Post by sam on Mar 10, 2009 15:17:51 GMT -5
Here are just a few thoughts and tips I've picked up over the years.
When I was a kid I used to fish for anything that's on the bite. It didn't matter if it was catfish or bluegill, I'd fish for it all. Back in those days the water pollution wasn't near as bad as it is now, and I'd eat about everything I caught. No carp
although there are fun to catch!
Anymore when I go fishing I stopped bringing them home and just release them, and don't keep much of anything ! The pollution just seems to get worse all the time.
I kind of look at it this way, anymore I've geared myself up to using heavy tackle, rods that will cast a good 4 or 5 oz. sinker, 65 lb. test line with a 30 lb. leader. My rods and reels also double as muskie fishing gear.
I'll use live baits that are big and lively, 1 lb. carp, big yellowbellies, bluegills, goldfish, bullfrogs, and other live baits for flatheads. Some of the baits you've got to have a small boat to get out and place your baits in places that you think the big ones gonna be at.
Blue catfish are a little different bait wise. They like fresh cut baits like shad, skipjack and other dead baits. You can call them the vacum sweepers of the bottom.
You should also know that in northern and central Indiana a big blue cat will go 50 to 60 lbs. If you go to southern Indiana, a big blue will go 60 to 90 lbs. in the Ohio and Wabash rivers.
Anyway, big baits produce big fish. I can sit around a campfire and BS with the guys. They might catch 7 or 8 small catfish, and sometimes I don't catch anything ! But when I hear my bait clickers starting to tick, I know it's gonna be a big one !
Anything else and your just bait fishing !!!
When I was a kid I used to fish for anything that's on the bite. It didn't matter if it was catfish or bluegill, I'd fish for it all. Back in those days the water pollution wasn't near as bad as it is now, and I'd eat about everything I caught. No carp
although there are fun to catch!Anymore when I go fishing I stopped bringing them home and just release them, and don't keep much of anything ! The pollution just seems to get worse all the time.
I kind of look at it this way, anymore I've geared myself up to using heavy tackle, rods that will cast a good 4 or 5 oz. sinker, 65 lb. test line with a 30 lb. leader. My rods and reels also double as muskie fishing gear.
I'll use live baits that are big and lively, 1 lb. carp, big yellowbellies, bluegills, goldfish, bullfrogs, and other live baits for flatheads. Some of the baits you've got to have a small boat to get out and place your baits in places that you think the big ones gonna be at.
Blue catfish are a little different bait wise. They like fresh cut baits like shad, skipjack and other dead baits. You can call them the vacum sweepers of the bottom.
You should also know that in northern and central Indiana a big blue cat will go 50 to 60 lbs. If you go to southern Indiana, a big blue will go 60 to 90 lbs. in the Ohio and Wabash rivers.
Anyway, big baits produce big fish. I can sit around a campfire and BS with the guys. They might catch 7 or 8 small catfish, and sometimes I don't catch anything ! But when I hear my bait clickers starting to tick, I know it's gonna be a big one !
Anything else and your just bait fishing !!!
Chase and me have been discussing this topic lately. For 2009 we'd like to catch some BIG fish instead of a bunch of mediocre fish. The rig you talk about is just what I'm looking into setting up, something I can take to the lake for muskie and also to the river for big cats.
Just another night at work for me and Monty will be back here again bright and early. 
