# Thinking about calling it quits



## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Iam really getting discouraged with this cattin..Yea I have caught a few fish this year, but the numbers I catch are taking a nose dive every year...I have more knowledge of catfishing than in years past, better equipment etc..So the only thing I can think of is to blame the trotliners, and limbliners that fish my waters heavy...It has just gotten to the point that it is not much fun getting skunked 9 out of 10 trips..I feel bad for you Ohio river guys also cause I know the netters are doing alot of damage...Carp fishing has become much more fun, and I can see myself switching to carp 100 percent in the near future


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## bigjohn513 (Apr 6, 2004)

noooooooooooo...we cant lose a catman like yourself...keep your headup


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## roadman (Apr 7, 2004)

Those big ole flatheads will be gettin riled up when te water gets a little warmer. It's still a little early yet.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I know what you mean, as much fun a I had cathing crappie last weekend, man my cattin days may be numbered...... I think I may go back to more creek fishing as well. The GMR around here is full of channels, but channel fishing is fun @ times, but it would be much more fun to get some flatties.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

here we go again  


> Thinking about calling it quits


hey jack.
every year about this same time,you say the same thing,
and then all of a sudden the cats turn on,and you're all smiles,and back to your old happy self  
i predict the same thing will happen this time  
within a couple weeks you'll have a couple good fish under your belt,and be chasin' 'em again,till the bite dies in the fall  

ps..................old catfishermen never die,they just threaten to give up once in awhile


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## PoleSnatcher (Apr 6, 2004)

I'm in the same position flat


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Rick I hope this tactic works agin, but I am afraid it is not going to this year..I have a bad feeling


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

> ps..................old catfishermen never die,they just threaten to give up once in awhile


Thats funny Rick, but very true!


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## Spike (Apr 10, 2004)

I feel your pain. The harvesters have ruined the fishing for big cats here too. By this time I have always caught a few nice flatheads, but this year nothing. 

How can we compete with jugheads and trotliners when we can only use two lines?

Time to focus on muskies maybe.


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

Come over to the Dark side Jackson.Join DA KING !!! and the rest of the carpers....It is alot of FUN !!! THE CATKING !!!


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## skeeziks (Apr 14, 2004)

How can you blame limbliners for the lack of big cats in your fishing area? Big cats especially Shovelhead are alot like big bucks in that there just aren't many of them around. Keep in mind that I am not a limbliner, or trotliner. You say these people are taking all the big cats out of the river, I don't doubt you one bit that yes some of them do, but so do the ones that catch them on rod and reel. I've seen it many times on the G.M.R. There could be many reasons why you're not catching the fish you used to. Such as structural change within the river, pollutents, or simply the food supply has been eliminated. A productive hole can change literally overnight, especially in your smaller rivers. It's just a matter of putting some extra time in scouting new, and different stretches of the same river you've always fish, and pinpointing likey spots.
Let me ask you this, what about the people I've seen snagging spoonbills, or the people I've seen taking 5 gallon buckets full of small hy-brids from the river. Or the guy with 2 or 3 coolers full of skipjacks? C'mon, blaming limbliners and trotliners for the lack of big fish in the river is like blaming the spoon for Rosie O'donnell for being fat.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

> Big cats especially Shovelhead are alot like big bucks in that there just aren't many of them around


You hit the nail on the head, and with the trotliners and limbliners who catch and keep these big fish it has drastically reduced the population..Most rod and reel fisherman I know release the big flatheads


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## bigjohn513 (Apr 6, 2004)

skeeziks, 
do you have any idea how old a 50# flat is?


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## Spike (Apr 10, 2004)

I know for a fact at least one jug head has pilfered some big cats from the LAKE I fish in. I saw him doing it. 

If I can only use two lines I don't think the jug heads and trot liners should be allowed fifty.

It's a shame that I have had great success in my home lake for many years by letting all the fish I've caught go after a quick weight and pic, only to see some pinhead pull them out and toss them into the bottom of a boat to be skinned.

I have no idea how old a fifty pound flathead is, but the one I caught had many battle scars. I sure hope he escaped the harvesters.


