Coon Rapids area cats?

[fishuhalik]

Just wondering if anyone on here ever gets any decent channels outta this stretch of the river? I'm not having any problems w/ #s, just can't get anything over about 2 lbs. I've been using clumps of crawlers on a lindy rig, just sitting on the bottom. Any suggestions on depth, what structure I should look for, bait, etc?

[Shack]

This time of year, deeper pools with shelves and cut bait (sucker is best, shad or creek chubs). Cast out and count how long it takes weight to hit bottom. Find longer hang time and you have deeper water or hole. Also the bigger the rig, the bigger the fish. If your presentation is small, you will get the small fish. If your presentation is large, you get the larger fish. I would use 7/0 to 10/0 hook with chunks of sucker body on hook, with a head chaser to keep bait on hook. The smaller ones will nibble, but when the larger ones come around it is better to have a large presentation than smaller..

Exception to the Rule:

One of the largest channels I have seen caught up here was on the same rig you mentioned. When nothing else fails, nothing beets a big ball of crawlers. Every thing bites that, from carp to large cats.

Good luck

[Flaco651]

There is some nice ones in that stretch. Like Shack said use cut bait. With large chunks of cut, I use 6/0 to 8/0 octopus-circles. With these hooks they pretty much hook themselves.

[fishuhalik]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. A couple of other questions, when you say deeper, how deep are you talking? I've fished lakes my entire life up till the last few years, and I've only been catfishing for the last couple of months off and on. I'm fishing a couple of holes that are 10-14 and most of the river around it is 6-8'. I've also always thought that cats were a night fish and during the wee hours move up onto shallow sand flat areas. Should I be looking deeper than that? I know there's a few holes that go down to around 20, but I thought that was a little deep. Also, should I be looking for sand, rock, muck, gravel?

[MSRiverdog]

Get into them little ones and move up or down from them, I'ld like to see a video of how many are down there. Easy to catch 50 in an hour or 2, gets boring.

[CrappieAttitude]

I grew up in Coon Rapids, and we used to use chunks of chicken liver and let that lay on the bottem. We used to fish near the Coon Rapids D-A-M. We were young and I am not sure if anyone still uses this for bait, but I remember doing pretty well with the stuff.

CA

[lotsofish]

Man, I do not know how to catch a catfish. I went out on the sipp today from about 4:30 - 9:00 and got no cats. I used both cut sucker and nightcrawlers. Tried at least 10 different spots, maybe more, all the way from Anoka/Rum to almost the dam. Had 1 nibbler on a nightcrawler, but who knows, it was probably a carp or a smallie. Fishahaulic, if you wanted to give away your 2 lb cat spots let me know, I'd be happy to catch a few little guys. I don't target them too often, but I would like to catch some. The only one I got this year came earlier in the spring below the dam from shore on a nightcrawler and 1/2 pound might be a bit of an overestimate. It was a baby.

I did cast a crankbait for a little while and caught 3 smallies so at least I wasn't skunked. Smallies are great and I'd like to get this cat urge out of the way so I can go back to fishing for them more.

[Shack]

I would say find any holes 3-4' in 1-2' or 10-12' in 8-7' will hold fish.

Catfishing is not easy. To give away a basic general starting point, try !)! Bridge. This does not give it away, but if you figure it out, it is an easy place to bust your goose egg on cats (not big).

[fishuhalik]

Catfishing definitely isn't easy! I am a pretty accomplished bass/muskie/walleye/panny fisherman, so I figured I'd try my hand at these guys. I think it's harder to find a nice cat than a big eye!

[fishuhalik]

Lotsofish, I would love to tell ya where it is, but it's also one of my carp and eye spots, so I'm a little hesitant. Sorry!

[lotsofish]

I read ya loud and clear! I've heard about that spot already, but I've never been up that far. I wasn't sure about water levels. There's that access right by it and with all the rain we got yesterday I bet the water is up some, so I might just have to go up there and try that spot this week.

[lotsofish]

No problem. If I keep trying, I'll eventually stumble on to them.

[Shack]

The water levels are low. Plan on carrying your 14' (the only boat I would launch right now) boat into water. I have not been down today, but with the rain yesterday it might be up a little.

Some people swear there are large channels down there, but I never have caught anything big

[MSRiverdog]

lotsofish, I'll give you a hint, I saw the DNR weighing and throwing back Cats up to 24/28"s? 2 miles down from the launch today. Wish it would have been SH, he's a lot friendlier.