# Channel Catfish - They Just Don't Take the Bait.



## Dana.Birrell

This is my first year really fishing for channel cats, and one thing I've noticed is that while there are many of them and I get frequent good runs where I fish, by the time I get the rod in my hand the fish moves on to bigger and better things (not my freezer, for sure)

I'm basically making this thread to put my thoughts down and get some feedback. Disclaimer; This post is everywhere and in no particular order.

I fish with cut bait and only cut bait, though I'm trying shrimp tonight. Night crawlers get a lot of bites, but more smaller fish than worth the time it takes to rebait and wait (usually).

I fish light tackle, one of my rods is a medium action (I'll buy more catfish specific gear in the coming years) and three medium heavy. I usually fish with my drag set tight and attempt to set them hook off of the rod holder -- I think this is why I'm missing so many cats. I missed a huge cat last week because of this. I was fishing a bait 4 feet off of shore and saw the channel cat come up and scoop the bait up and jet.

I personally believe one of my biggest problems with run to hook ratio is the drag being set tight. I feel like if the drag was set loose, the fish would be more apt to get the bait and hook deeper into it's mouth, allowing me to quickly tighten the drag as it's running and set the hook. That, or grabbing the line for a smaller fish and setting with line around hand. (Probably not a great idea with 8 lbs or lighter line). To me, it seems the smaller fish like to play with their food, and bigger cats like to get it OUT of the place they found it before another fish comes around.

I use a variety of sizes of circle hooks -
3/0 5/0 7/0 - I will ALWAYS fish a big bait. Usually a 5-6" bluegill cut from before the dorsal fin to the anus.
When my boy is with me, we use 1 big bait, 2 smaller baits and 1 mid sized bait. When he's not with me, I use 1 big 1 mid sized. 

When fishing and I keep my bait bucket in the water and I tend to catch a lot more fish near shore. I also consistently see larger catfish attack my bait bucket thinking it's food (this is how I noticed the cat take my bait). I'll probably try adding to this when I go out tonight, by bringing chicken livers and pouring some blood in the bucket and putting a couple livers in before pushing out a few feet from shore.

I have considered further adding to this, by going down to the butchers to see if I can get some blood - if not, when I clean my catfish, I'll bleed them out into a cup and keep the blood and organs (minus their poo, because my god it's terribly smelly), freezing them and throwing them in my bait bucket. This will definitely make for a smelly end of night, but it definitely could work.

Any thoughts on this?


----------



## jhouser

One of the biggest mistakes (myself included) when using circle hooks is doing a traditional hook set. Circles are mad so that the fish practically hooks themselves when they take the bait. Performing a traditional hook set will rip the him right out of the fishes mouth. If you are going to set the hook with circles try doing more of a sweeping motion instead of going vertical with your rod. It took me awhile to get used to circles but now that I have, I hardly miss a run. Hope this helped 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## Dana.Birrell

jhouser said:


> One of the biggest mistakes (myself included) when using circle hooks is doing a traditional hook set. Circles are mad so that the fish practically hooks themselves when they take the bait. Performing a traditional hook set will rip the him right out of the fishes mouth. If you are going to set the hook with circles try doing more of a sweeping motion instead of going vertical with your rod. It took me awhile to get used to circles but now that I have, I hardly miss a run. Hope this helped
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


Maybe I should clarify, a lot of the times, I'm missing the fish before I even get to set the hook! When I'm fishing vertically, (kayak, spillway) I rarely miss a fish because they're grabbing the bait and going STRAIGHT down to the bottom and then reach a point where they can't make it anymore - oops hooks is deep into your lip. I almost wonder if the fish just aren't getting the hooks deep enough inside of their mouths. I'm going to try using smaller baits on bigger hooks tonight as well, this could make it easier for to get the hook into their mouth even on the larger hooks.


