Cool Cats 2008

[DTro]

Mark your calendars for what has turned into one of the highlights of the hard water season!

Inclement weather canceled last years event so hopefully we can make up for it this year!

When is the event

Sat March 1st at 8am

Where is the event?

Cool Cats will be on the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes located near Richmond/Cold Spring MN. Roughly 1.5 hrs Northwest of the Twin Cites. From 94 take 23 west to Richmond and then take 22 south to the lake.

We will be fishing the Methane or "Meth" hole. There are two popular points of access. The best one to use for vehicles is the winter access. Please check back to this thread closer to the event to confirm ice conditions.

What should I bring?

First and foremost, a big smile, because you will be using it a lot

Typically we use basic walleye gear for catching the cats. We will set up one pole with an Ice Buster bobber with a plain red hook and a cut piece of minnow (Fathead or Golden shiner) and then jig with the other pole rigged with a jigging spoon/minnow head. JB lures Rattling Varmint in glow red is favorite among the catters

Also as in years past, we will be having a potluck at noon, so bring along a favorite food item to share. Hopefully we can work out frying up some catfish as well.

Bring along the whole family.

We will also try to get a bunch of holes punched for those that don't have an auger.

No guarantees, but I'm also trying to line up a few giveaways. Stay tuned....

Here are a few pics from this past Sat that gives you a good idea of the typical size cat with some bigger ones a good possibilty:

Hope to see you all there!

[DTro]

By the way

The guy with a borrowed rod, no flasher and sitting on a pail caught the most fish on Sat

[Matt Johnson]

I have this one marked on my calender every year! My dad and I will be there for sure!

I've also arranged for a organization called "Recycled Fish" to join us at the event too. Recycled Fish is a group of anglers who practice and preach about outdoor stewardship. They will be at the Cool Cats event and will provide a warming station as well as coffee and hot chocolate for a few cheap price/donation.

I really enjoy fishing for catfish through the ice. They put up an excellent fight and they also provide some constant action when you can locate a solid school. Here's a link to a couple videos and pictures from winter kitties... Catfish Through the Ice!!!

Hopefully we'll see a lot of you there!

[Flaco651]

I used to fish the chain for channels a couple times a summer at a buddy's cabin, but never did the ice thing up there.Haven't been up the for years and this sounds like a lot of fun. I don't see anything stopping me from attending this event at this time.

[hawkeye43]

What was hanson being a bum again.

[Tippman]

Lookin forward to it hopefully with weather permitting this year. I did well out there the other day too.

[Shack]

Quote:

---

Roughly 1.5 hrs northeast of the Twin Cites. From 94 take 23 west to Richmond and then take 22 south to the lake.

---

I am not sure where DTRO is going, but I will be at the Horse Shoe chain northwest of the cities.

Keeping a secrete is one thing, but sending people to Wisconsin is another.

Basically coming from Hwy 10 or 94, exit off of 23/Divsion in St. Cloud (hwy10) or Waite Park(I94) and head south (take a left or clover and go west on 23) untill you hit 22 and take a left. Dtro's map shows the rest.

This event is to close to home for me, I will be there for sure.

[DTro]

Thanks Shack, you ruined my ploy

Good catch, I've got my bearings straight now

Glad to see you can make it!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Darrin, it's a ways off but Mrs. boilerguy and I are gonna try like nuttin to make it to this one. We will have to wait until a little closer to the date to know for sure.

[The Chemist]

I will be there, haven't missed one yet. This started out as 5-6 guys the first year and has been a huge success since. Hope to see some everyone there. I haven't wetted a line through the ice since the last Cool Cats.

May have the kids along but won't know until that time approaches. Dtro let me know if there is anything I can do. I still have the large map that was made 2 yrs ago by maj330.

[nytelyter]

ill be there!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ec30_06]

I hope mother nature cooperates with us this year.

[fisherking32]

Hello again everyone! Have been without a computer for a year. Was hopin' I hadn't missed the ice/cool cats event. YAY, I will definitely see you there.

dtro, if you need any prescouting, ice conditions or anything else just holler !

[SomethingFishy*]

I plan to be there.

