# I Need Some Help



## BigTripp (Oct 1, 2010)

I started getting into catfishing last summer when I went with my buddy on the Tuscarawas River around Tusky. I've been out about twice a week this year and am lucky to get one fish any time I go out. I usually go out to Tappan Lake with a couple friends and use liver, nightcrawlers or shrimp on a size 4 or 5 hook or a size one circle hook. We average MAYBE one a night and get skunked on a regular basis. I tried Long Lake in Akron a couple of times and caught a ton of bullhead and nothing else. Same story at Springfield.

A Few Questions:
1. When I'm at a lake I usually have one rod sitting in one of those $2 vertical rod holders from Walmart and I hold the other one. My friend usually uses bells and I just watch my rod tips. Would a horizontal holder work better? Do you usually loosen the drag and let them run a little before setting the hook?
2. Does lantern light scare off the fish? Talking volume noise?
3. What kind of things are you looking for in a good catfish spot? I don't have a boat or anything so it's usually just whatever looks like a good spot is where I go.
4. What time do they usually start biting? We've started anytime between about 7:30pm and 1am and fished as late as 4am. I'm just totally baffled as to what I'm doing wrong or if it's just rotten luck.

I'm doing a birthday fishing extravaganza this weekend. We're going bassin' at a private pond in Cambridge on Saturday morning and may go early and try for cats at Salt Fork Friday night. I haven't been there since I was probably 12 so all I know about the place is what I've read on the Southeast Ohio forums and whatever I saw when I drove through about a month ago. If anybody could throw me a bone and at least point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it.


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## samiam (Jan 6, 2011)

All I can tell you is that when you go to Salt fork try under the bridge right before you get to 55. I caught the biggest cat of my life there on a chunk of carp. It was about a 35 lb flat head.


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## fredg53 (Sep 17, 2010)

check ur PM


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

I try to point my rods directly at my bait. A horizontal rest would be best in this case, but may not always work depending on the terrain. Channel cats, more so than flatheads, can be a bit spooky if they feel a bunch of pressure on the other end. Everynow and then you'll get a channel that will grab the bait and take off, typically though you'll have a few tugs on the line, maybe see your line go tight , then drop back. I use spinning reels and turn the drag down as loose as I can get it without setting myself up for a backlash if I get a really hard take.

Your bait sounds fine. A small bluegill, chub or bass minnow might work too...if they do, you'll probably get a larger fish.


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## samfishdyt (Sep 15, 2010)

Likewise I try to point my rod toward where my bait is. If I'm fishing for channels I might not set the drag too low and let the hook set itself. If I'm fishing in an area notorious for large cats I will turn my drag down and let it ziiiiiiing! Everyone does it a little different. No plan is perfect. I've been fishing in areas I've fished hundreds of times and never got a fish close to five pounds with chicke liver targeting smaller eaters, and my pole has taken off like a missle.


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## mastercatman (Jan 30, 2005)

I agree with most of what has been said here though some parts of your questions are not fully answered yet...sorry I'm a little late! Rod position relative to your baits is a minor consideration in my book...least resistance is best though. Lantern light in clear shallow water will spook fish and so will loud boisterous voices IMO! Catfish are sensitive and spooky to noise and light when those two things are not normally present. I grew up fishing the Tusc. religiously and have caught many channels from it up to 9lbs. My best baits have been cut carp and chubs. To catch the carp, get a bag of feed corn and chum an area near your fishing spot. Within a couple hours you will have plenty of carp around. Catch them by threading 1 or 2 pieces of corn on a size 6 octopus hook through the soft white portion of the corn (germ). I fillet the carp and cut it into small chunks. Place chunks in a container with as much blood and the guts as you can get into it. Works very well! Fish deeper holes with good structure and undercut banks, they are there! Also, don't let fish run too long with your bait...a couple seconds is usually good enough while they eat it for smaller cut baits.


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## BigTripp (Oct 1, 2010)

Update:
I hit Tappan with a buddy for about four hours tonight for a grand total of.... 1 very average channel. Chicken livers fished on the bottom with a slip sinker rig. We both had one rod vertical and one horizontal, no lantern light and minimal noise. I don't know what it is but I can't even seem to catch bait on a regular basis this year. Guess I'll just keep plugging away and see if it improves. It's getting to be extremely frustrating.


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## morning jigger (Apr 22, 2009)

Bigg Tripp I like yourself have not had much success with the cats this year. In fact had alot of the same questions as you being fairly new to big cat fishing. My question, is late night the best for catfishing, or does it really matter? I have always been told at night is best but, if you look at M Meigs (sorry if spelling is not correct) pics and there all during day light hours? Thanks everyone for posting both questions and answers!


