Cattin the Chain 2012

[Rick G]

Was out Sat over night. Fish were very active for once . About 6:30 the first few fish came in and were willing biters, by 7 I had one of those (cat fish tornados) as DTro would call them. It was lights out for a good two hours while the tornado was beneth me. By 9 it had slowed down to just a few coming in but they were still eating so I fed them . Around 10 I decided to watch a movie and put the rattle rigs down. The cats did not like the live minnow quite as much but they ate them any way. I was getting about a fish every half hour or so up untill 3am when I got sick of them waking me up . I woke up at 6:30 hoping for another good bite only to find the fish had shut off completly. I think I got almost 20 but all but two were in the 14-18in range. I found just about anything that glowed worked best, Found it kind of strange that I got so many on live minnows on the rattle reels . We used to get them on the rattles late at night years ago before there was so much pressure on them but it's been years since thats happened. I think the weather had something to do with my success last night .

[fishuhalik]

ya, saturday was lights-out everywhere. i think it was one of those days where everything was aggressive everywhere. we did great on tullies on bsl, a buddy slayed the eyes on ml, & now the cats on the chain.

[mncountryboy92]

might give it one last try this weekend now sure

[Rick G]

I think I shall give them one last go this evening too then it's pannies for the rest of the ice season.

[BrdHunter01]

How's the ice holding up after the snow storm?

[Rick G]

Messy and wet just like everywhere else but otherwise the ice itself is doing ok. Still finding 17-18 on Cedar and Horseshoe. I would use a bit more caution if you plan on driving out, river sections are looking realy wet so there is increased current flow through a good part of system right now. Fish are starting to move into mid-late ice spots right now.

[mncountryboy92]

river what time and where are u headin out to i dont wanna drive out idk where imma fish since i dont have my atv at my house right now

[Rick G]

Going to check around on Cedar Island, looking for pannies first and cats a bit later. Heading out the door in just a few moments .

[mncountryboy92]

ok well im probaly goin out ceder soon since bro wants to go for panfish

[Rick G]

Did end up making it out yesterday for the afternoon/evening bite with new FM member Trader lee. Started off chasing gills/crappies for a good part of the afternoon with good success. Lindy bugs in glow/red and glow/blue were the hot bait once again for the gills and the crappies. I hit one hole that was loaded in around 15ft and pulled a nice gill and two crappies when something about riped the rod from my hand. My first thought was nice cat or real big bass, it was neither. I ended up catching a fat 28in. est 9lb walleye, got a couple real quick photos and back she went. She was very healthy and full of egg's , will make a nice trophy some day thats for sure .After that excitment we continued to get some crappies and a few nice gills untill they shut down around 6pm. I ventured out to a bit deeper water in serch of some cats. Found a rather large school over 27ft, caught a few small ones right off the bat. Those were the only ones I managed to get they moved out and I never did locate them again. The couple cats I did get were on the glow red Lindy Frostee spoon tiped with a chunk of a fathead.

Ice/access are still in real good shape yet, found 18in of ice and 6-7in of snow in the area we were at.

[silverbulletguy]

Wow! ! Good day on the ice.

[DTro]

Nice eyeball!

[aanderud]

Hey RFM is that walleye you got your new avatar? Nice chunky fish! Sounds like a good time. I know that in the low-twenty inch range, the cats seem to fight harder than an eye of the same length...but I've never caught either a walleye or a catfish of 28" length on ice gear, so I gotta ask -- you've caught both that 28 inch eye and a few cats around 28 inches this year, likely on the same gear. How do trophy eyes compare to cats of the same size for fight quality?

[Rick G]

To me bigger walleyes fight like someone wraped them in duct tape or a wet blanket . They are not even a fair comparison as far as fight goes. If you tyed a 28in cat to a 28in walleye that poor walleye would not stand a real fighting chance imo. Hardest fight I have ever had was that 33incher that I pulled early this year.

[gixxer01]

Good looking fish! Bet you took more care to get that one through the hole, though.

Made it out Sat. night and did pretty well. I've been fishing the same spot all year, and the last 2-3 weeks have noticed a large number of cats moving in. Walleyes have seemed to have completely moved out and crappies and cats took their place. Perhaps my tactics changing is why I'm seeing the change, but I haven't hooked an eye in a week or so. Cats are snappin, though! Many rod bending bites with over a dozen iced. A few more crappies would be nice, but its consistent enough action to stay put.

Side note: Our new snow cover seems to have lengthened the bite window. Anyone else notice the same?

[traderlee]

Hello all. Just wanted to make my intro and thank everyone for all the useful information. I have RFM to thank for steering to this site. He's been a good friend and a great fishing guide for years. He started me on the quest for cats a few years ago on the miss and the search for the giant has carried over to the ice. One day I'll get that monster..one day..

[Rick G]

Welcome to the place where I spend waaaay to much time Traderlee . It's true I got him hooked on the cats . As far as me guiding you, it's more like the blind leading the blind most of the time . Maybe we will make it out one more time for the cats on Fri? If it's not to slopy that is.

[DTro]

Hey there traderlee. You guts outta head down here and fish the MN sometime. There are a couple of decent ones swimming around.

[Rick G]

Well, I for one am done with the winter cats for this year. It was a season for me to remember. I pulled my biggest winter cat at 33in , had several other 28-30in fish, caught my first and hopefuly last chain pout. Never did get a rock bass(thats just plain odd) and the whole otter in the fish house deal, well that I will remember for life . I met quite a few great folks from FM out there and thats always fun .

I would like to thank everyone who contributed all the great info to this topic, afterall it's the people we have on here that has made this so much fun year after year . I would also like to give big thanks to DTro for the videos him and Aanderud put together.

Thanks again everyone, see you on the river

RFM

[Brad B]

I was done with the winter cats that night I sat with you (RFM) in your house. I never did make it back up. on the bright side thou with all this warmer weather now I see my self coming up with the boat sometime in April and try some open water cats on the chain. I did manage to get a hour of open water cattin in today(mississippi river) until I got a call that said there was a hole in the side of the house. went and checked it and it turned out to be a foot and a half square rotten area do to a leaking door and window. had to rip the rotted wood out and put some temporary plywood in until we can get it fixed right. river was still really low and the water was on the cold side. did see 3 people out with a canoe and kayak on the river. sorry the other thing didn't work out I am sure the ice out there is getting bad now to. maybe next year.

[DTro]

Just wanted to echo what RFM said, and a big thanks back to you as well. It’s easy for us “out of towners” to keep a thread going like this going year after year but the great info about current ice/snow/road conditions from the locals such as yourself, ice hawk, and others provide is invaluable and the true source of its success. Thanks again and good luck with the open water season!

[Horseshoe_Don]

This winter was fun. Got to use my LX-7. Iced many cats. Lots of eyes. Now I am ready for summer. I can catch cats at will off my dock from aboout may 15 thru the summer. Good luck to all

[DTro]

All you open water guys should check out the fun free contest I run in the catfish forum called King of the Cats. Good times and fun prizes.

[fishuhalik]

How's the ice looking out there? I was hoping to give it a try for some late-ice kitties sometime this spring, but by the sounds of it the ice is going and FAST!

[Rick G]

The ice thats still out there isn't in too good of shape anymore. Walking would be your best bet if you can still find some place to get on. Crazy how fast the ice went this year, Sat we drove on and today you would have isues walking out

[Horseshoe_Don]

Just caught the fist cat of the season off my dock on Horse shoe. about a 2 pounder and he put up a good fight