[DTro]

Glad to see people are getting excited already. Matt the recycled fish group will be a nice bonus. I know in years past there was also a port-a-potty set up so hopefully we can line up one of those again.

[DTro]

Here's a little warmup

[Shamu]

Great post. Awesome pics and video. I will be there for the next one.

[Grant]

I'll try to make it this year.

I'll auger jockey as well if needed.

Grant

[hanson]

"Here's a little warm up" ??????

There was nothing warm about that day!!!!

The current "hot" issue is the plummeting temps for this weekend. We are looking at nighttime lows above -10 with highs around 0. That weekend we were up there a month ago was well under -15, and I was smart enough to fish outside that morning! Love my Arctic Armor outerwear!! Love it!

[icehousebob]

I was at the last one and I'd brought a big kettle of barbequed beans and the makings for four dozen hotdogs. I started helping set up for the feed and then started cooking. At the end of the day, I realized that I hadn't put a line in the water. This year I plan on fishing a bit before the cooking starts. I was told that the gas produced from the beans could have solved the energy crisis.

[sjburnt]

.

[DTro]

You will love the Arctic Armor!

[Borch]

 Originally Posted By: icehousebob

I was at the last one and I'd brought a big kettle of barbequed beans and the makings for four dozen hotdogs. I started helping set up for the feed and then started cooking. At the end of the day, I realized that I hadn't put a line in the water. This year I plan on fishing a bit before the cooking starts. I was told that the gas produced from the beans could have solved the energy crisis.

I don't fish a whole lot my self at this event but I've always managed to wet a line. Helping with the fish fry and talking with all the great people from FM makes fishing play second fiddle. I can fish almost anytime. But get to trade stories and make new freinds is what it's all about for me.

[Big Dave2]

Alright, I have said that I was going to this for about the last 4 years. Every time something has come up so that I was unable to go. Even Mother nature got into the act as I was all set to go last year and she blasted us with all that snow causing the event to be cancelled.

I'm going this year if it's the last thing I do!

[sjburnt]

.

[TroyMcClure]

I will be there if only to get a lesson in catching cats through the ice and to see all the people from FM. The get-togethers can be lots of fun.

[DTro]

Here’s an update:

I was able to make a quick day trip up there yesterday and we had a great day on the ice.

Morning bite was phenomenal, but slowed down a bit in the afternoon. The average size of the fish was much larger than my previous trips.

Our overwhelming bait of choice was an 1/8th oz JB Lures Rattling Varmint in Glow Red color, tipped with a piece of cut sucker

Click Here for purchase info

As the day progressed we were seeing a bunch of fish, but no takers......a major case of lip lock. I decided to try to downsize a bit and tied on a #6 Orange/Chartreuse Neon Tiger Jig, tipped with a pink plastic and a crappie minnow head. Bingo! The fish started to bite again.

Click Here for purchase info

When the fish stop biting suddenly, don’t be afraid to experiment with odd baits and sizes, you just might find a new favorite bait….I know I did.

The ice right now, is in great shape and as long as the weather is stable, we will not have any issues driving vehicles out to the gathering location......stay tuned.

[harvey lee]

I really enjoyed my first outing chasing channels through the ice yesterday Darren. Yes, the Rattling Varmit was really a great lure in red tipped with cut bait. The Outdoor Pro series Fire Tiger jig with a small plastic and tipped with some meat also was in tune with those negative biting fish as you were the only guy with that lure and out fished us all when the bite slowed.

To anyone who is thinking about hitting the Cats get together, grab your walleye gear, some eye jigs and meet us all for a great time chasing these channel cats. It was alot of fun and really a thrill to catch these cats on lighter gear.

I used my 26" Jason Mitchel Perch rod and when I caught a larger channel, the drag was a screamin as this better fish really gave my lighter gear a workout.

See you all there.

[DTro]

Here Tom provides us a good video tutorial on proper form and also the correct way to treat them after the catch

[harvey lee]

For all the viewers that wonder how warm Artic Armor is, as you see, I can lay on the ice and stay warm for the day. One can also nap too.

I seem to remember someone, a cat dude that licks his fish so, I thought I would start a new trend, kissing the fish good bye.