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

I have often wondered why rod and reel fishermen can only use two poles, but like Spike said. jug, and trotliners can have 50???????


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## cwcarper (Apr 5, 2004)

Just come on over to the carp outing at Rocky Fork next month and you'll be ready to sell your cat gear so you can afford all this fancy Euro stuff we're starting to use  .

By the way...i know of a few places that have been hit hard by the limbliners and trotliners over the years...and these places just don't produce the big flatheads that they should/used to.


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## DavidWS10 (Apr 5, 2004)

Come on, Jack. You and I both know that once you've caught "Shovelhead Fever," everything else is just bait.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

I wouldnt call the river that our beloved "CRANEhunter" fishes "a smaller" river.
Limblines & Trolines have a huge impact on flatheads. Wish I could say more, im at work, I will be back..................


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

Jack.....i say...YES to Carp angling, BUT..dont give up on the Flatheads brother.
I know my favorite specie to chase will always be flathead catfish, but i also fish for MANY other species, now your starting to realize why i do this.
There are times that we face, like the past few years ,where "our" river has not been just right to get into them for any length of time, heavy rains, bad weather, ect. has kept us from enjoying many days chasing them...but i have many back up plans..like Channel cats, smallmouth bass, whitebass...and CARP.
Trust me Jack, you'll never completely give up on catfishing, i know I wont, but you have to find other species like carp to fill the void during the "off times".


Come on over to one of our Fish-Ins and you wont be sorry, you'll get to catch lots of fish to get ya by until its FLATHEAD time.

a Flathead Maniac to the core, but a carp angler i am too.

Personal Best: 30.9 lbs. caught 3-17-04 in the snow.......how many guys have caught 30 lb. cats in March Jackster???   

Scott


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

I caught a 33# bluecat on Feb 29th, 2004 Ohio River too, I'm not talking about our trip to Cumberland River in January...some 30's and a 40+ caught too  
Jack, Scott is right, have to be adaptable, when the stripes run, like right now, I chase them (when I have time), walleyes too when I can troll for them.


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## mrfishohio (Apr 5, 2004)

Here...I got you a picture....Jack, you might hae to venture to the Ohio River in the "on" season !


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## catking (Apr 5, 2004)

That's a really nice blue Jim !!!


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## flathunter (Apr 5, 2004)

Scott, I have never caught a Carp that big, how did the fight of that 30-lb carp compare to a 30-lb flat?


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## catfish_freddy (May 15, 2004)

Dont give up... I fish for cats most of the time but switch to carp even bluegills when the cats are not biting hang in there.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

This year has stunk real bad (so far) I'm not talking about getting skunked, heck I'm used to it, ask Jack! But I have spent a ton of $ since Christmas on cattin stuff, inlcuign the 2 st croix classic cats, but now my J-O-B is taking all my time, not to mention its almost T-Ball season, that means my fishing partner (5 year old) wont be able to go!

I'm going to try & target them hot & heavy in the fall & late summer.


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## Mr. Catfish (Apr 10, 2004)

It was slow until yesterday when I caught three flatheads in the middle of the day.The biggest,my personnal best,was 40lb 2oz also caught a 30lb 10oz fish and a 18lb 1oz fish, what a day.Here's the forty.


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## Mr. Catfish (Apr 10, 2004)

Here's the 30.


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## RiverRat (Apr 5, 2004)

Jim is correct , if you have a boat and fish the southern Ohio river area you can for sure catch blue cats during the winter....but for guys like us Jack...catching large cats in the cold times is not going to happen from our river.

Well the 30.9 lber did kick my butt, but understand i think NOTHING fights like a flathead in WARM water...the big carp was caught in high 30's/low 40 degree water temps.
If it would have been summertime..the fight would have been awsome.
Also the tackle is a lot different, long 12' rods rated upto 3-4 oz. and 12 lb test lines..compared to 8ft HEAVY rods rated to 12 oz. and 50 lb test lines.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Mr Cat those are noce fish, espically from the bank in a public area. Be proud, you're doing mroe than I am .


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