# Sandusky bay



## DHower08

Any recent info on the cat bite in the bay? Looking to make the 2 hour drive again this year to get my 8 y.o on some of them monsters


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## BuckeyeTom

My first trip was a week ago. Crazy big channels! 35 fishing 6 rods in a 6 hour trip with the biggest being 17 pounds. Was told this was slow and there are way bigger. Thanks to Don!


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## DHower08

Awesome thank you for the report. Last summer was the first time we fished it. My son reeled in around 30 channels that day some where as big as him. The only one I reeled in ended up being biggest of the day. He was not thrilled about that haha


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## 1MoreKast

Pretty soon man! The Sandusky Bay catfish bite is a blast. I've done it a few times with a good buddy usually toward end of May and early June. But sounds like they're in there now but I'm guessing it's only going to get better with this warm up on it's way. Go get 'em brother!


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## Chuck T Mechling

Not going to lie, I get slightly excited when I think about fishing the Bay. Can't wait for the warm weather and to get my Son on some monsters this summer! DHower thats a memory he will never forget! Good luck gentlemen!!


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## Cast4em

Chuck T Mechling said:


> Not going to lie, I get slightly excited when I think about fishing the Bay. Can't wait for the warm weather and to get my Son on some monsters this summer! DHower thats a memory he will never forget! Good luck gentlemen!![/QUOTE
> 
> 
> Every year I read about this and it sure sounds like a lot of fun. I have never tried it. What methods are you using to catch these catfish. I have a couple son’s also that would love to get into some big catfish.


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## Cast4em

DHower08 said:


> Any recent info on the cat bite in the bay? Looking to make the 2 hour drive again this year to get my 8 y.o on some of them monsters





DHower08 said:


> Any recent info on the cat bite in the bay? Looking to make the 2 hour drive again this year to get my 8 y.o on some of them monsters


Every year I read about this and it sure sounds like a lot of fun. I have never tried it. What methods are you using to catch these catfish. I have a couple son’s also that would love to get into some big catfish.


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## 1MoreKast

An old standby to use on channel catfish I like is to grab a couple bags of shrimp and divvy them up into a few ziploc bags. One bag I'll keep them plain. The other soak some vanilla extract and brown sugar. The other douse a bunch of garlic powder. Let those marinate over night in the fridge and you're ready to go. A lot of guys like to soak them in flavored gelatin powder which works too. The cool thing about catfish is you can experiment all you want and make it fun.


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## 1MoreKast

Forgot to mention, a decent heavy rod with some strong monofilament, an egg sinker, and a nice gamakatsu 2/0 or 3/0 circle hook is what I like to use. I like to rest one on the bottom and suspend one on a big float too. 

If that's intimidating a big ol' nightcrawler, hook, splitshot, bobber will do it too. Don't overthink channel cats...


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## bare naked

1MoreKast said:


> An old standby to use on channel catfish I like is to grab a couple bags of shrimp and divvy them up into a few ziploc bags. One bag I'll keep them plain. The other soak some vanilla extract and brown sugar. The other douse a bunch of garlic powder. Let those marinate over night in the fridge and you're ready to go. A lot of guys like to soak them in flavored gelatin powder which works too. The cool thing about catfish is you can experiment all you want and make it fun.


Your speaking of garlic reminds me of a favorite bait. Cut up hotdogs covered with garlic salt overnight. Don't understand the attraction to garlic but have caught some of my biggest fish on it.


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## DHower08

Cast4em said:


> Every year I read about this and it sure sounds like a lot of fun. I have never tried it. What methods are you using to catch these catfish. I have a couple son’s also that would love to get into some big catfish.


We used shrimp and cut bait and flat wore my boys arms out. We just used my flipping rods for bass. And I have a couple clicker reels I put on them for catfishinf


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## Chuck T Mechling

Agree with everything above. Raw Shrimp peeled no tail. About to load up on Creek chubs as well for cut bait. Heard Shad are washing up all over cleveland area. Might bag a couple of those too! It can be like shooting fish in a barrel on the Bay!


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## tgh1111

Chuck T Mechling said:


> Agree with everything above. Raw Shrimp peeled no tail. About to load up on Creek chubs as well for cut bait. Heard Shad are washing up all over cleveland area. Might bag a couple of those too! It can be like shooting fish in a barrel on the Bay!


Can you use a pontoon boat or a g3 gater tough on the bay ? Or do you need a deep v style ?


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## Gottagofishn

Pretty shallow in there. Pontoons are fairly standard there


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## tgh1111

Gottagofishn said:


> Pretty shallow in there. Pontoons are fairly standard there


thanks I appreciate it


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## DHower08

tgh1111 said:


> Can you use a pontoon boat or a g3 gater tough on the bay ? Or do you need a deep v style ?


Bay averaged about 4 to 6 feet deep. No need for a big boat. I took my 16 foot tracker mod v no problems on a windy day


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## Slingblade

What are the biggest cats you all have caught?


