up in the net and un-tangling braid from a mesh net in the dark just plain sucks. Paying attention when netting is important, as you can get to a point where you net the fish and keep the weight on the outside of the net hoop. Circle hooks are the only way to go, and yes, you will miss a few here and there but you won't gut hook any either.


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## SPLMAX SAM (Jul 10, 2010)

I am close
My 4 bait casters are ABU record 60 with bait runner capabilities. 
My 2 spinning reels are Okuma bait runners

I going to add trolly rig to my existing egg sinker rig. 

Hope to hit the Bay next week

Need to find Ungutted Green shrimp. And some fresh or frozen shad

Season is coming to an end quickly!


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## SPLMAX SAM (Jul 10, 2010)

Thanks for the pointers. My buddy seeing some positive results 


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Yep....that's a nice one!! No matter where I fish for them, that rig seems to produce. I know many guys feel like they need to lay their bait in the mud, but not me.


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## SPLMAX SAM (Jul 10, 2010)

Went back 1 more time (work has me out of state for almost whole month of October). 
Bite was good - landed 10 fish. Nice size. Shrimp and chicken liver. All were released to grow! 


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## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Damn Sam!! That's a dandy!


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## King-Fish (Oct 18, 2019)

Always love fishing at the bay. Never fails to produce quality cats. You can take kids there and fish off old bay bridge state access dock and catch monsters as well. Great memories with big fish like that can remember going as a kid myself still to this day.


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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

I believe that the rip-rap pictured in the background, in the first pic, is YETTER ROAD Access?
Is it FREE FISHING/ PARKING ALL ALONG THERE?
Did anyone place structure piles along that access road?

I can't even imagine how awesome the fishing would be, all along that old roadway. Smallie heaven in the spring, rockies, cats,,,, & with placed structure piles,,, SLAB CRAPPIES!
Man would I love to spend a MONTH up there,,, next May -June. 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/E...23f81627dff92a0!8m2!3d41.481269!4d-82.8346791

NICE PICS SAM,,,, & THANKS.


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## Girthline (Sep 19, 2014)




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## TopRaider15 (Mar 10, 2015)

Monster channel man!


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Girthline said:


> View attachment 331089


Did you get a weight on that beast?


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

SPLMAX SAM said:


> What is (are) some good Boat rigs?
> I used egg sinker circle hook (colorado type rig). I was thinking maybe perch spreader on the bottom may also be good?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


we were down in md and went fishing on the Potomac river. we used shrimp on a bonita rig. but I have always just used a no roll barrel sinker before. or for the last 20 yrs or so. but the bonita rig with 2 hooks worked great. I took a few pictures the 1st day we fished. but should have taken pictures on the second day. I probably caught 40 or 50 fish in a half day, around 6:00 I just put my rods in the holders and quit fishing. I was tired of catching cats.
sherman


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

Anyone know if the cats can be caught much in the harbors of Astabula and Conneaut? Would seem likely as they are small man made bays???


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