----------



## jhouser

I use 6-8 size circles 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## Salmonid

Dana, are you fishing lake or river? river fish have a much better hookup ratio as I believe they are cruising much more and once they zero in on your bait, they will grab it and run, thus a higher hookup ratio, lake fish and winter channel catting where Im tightlining with a circle hook, I prefer to move to a 3 way rig maybe 1-3 oz on the bottom and then a short dropper with the circle hook, they never feel it as they are mouthing the bait but once they move, its a done deal as long as your rod holders are very firmly in the ground, LOL Ive about lost a few. if I was using gills, freshly cut up, Id make sure chunks were no bigger then my thumb so they suck it in and then run, instead of nibbling on it. for baits that's size Im targeting 2-4 lbers and would use a 5/0 Circle, I prefer Gammakatsu but my partner uses whatever brand he finds cheap and the ratios are about the same, maybe slightly better one day but slightly worse the next time out. 
Perhaps in the next few weeks I could get you to meet me at maybe CJ Brown for a session in the boat with your boy and then you can see just how effective the circles can be.....

Salmonid


----------



## sherman51

its my understanding that the circle hooks are designed to hook the fish as it runs away and bringing the line to the side of the fishes mouth. then the hooks goes around the side of the jaw and then hooks the fish in the corner of the mouth. in my opinion you would get more hook ups using a j style hook. with the line vertical and no slack in the line it is just jerking the circle hook out of the mouth. but this is just my opinion.

I have fished both types of hooks in salt water and found that with a tight line I miss more than I hook with a circle hook. I've had much better hook ups with the j style hooks on tight lines. I do a lot of black drum fishing around one of the bridges in ft pierce fl and I use a 2 or 3 oz barrel sinker to hold my rig vertical. I tried a circle hook and was missing so many hits. I switched to a j hook and started catching just about every hit. unless it was some little bait thief. I drop the sinker to the bottom then reel up all the slack and put a small bend in my rod and I use braided line so I feel every bite. with the j hook I can set the hook as soon as I get a hit.
sherman


----------



## Dana.Birrell

I generally fish lakes more often. I use Octopus Circle Hooks, mostly Gamakatsu (bought a super big ass pack of 5/0. I will try using your method of less bait tonight as well. 

I'd be glad to take you up on that, however I'm not entirely sure when I'll be able to make the trip. My next 5 weeks are a bit packed. I might have one weekend I can get out.

On Sunday my boy caught a 12" and a 16" and was so proud of himself for being able to feed the family! Hopefully we can both get our Fish Ohio channels soon! I missed a ton of fish, and he hook into two of three he got bites on.

--- I just wish I could drop baits off of the side of the shore like a boat. Last week in my yak I had a big boy absolutely DESTROY the 3" of cut chub. He grabbed, and my hook kindly hooked him.


----------



## Salmonid

yeah, the next few weeks are busy with tourneys, my schedule looks like only 9 more to hit this year... then the schedule opens up for fun fishing. ever available on weekday afternoons? 

Salmonid


----------



## Dana.Birrell

Salmonid said:


> yeah, the next few weeks are busy with tourneys, my schedule looks like only 9 more to hit this year... then the schedule opens up for fun fishing. ever available on weekday afternoons?
> 
> Salmonid


Unfortunately no unless it's a national holiday. I work M-F 10:30-7. 

One of the lakes I fish, Antrim, is a quarry lake, about 30 feet deep at the most and has a fairly gradual drop off (it's not a straight down plunge every 30 feet) and we generally fish before the weeds for cats and do pretty well. Now, when we fish prairie oaks, we generally do the same thing, as well as fish bobbers over the weeds with pretty good success. Have any tips for running cut bait under a bobber? Is it best to keep the bait off of the bottom, but in the weeds? Or off of the bottom and over the weeds? The vegetation in Antrim is pretty thick, prairie is a bit different with the vegetation being wide spread but thin.

E: I'm off Monday September 1st with no plans!


