Cattin' the Chain

[soft]

Good morning.

I am planning to be on HorseShoe this weekend, and I take my snowmobile with me on the lake, i am just too chicken to drive my suv on the lake due to the warm weather for next couple days, I would like to park my vehicle on land and take my sled out on the lake but I have noticed that there are No Parking signs at the access (hwy 22) and along the shore line, would you guys please tell me where can i park my vehicle?.

thanks in advance.

Soft.

[Lowblazah]

Thanks Flaco...I'm trying to avoid those pesky auger problems again this year.

[binsfeldnick]

You can park your trailer at the hwy 71 access and shoot across cedar island lake right to where you go on off hwy 22. The is a good sized parking lot there and there are no bad spots between there and 22 right now.

[50inchpig]

Despite the signs there are usually vehicles parked there and I've never seen any get ticketed.

[binsfeldnick]

We were out cattin on the chain yesterday and had no luck at all. Fished the meth hole first and couldn't even mark many fish. then we tried a spot in the river and marked all kinds of cats but only got 1 12" to bite. They were solid in almost every hole we drilled but could not get them to hit. Be careful on the river. We started drilling hole and had a foot of ice and about twenty feet away there was 2-3 inches. Kind of scared us a bit. Good luck.

[Rick G]

Was out last night from 7 till just after midnight. I might be on to somthing because I did better late night than I did in the last half dozen day time trips combined. I lost count around ten and must have gotten another dozen or more after I quit counting. Biggest was only 26in and about half were 12-15in. I moved around a bit and found the bulk of the active fish in 22ft. Some of the fish came in 8-10 ft off bottom along with a few bonus crappies I got. I used a glow pink frostee spoon with a small crappie min. head on both lines. The jiging rod far out produced the dead stick this time out.

[frogtosser]

I was out this morning and only marked 1 fish, I was thinking of going out tonight too, is anyone going out tomorrow morning?

[binsfeldnick]

going out tomorrow about noon chasing panfish on the chain

[so haaad]

riverfishingmiss,

Were you fishing a steep break near shallow water? My theory about late night cats is that they move up the breaks and into the shallows to feed, and then later in the evening they will drop down into deeper water again. So those suspended fish may be just coming off the shelfs. It's what I've noticed on those late night encounters anyways.

[50inchpig]

Best cat action in weeks last night on the spoons, even popped a couple suspended ones and I haven't seen alot of them do that for awhile. Action from dark through 10:30 when we left. A little move when things slowed down was the right call.

Funny the crappies out there seem to bite better in the colder weather than alot of the the warm nights, but we got a few and it was an awesome night to be on the ice and after dark we had the lake all to ourselves.

[soft]

Hi 50inchpig.

How was the ice?..

I am thinking go to Long this afternoon.

Thanks.

Soft.

[nater]

Marc - it was an awesome night to be out. Crazy how everyone took off shortly after sunset.

The access was fine and there is plenty of ice at least on the south end.

P.S. Someone left their house out on Long as well, hopefully someone picks it up.

[Lowblazah]

Ice/landing decent enough for a truck and wheelhouse yet?

[50inchpig]

Lots of fun for sure, hopefully we get a few more chances before the season is over.

P.S. Nater - Cats don't break 4# line like they do 2# line!

Wheelhouse will be fine!

[DTro]

You guys are killing me

Might have to hit the road this weekend just for the heck of it.

[The Chemist]

I think I may be heading up in the morning to hook into some more cats.

[Rick G]

I will be out on horseshoe sat. Gona try for pan fish or cats havent made up my mind just yet.

[brdhunter]

P.S. Someone left their house out on Long as well, hopefully someone picks it up.

I saw that as well. We were thinkin about snaggin it, but I wouldn't want someone to snag mine. Even if it is out there illegally. Some people just like pushing there luck. Not me!

[The Chemist]

Picked up my boys and have them out here right now. Got one when we got out here, but haven't marked anything as of yet. fyi the meth hole is open, 2 holes about 3ft each. I didn't see them until I was right on them. Rough location is out from the orangeish colored cabin on the north side about 100 to 150 yds from shore. Ice is still as thick as it was last weekend. winter access is fine to get on.

[frogtosser]

I hit a 23incher on thursday that was suspended in the middle of the water column

[duckslayer27]

I have made it out 3 times in the last week and it has been fair at best. Average 5-10 cats a night with a few crappies mixed in. Still graphing a ton of fish. Hope this snow hold off. I would like to be on the ice when these fish start biting like they did in December. (30 - 50 fish nights)

Last night the fish where more aggressive then nights past. Dead stick was the key last night with half of a dead fathead and a live crappie minnow to give it movement. You will try anything when fishing cats.

Also i could not believe they are still fishing the river sections this weekend. I tried last weekend but when we got to only 2 inches of ice in one spot we decided we would catch less fish if we could stay dry.. Be safe out there, it is very unpredictable right now.

[50inchpig]

I'll be fishing solo on Long tonight, black truck, blue clam. Anyone who makes it out stop by and chat for bit.

[Borch]

With the melting snow and current it's a recipe for disaster in the river sections. Ice conditions can and do change rapidly in those sections.

Lots of cats in the lake sections to be caught.

[JoshM]

one of my favorite set ups is a piece of sucker and a live fat head or crappie minnow to give it some action. Also works great in the summer.

[soft]

Hi Ducklayer27.

When you fish for cats at night, how late were the cats bites til?. We were on Long (South basin) last Friday til about 8pm and no cats just few small crappies, maybe we should have been on Horseshoe instead!.

Thanks.

Soft.

[50inchpig]

Soft, I fish Long more often than not - usually don't see many cats until around dark but the last few weeks they've been biting as late as I can stay. Probably not the quantity you'll get on HS but I like the easy access there.

It's also weird there as I do better on the colder days, warming periods are hit and miss.

Some nights I really gotta work the spoon hard to bring them off the bottom.

[nytelyter]

any one gonna be out on the shoe sunday am i am thinkin about going out for the daybreak bite. and fish out by the meth hole where we fished for the get together. waas thinkin about being at the winter approach off 22 by 7-715 and heading out from there. can be earlier if need be. drop me an e-mail [email protected] and we can set something up. ... paul

[frogtosser]

hey I might make it out to the chain on Sunday with you paul, I just have too see how late I get home on Saturday after going to the sport show, but I should be able to make it

[Borch]

I'll be up north or I'd join you in a minute.

Good Luck guys.

[shorefisher]

I am planning to get up there Sunday in the morning but might not be till around 8. Me and a buddy or two also plan to go out near the meth hole area. Maybe see ya their. Blue chev SUV.