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## DHower08

Our biggest was just under 14 pounds and this was mid to late summer around August sometime pre spawn I know that 20+# fish are regularly caught


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## Cast4em

DHower08 said:


> Any recent info on the cat bite in the bay? Looking to make the 2 hour drive again this year to get my 8 y.o on some of them monsters


Does anyone ever try jigs or other artificial lures for these Cats. How bout other fish. Do you catch other species of fish also?


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## Chuck T Mechling

My biggest was 34 1/2 inchs (Forgot my scale), Dad has caught them on artificial before. But normally if you have shrimp or other bait in the water, you dont have much time to cast around artificial haha. Ive tossed erie deries out with worm and caught sheephead and white bass.


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## DHower08

Agree with the above. We hit one spot you absolutely could not run two rods at a time. I would cast out for my son and just tell him to get ready. I wouldn't even have time to bait another rod and he was hollering to get the net


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## jmyers8

Where do you guys launch at and hows the depth getting out there from there? We would be talking are 21 ft proline 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## Gottagofishn

Two spots I’m aware of. Dempsey is off Bay Shore (Google it for address). There is another ramp at Clemon’s Boats on the other side of the bay. Fee to launch there.
LM in the bay as well.
Happy Hunting!


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## Chuck T Mechling

Depth is fine, but I learned last year not to hammer down through the bay. Motor caught a tree or something up by the train bridge. Scared the hell outta me but it was okay. Clemons is $10 or I believe $100 for the season. Was debating to do some Bass fishing instead of Catfish but my buddies been begging Me to take him Catfishing there. Either way, cant go wrong!


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## captainshotgun

Whites landing has a pay ramp, kind of crummy. City of Sandusky has a free ramp, very, very nice!


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## tribefan0225

jmyers8 said:


> Where do you guys launch at and hows the depth getting out there from there? We would be talking are 21 ft proline
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Hank's on the Bay also has a pay ramp. It was $10 last time I used it, which was a couple years ago. Depth should be fine. I took my 19' deep V and had no issues.


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## BigJohn

Thinking about making the 2 hour trip up this weekend for white bass, but if they are off, might try the bay. When I was a kid we used to slay the cats back in Muddy Creek (on that rip-rap breakwall between the creek and the river was the best place) but have not tried that in years. Never ventured out into the bay. What general areas do I need to target? I'm thinking I need to be at or west of Bay Bridge.


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## Chuck T Mechling

Ive decided to fish somewhere else this weekend, going to be kinda chilly and 12+mph winds from the north/northeast. Ill pass! Inland lakes by me are going to be 20 degrees warmer haha but any of the bridges hold fish. I've seen people fishing all over the Bay with results. Just keep moving till you find em!


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## JignPig Guide

I had plenty of action yesterday out by the Edison bridge. Non-stop. I kept my four smallest ones for a future fish-fry. 
Lake Erie's Sandusky Bay is the #1 Catfish destination in the USA.


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## Chuck T Mechling

Sounds about right lol glad a lot of people would rather troll for walleye on Erie than fight these giants in the bay!


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## kfi

Scrolling thru this thread and responding to one question about whether the cats will hit artificials... Answer, definitely will. My son and I were bass fishing in the bay last year (late June) and caught way more cats then bass that day. Probably 10-15 throwing artificials mostly around rip-rap. Caught em' on Senko's, Ned Rigs, Crankbaits, Swimbaits. If they think its food they will hit it. No giants but several +/- five pounders. Was a lot of fun. Here is a pic of the typical catch from that day...










Also, the couple free public ramps that we used during trips up there last year are below:

Sandusky City Ramp: https://goo.gl/maps/UDGhTbnubKPxqi4R8

Dempsey State Ramp (North Side of Bay): https://goo.gl/maps/zz4LuACCjfkG7bkX8

Both of these are nice public facilities with no fees.


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## DeathFromAbove

Catch them in the Maumee River on Big O's all the time Mepps type spinners also


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## AtticaFish

kfi said:


> No giants but several +/- five pounders............


Those cats are always a fun surprise. They don't do the aerobatics like the bass but they sure are bulldogs that will fight just as good (if not better) than LMB.


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## bower112

Where is a good place to shore fish for these cats ?


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## AtticaFish

Bay Bridge.


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## Steelhauler

Are there specific areas that are better to fish like the river channel or doesn't it matter?
Thanks,
Wes


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## Chuck T Mechling

I just cruise around until I get a bunch of marks, anchor down and fish  you'll find out real quick if they are catfish


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## Chuck T Mechling

Took my buddies Dad out today. Slow morning but we found some! Lot of sheephead but a fish is a fish I suppose. Biggest was 16.5! Might be my personal best. As always a good time in the Bay! Hope y’all get out this weekend!


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## bigbass201

Looks like the cats are biting good. My buddy was out on the lake today and said the bugs were terrible. He left a picture of his clothes covered in them! Sort of creepy with all those bugs climbing on you while your fishing. https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/fis...e-erie-bugs-climbing-all-over-you-t13665.html


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## Sasamafras

DeathFromAbove said:


> Catch them in the Maumee River on Big O's all the time Mepps type spinners also


Very true, caught some trolling crankbaits in kayak last summer! Very surprised, fun fight.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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