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## morning jigger (Apr 22, 2009)

Also doesn't help reading ODNR posts stating that catfish can be found in nearly every body of water in the state. Not to mention trying numerous differant "catfish baits" all with little to no success! Lol.. your not alone


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## BigTripp (Oct 1, 2010)

morning jigger said:


> I have always been told at night is best but, if you look at M Meigs (sorry if spelling is not correct) pics and there all during day light hours?


I could be wrong but I think I've seen on here that a lot of those guys catch them at night and just keep them around until sunrise so they can get better pictures. I've gone out as early as 6 and never had a hit til after dark.


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## BottomBouncer (Jan 20, 2005)

Have you tried putting a different bait on each rod? 

Also, the field corn chumming for carp will attract cats too. Get a bag of it at TSC or wherever you can find it. Fill a 5 gallon bucket about 1/3 with the corn and fill the bucket with boiliing water. Let it sit for a couple days and the corn will get soft...let it sit longer and it will really start to ripin' up for you!

Use this to chum the area for a few days before you want to fish. It will attract a lot of different fish to the area. Be prepared for a carp though.

Also, are you fishing the same spot? I would assume you're not, but if you are...this could be your problem. 

How far out are you casting? If you're thinking the farther is better, try closer. Get a topo map to get an idea of what is in front of you.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

I mostly use abu Garcia reels with clickers, but if I am using openface I tend to only use one rod and hold it in hand. Some people don't like holding a rod but it gives you a huge advantage. Plus if you hold the handle and rest the tip on the rod holder it is not as much of a pain. If I use a second rod then I lean on my rod holder and rest my toe on he but of the rod. Channel cats grab and go I have seen many shad and liver poles get pulled in. Same goes for gar if you use live bait in the river, hardest fastest runs iv ever seen. Flathead can surly pull your pole in but they run much slower and you should have enough time.


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## BigTripp (Oct 1, 2010)

BottomBouncer said:


> Have you tried putting a different bait on each rod?
> 
> Also, the field corn chumming for carp will attract cats too. Get a bag of it at TSC or wherever you can find it. Fill a 5 gallon bucket about 1/3 with the corn and fill the bucket with boiliing water. Let it sit for a couple days and the corn will get soft...let it sit longer and it will really start to ripin' up for you!
> 
> ...


Different spots around Tappan. Over the last couple of weeks we've tried shrimp, livers, cut shad, live shad, stink bait, and crawlers. I've had as many as 3 people fishing two rods each with a different bait on every rod. I've also tried different distances from shore, hook sizes and times of night. I've never tried the corn suggestion before, might give it a shot. For now I guess I'll just keep attributing it to bad luck. Thank you all for the advice and I'll keep you updated on how it goes.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

As for rod holders I use 32inch shepherds rods "garden plant hangers". Best thing I,have ever found, very sturdy metal and will go into almost any ground. And you can you can use 2 per rod for horizontal set up. I even use them on gravel bars. Everyone should look into this I love them.


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## mastercatman (Jan 30, 2005)

To answer the question about night fishing. Yes, it is more likely to produce actively feeding catfish. It is very possible to catch them during the daylight hours also if you know what the program is. I personally hate the hot sun and prefer night fishing. Last year especially but, in many times in the past...between 2am and 5am seems to produce well for the flatheads as regularly as I have found. This year seems to be a different year. I had a lot of trouble getting onto fish up until the past few weeks. During this past few weeks, the bite has been good from 9pm to 1am and nearly but not always dead after that. I hope this answers the question.

BigTripp: I agree with what was mentioned earlier about your casting distances. Choose your casts wisely and keep in mind where the baitfish are and move baits semi-frequently unless you are confident the spot just calls for patience :B. When winds are blowing on the lakes, I choose the windblown side with wind in my face. If the waves stir up a mudline along the shore....place your baits on the outer edge of the mudline and cutbaits ie shad bluegills are king in this situation. Look for points with shallow flats on them especially with a wind blowing across or into them! If weeds are present, cast baits to fall on the weedline and not beyond for most situations. In rivers, fish sandbars which are followed by scour or eddie holes, outside bends with structure such as undercuts and large logjams/piles (fish upriver side for most active fish), and during high/er water you will do better to fish tight to the banks where the most slack water is available. Move often when possible or necessary....some say 15-20 minutes....I say give an hour on each hole with a round or two of bait repositioning. I am known to sit on a hole all night if I have a lot of faith it holds bigger fish though! I hope this helps....it should! Good luck


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## catfishnut (Dec 23, 2010)

Cut bluegill or bass works best for me or if it's a smaller gill just remove the eyes and hook it up.


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