Hows the cat bite on the chain?

["another IT GUY"]

Well since i couldn't pm anyone. I was hoping to come up the the Chain today to target Cats. Can someone tell me how the cat bite is going and where to start besides the ole meth hole? I have a place in mind but is any other place where I can start that anyone would be able to recommend? I dont' need any to know anyone's secret hole but just a general area, structure and depth. Thanks! Hopefully i'll make it up there today! Good Luck!

[Borch]

Bite has been slow. Best early morning and very tough middle of the day.

["another IT GUY"]

Thanks for the reply Borch! I didn't make it up anyways.

[Scott M]

Pretty slow. Got one after dark. Was fun to get out and see some marks though.

["another IT GUY"]

Any word on the cat bite? I'm itching for cats. Thanks again.

[jloomis]

hey AIT guy,

it's been biting pretty good at cub foods lately, wanna try there this friday? let me know asap. i might try rainbows tonite and will report back to u. he he....

["another IT GUY"]

yeah I got my limit at cub lastnight too. I'll let you know If i'm up for it friday. I'm still thinking about going up to polk county!!

[Sartell Angler]

don't know why anyone would buy catfish filets, unless they taste better than those you pull out of the horseshoe chain. Brought a couple 2 pounders back from the chain sunday night and boy did those things s u c k ! What a waste of time and vegetable oil!

I'll stick to eating walleyes, crappies and sunnies thank you very much!

[Skeets]

 Originally Posted By: Sartell Angler

don't know why anyone would buy catfish filets, unless they taste better than those you pull out of the horseshoe chain. Brought a couple 2 pounders back from the chain sunday night and boy did those things s u c k ! What a waste of time and vegetable oil!

I agree!

They do not taste that great, but they do fight great!

[Dean Schellinger]

I can verify. I tried those rotten catfish filets last night and they did suck something aweful. First and last time keeping catfish, they are fun to catfish, lousy to eat.

[ELUSIVE FISH]

Try boiling the cat fish in water for about 3-4 min. You will not believe the stuff that comes to the top.then get your fillets ready for the fryer.Some guy that lives on the chain & fishes them said helps the sewer taste disappear. He also said he cut part of the fillet away before boiling.What part i do not know ?

[Borch]

Cut out the bloodline and the catfish are just fine to eat. Are they walleyes, perch or panfish? Not to my pallet. But they aren't nasty either.

Sewer taste?

I haven't expereinced that in any of the cats we've eaten thus far out of the chain.

[ELUSIVE FISH]

borch; the stuff that floats to the top when boiling the fillets not good. Thats what i meant by Sewer taste

[Borch]

The oils are leaching out of the catfish flesh. I suppose some of the contaminants could be in the oil that surfaces.

[Sartell Angler]

gross!

[hanson]

I'm still trying to figure out whats sarcasm, [PoorWordUsage], and the honest to god truth regarding eating catfish in this topic but I'll take a cat any day of the week over a walleye, gill, perch, or crappie.

Cut out the bloodline/mudline, trim off the yellowish tinted belly fat, cut into catfish "fingers", bread, deep fry quickly and YUMMY!!

[rockman]

Chris, If I didn't know any better, I think maybe you are trying to get a few of us to looking forward even more, to Saturday.

[hanson]

What's going on Saturday?

[DTro]

All we have to do is catch a few and we can put any of these myths to rest. A little birdie told me there should be a fryer out there on Sat

[Tippman]

Oh we'll catch catfish, looks like it might be pretty nice weather too. I'm looking forward to trying them out on the ice, the one time I've eaten catfish from the river during the summer it wasn't good.

["another IT GUY"]

I'm with Hanson!! They taste very good!! Some of you just don't know how to cook catfish! You guys are missing out!!!!!

[prechlerker]

When i was down south i had it and it was just as good as any other fish.I enjoyed it a lot and plan on keeping some this spring.We talk about walley around here, and down there(the noodling state) they talk about catfish.

[Skeets]

 Originally Posted By: hanson

I'll take a cat any day of the week over a walleye, gill, perch, or crappie.

WOW! That is a BOLD statement!!!

[Mr Special]

Just wondering how's the bite been lately? Some of the boys and i are thinking of heading up that way this wkend.

[SJU70]

Catfish is a true delicacy in some parts of this country. I have family in the south, and it is something else the way they prepare it. Properly prepared, I can say that its worse only than the freshest walleyes. Like a walleye, anything over twenty inches needs to be soaked in salt water. I remember the first walleye over twenty inches (not fishing in MN, but Wisconsin and da UP where there isn't a slot limit) that I pulled out of a river system and it was not that good; soak it in salt water, or as Elusive says, boil it, although I've never tried boiling. They taste different than farm raised catfish or those taken out of smaller ponds because as they get bigger, they have more oil, or so im told. Cajun reciped can also be wonderful. Be sure to take the skin off. Slice them into thinner medallions before breading and frying.

[Gadgetman]

Hey Hanson, I too think that a cat eats pretty nice. Fried up a few with a bunch of crappies and nobody could tell the difference, even the ones who wanted to turn thier noses up at the cats. By the way, anybody know if they are driving on Long and Horseshoe, or is it going to be a 4 wheeler wknd?

[Dean Schellinger]

Plenty of ice, follow the roads

[Ralph Wiggum]

 Originally Posted By: Gadgetman

By the way, anybody know if they are driving on Long and Horseshoe, or is it going to be a 4 wheeler wknd?

There's a ton of ice (over 36"). Just stick to roads if you don't know the area.

[Lowblazah]

any updates on the bite? Whats working? Minnows? Worms? Somebody told me to try shrimp.

I'm going to give 'er a shot this weekend.

[Mykal]

Cat bite has been steady for us up to the closing of Walleye season. We have been averaging 8 to 12 a trip. If you are looking for the agressive Cats look in some of the Walleye spots on the main lake just a tad deeper. We have been finding them in 17-26 feet of water...not the 30-40 foot depths, those fish don't seem to be active. Biggest Cat for us this year was 32 inches with lots of 24-27 inch. Bring crappie minnows, and large fatheads if you can find them. Small jigs and light line. they will show a preference on a given day Most times they will stare it down and if you jiggle it they will be gone. Be patient and still and they will take it. Best if you can find dead shiners or suckers and cut them into chunks.