# Anyone been out yet?



## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

Wondering if anyone has had any luck yet. I haven't been out yet myself. I have done well on channels early in the season like this in the past. I plan on getting out here soon on the boat and trying a few new things this year like drifting. I've always been an anchor guy and tried some drifting last year. Gonna need to get out as early as possible to try to perfect it. I don't know when I'll be heading out yet but I'm sure sometime before the month is over and I'll let you know how it goes. Hopefully it starts to warm up some.


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## JohnPD (Jun 12, 2012)

I would like to get out there myself, I just need a day off work to do so. Maybe next weekend weather permitting because I should be off work finally.


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

I wish I wasn't working cause this feels like a great night to start off the catfish season. High near 70 and a low of 50 sure sounds nice. Good luck to anyone hoping to land that first cat of the year.


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## Boostedawdfun (Sep 15, 2012)

I've been out on the bank at alum and Hoover but not even a nibble for me yet. I've used cut shad, crawlers, shrimp and stink bait and nothing yet. I feel like they're all still in deep water.


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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

I think they are moving shallow and following shad. I'd look for shallow warm water adjacent to a deep ledge and toss some dead shad. 

I'll be fishing for cats soon enough.

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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

I went out over the weekend to Buckeye lake and landed a few channels. They definitely were not hitting just yet because we'll normally spend a day there and catch 20+ easily. The good thing was that the ones we caught were decent size with the smallest being 3lbs. All caught on cut shad.


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## Boostedawdfun (Sep 15, 2012)

What size cut shad works best? Small pieces, cut in half, a whole shad? Just wondering since I'm still new to fishing.


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## afellure12 (May 14, 2012)

I went fishing last week, night crawlers on tight lines were working for my girlfriend and I. I caught a channel cat and a mud cat. That was my first mud cat caught on rod and reel, and Megan's (my girlfriend) first catfish ever! Woot woot! I think she's hooked cuz she asked when I want to go fishing again


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

I was wanting channels over 20" so I was using 5-7" shad cuting the tail off at the front of the anal fin and stabbing a few holes in the body just to get the juices flowing. But I missed a lot of bite which I assume where smaller fish.


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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

I normally cut them into strips. Cut off the head and tail and cut the middle section into 1" strips or so. This is for when I'm going for numbers and eaters. For bigger fish use bigger bait.


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## OhioCatter (Feb 26, 2012)

My buddy, his son, and myself were out today at lake Milton and pulled in 16 kitties. Nothing of great size but it was still a great day.


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## Catproinnovations (Dec 8, 2009)

The size you cut the shad is all in time of year and current weather pattern usually early season and cold fronts small chunks size of your thumbnail or just the anal area of the shad on 3/0 wire hooks. On a normal bite or conditions the strips or head on a 5/0 circle on a aggressive feed or pre spawn summer early fall conditions whole shad whack the tail poke holes on a 8/0 circle through the eyes if your missing a lot of fish on them throw on 3/0 j hook for a stinger hooking it through the anus


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## rustyfish (Apr 27, 2004)

When out again last night on the kayak. Wasn't sure if they would still be holding on the edge between the shallow and deep ends of the lake. Hand not cooled off enough to send them deep and didn't warm up more to send them shallow. So I tried the same spot I had luck last time. 

Nope they moved. Lake is not full yet but it did come up a foot so they could have went shallow. Caught 1 and missed a few that didn't seam much stronger than my bobber. So not as good as expected but a fish in the boat is good enough.







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## SeanStone (Sep 8, 2010)

Congrats....i NEED to get out one night. Crappie just arent cutting it anymore.

I bet the lakes full now....lol. I went by your way last night and the rivers darn near on the road. It sucks cause i had planned on hitting the creeks for cats this weekend. 

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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

Yea the Scioto is blown out by me and I was planning on hitting it sometime soon but it's going to be a while now. I'll be on a lake somewhere this weekend but it's going to be back down in the 50's.


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## BanksideBandit (Jan 22, 2010)

Ended up getting out on the night of the 20th from 6pm till 1am or so. Tried deep water first because of the colder weather with not much going on. Then drifted through some deeper water with nothing. The wind was blowin pretty hard so we hit a wind blown bank and started to get on some fish. Hit another wind blown bank during the night and ended up with about 30 total with a few being bullheads. Smaller pieces of cut shad seemed to produce bites the fastest. Biggest was 4lbs with quite a few around 3. It was an overalls and carhart night and the bite was still pretty good. Should only get better the next few weeks or so.

I wish the rain would let up some so the rivers would become fishable. Can't wait to get on some flatheads!


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## DJ4wd (Jan 13, 2013)

Im going to try one night next week if the weather holds up on my me that is. There's a friend who has a large pond, and there's supposed to be some nice ones in there. I'm a cut shad kinda guy myself, but i think this will be a night-crawler kinda night.


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## Shaun69007 (Sep 2, 2009)

Gonna give Ol' Buckeye a shot tonight. A friend of mine has a cottage on his own island out there off of Leibs. Mostly drink a few beers and see what happens. I will let you know.


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## Shaun69007 (Sep 2, 2009)

Lit them up friday night off of Liebs Island. Ended up keeping 10 fish and tossing a few back. Biggest cat being 4.5ish pounds.


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