----------



## Salmonid

we never fish floats but fishing above the weeds is as good as any, our local Eastwood lake is a quarry with tons of weeds, we try to fish next to large weed beds and catch some decent fish there at times but mostly early spring before weeds come up

Ill have to let you know as we get closer to the 1st

Salmonid


----------



## Dana.Birrell

Salmonid said:


> we never fish floats but fishing above the weeds is as good as any, our local Eastwood lake is a quarry with tons of weeds, we try to fish next to large weed beds and catch some decent fish there at times but mostly early spring before weeds come up
> 
> Ill have to let you know as we get closer to the 1st
> 
> Salmonid


If I were on a boat, I wouldn't but shore fishing vs boat fishing. I grew up in a boat. My dad is moving to Hawaii soon, and when that happens the boat is coming to my back yard. Can't wait, 16' Alumicraft hollowed out with the interior rebuilt for space!


----------



## canoe carp killer

Check out this video on YouTube:

[ame]http://youtu.be/Gbr9KJizO0s[/ame]


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## Dana.Birrell

canoe carp killer said:


> Check out this video on YouTube:
> 
> http://youtu.be/Gbr9KJizO0s
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


Fish oil, oh god I'm going to start taking this **** fishing with me and breaking pills open and shoving them inside of the mouths of my cut bait


----------



## canoe carp killer

Hahahahahaah


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## canoe carp killer

Dana.Birrell said:


> Fish oil, oh god I'm going to start taking this **** fishing with me and breaking pills open and shoving them inside of the mouths of my cut bait



Where abouts u at in Columbus? I'm from canal winchester and would love some company that likes catfishing. 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## Dana.Birrell

canoe carp killer said:


> Where abouts u at in Columbus? I'm from canal winchester and would love some company that likes catfishing.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


I'm in central CBus, I'll pm you my phone number. You myself and Flash can get out sometime and tear up the channels!


----------



## Nightcrawler666

Dana.Birrell, I use the same octopus circle hooks you use, typically a 5/0 and had a similar problem. Running a slip sinker rig with a 15-24" mono leader. I quickly learned how to snell them, which seemed to help my hookup ratio. Also, I went to really giving them time to get into it, often letting slack in my line once they start to bump it instead of pulling on it, trying to feel the bites. Because, bites are hard to time up man and I find it much easier and more productive to just give them some room and watch the slack run out of my line. They don't feel the pressure and those circles are excellent at not letting you gut em.


----------



## Dana.Birrell

I'm trying to understand why snelling works, and I think it has something to do with the hook always being pulled in the same direction. Correct me if I'm wrong, but a palomar knot can slide and cause the hook to pull sideways, etc. I'm done. [Word] it, time to snell.


----------



## Nightcrawler666

You got it. Also, it's much stronger. 


Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


----------



## City fisher

Get a bait runner reel. I have the Okuma ABF50 and love it. I hardly ever miss a fish now with this reel.


----------



## Dana.Birrell

City fisher said:


> Get a bait runner reel. I have the Okuma ABF50 and love it. I hardly ever miss a fish now with this reel.


I'll pick up a couple next year. I've already spent twice the amount on fishing this year than I did last year. Kayak was most of it, but still loads.


----------



## City fisher

Dana.Birrell said:


> I'll pick up a couple next year. I've already spent twice the amount on fishing this year than I did last year. Kayak was most of it, but still loads.


Fishing equipment is like tools and money. You never have enough of them. Ill go through my tackle bag every once in a while and find stuff that I forgot I even had.


----------



## Recneck

I let tjem take it on slack line and let em run.


channels aint got the biggest mouths on them.


----------



## Dana.Birrell

So, I'm playing a different game with the cats. I went out with Salmonid 2 weeks ago, and he taught me some invaluable things, some of which I swore not to share.

I've been setting my drag to nothing, and the little cats that screw with the bait usually feel to hook and go away, but the bigger cats (16"+) grab the bait and run. I ended up breaking my 5' ultra light, took it back to claim the warranty and got a 6'2" med heavy rod and a bait runner reel in place of it. With my lighter reel combos I manually adjust the drag. I have been having great success with it them, other than the bit sucks. Out to Hoover on the yak tomorrow!


----------

