# Looking for some catfishing tips



## The Solution (Nov 15, 2010)

I belong to a club that has a lake ranging from 2ft deep at one end to around 15ft at the other. I've been told and seen the pictures showing the lake is full of some monsters. Just looking for advice as far as bait, depth, and how I can present my bait to get some of those big guys going. I tried last week with some thawed skipjack laying on the bottom but, I had no takers, all advice will be appreciated.


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## anglerette (Feb 21, 2010)

they say cats will come up to three miles for the smell of bait.....one of my favorites is week old livers wrapped in corn flakes.....works every time !! good luck yo.


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## throwitback (Jun 10, 2010)

Whats a (monster)? flatheads or channels. and to anglerette, i want to know who wraps those old chicken livers for you? thats just gross


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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

What kind of cats are in the lake? If there's just channels then I 'd go with nightcrawlers,shrimp,chicken livers,cut bait,chicken flavored with Kool Aid powder(cherry,strawberry,grape,whatever) and fish it about a foot up off the bottom in the deep end. If no takers I'd go up higher in the water. I'd move up a foot or two until you found what depth they're holding at. If there's Blue cats in there I'd go with some live giant goldfish,small bluegill,shad,chub fished at various depths until you found 'em.. If there's Flatheads/shovelheads(whatever you call 'em) then I'd try right before dark and through the night and into the morning hours with live bait fished on or near the bottom. Hope some of this helps out.


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## treytd32 (Jun 12, 2009)

strawberry chickenbreast


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## OHFishmanB (Oct 15, 2007)

I was a member there for years, and it's one of the easiest lakes to fish. This time of year, you'll want fresh cut shad. Use a cast net off the second dock on the back side of the lake toward the dam. Cast it out as far as possible and let it sink to the bottom because the shad are very deep this time of year. 1 or 2 large shad should be enough. Cut them up in 1'' squares and fish the next dock over toward the dam. Don't use a float, just fish on bottom with very little weight, normally 1/4oz, just to the right of the areator. That is one of the deepest holes and the blues will lay there during the winter. Very slowly bump the shad across the bottom. I've had many days catching 5-10 blues during the winter doing that. During spring you'll want to fish along the rocks 5-10' deep, and summer head toward the shallow water at night. There are a few trees in the water across from the clubhouse and fish 3-5' deep with large bluegills or goldfish near the trees. I've had many summer nights with 20+ flatheads. The largest I've got from there was 45lb flat and 44lb blue. I've won many of the tournaments they had, not sure if they still do them or not. They've started to put some larger fish in but I don't fish there anymore due to not agreeing with how they get their fish. Hope that helps.


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## The Solution (Nov 15, 2010)

Which aerorator the one closest to the dam or the one closest to the dock


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## conley1414 (Feb 12, 2010)

how do they get their fish, that makes you not fish there anymore?


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## anglerette (Feb 21, 2010)

throwitback said:


> Whats a (monster)? flatheads or channels. and to anglerette, i want to know who wraps those old chicken livers for you? thats just gross



haha thats y i use a glove when i go cat fishin......i dont go often but its fun!!


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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

conley1414 said:


> how do they get their fish, that makes you not fish there anymore?


Well I'll go out on a limb and take a guess it's not on the up n up. Not everybody follows the rules on how to properly obtain fish for their private club/paylakes lakes.


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## OHFishmanB (Oct 15, 2007)

There's not necessarily anything wrong with the lake in particular, it's just how the commercial fishing industry works. I still have some good friends from there, but I dont like how these guys pull tens of thousands of pounds of catfish out of our rivers and put them in little mudholes. You will very rarely see dead fish at HCA, but paylakes are much different. The people they buy their fish from are the same ones that sell to paylakes, in fact they have their own paylake. I would rather not support their agendas. All my catfishing now is done at East Fork and the river. Now that I have a boat I enjoy the challenge much more of finding your own fish in 2,000+ acre lakes rather than 5 acres. Also, around both aerators are good, but if you go between them on the bottom you'll get snagged on the line. Between the dam and the last aerator is the best this time of year. Make sure youre using real small bait too.


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## The Solution (Nov 15, 2010)

Not sure I understand what you are saying about seeing dead fish at hca versus a paylake.


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## Further (Oct 19, 2010)

I have yet to see any catfish released into Hamilton County Angler's lake that were not obtained legally. I'm sure activity as you suggested may have happened, but I fish there quite often and have yet to encounter any illegal activity endorsed or readily embraced. I too fish East Fork, but remember, it was stocked with fish from industrial fish farms as well. Sorry you left over that issue.


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## OHFishmanB (Oct 15, 2007)

I have never said that any of their fish were obtained illegally. I simply do not agree with how paylakes work, and they get their fish the same way paylakes do. Most of the members there were great. It's a nice peaceful lake with some good fish in it, but I enjoy the challenge of finding fish on my own.


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## Further (Oct 19, 2010)

OHFishmanB said:


> This time of year, you'll want fresh cut shad. Use a cast net off the second dock on the back side of the lake toward the dam. Cast it out as far as possible and let it sink to the bottom because the shad are very deep this time of year. 1 or 2 large shad should be enough. Cut them up in 1'' squares and fish the next dock over toward the dam. Don't use a float, just fish on bottom with very little weight, normally 1/4oz, just to the right of the areator. That is one of the deepest holes and the blues will lay there during the winter. Very slowly bump the shad across the bottom.


Excellent tip! This weekend I'm going to try this. I know the hole you're talking about. It's about 20' deep close to the "poker hole" side, right? Wish me luck! :B


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## Faba (Mar 2, 2011)

Fishing in a paylake or small ponds for trophy catfish is not really a challenge. You can do a technique called "trolling" it is basicilly you cast out slip bobber rig at various depths and slowly bring it. all you really need to do is to make the bobber bounce then pause a bit. But if you want a challenge fish those ponds with ultra light tackel and plastic baits. I have caught alot fish over ten pounds using a crappie curly tail grub. Wait till mid April to try it though.


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