Catfishin'

[Stinkin'Sheephead]

Anybody have any tips or spots for some late night flathead action? I've been trying for years and have only caught 1, oh bout 12 lber. Maybe too much beer?

[JJB]

Sounds like no one want to give up any info on them cats.I will be out sat night trying for some flats! I dont know anything about them on the croix but the sippi has been treating me good. I know the croix real well and know there are some monster kittys in there.Where and How I dont know YET! I will send a post monday on what we find

Im not a big cat man but this time of year we always spend a couple weeks trying.Never tried the croix b4 but always wanted to.The problem we have is leaving the mississippi.Last year we got a 50#,40# and two over 20 .I have been back down there twice this week and got three so far the biggest being 25# that I got last night.

I olny have one question? I will be out in my boat with a buddie from cheese country and dont know if sunfish are ok to have out in my boat.I know theres a real stupid law that us minnesotans cannot use panfish.Now my buddie can but I dont want to get any **** for having them in my boat.

I can bring out some shad also but dont know if thats legal either on the croix.Alot of people have different ideas on what the borderwater rules are including the game warden so ??????

Any info or ideas on what bait to go with would be great.So far my best has always been a 8-10 in sucker or chub smashed and hooked backwards.Its always done better than live ones for me.

[kais24]

JJB- I agree... no one wants to give any info out. I tried to ask for general info (no specific spots) and didn't get any answers. I'll give you some general info though... I've fished on the 'Croix a couple times recently (at night) and both times caught two cats (one flat, one channel each time.) They were small flats and a five and ten pound channel (fun.)

I fished near the 94 bridge and bought a map and found some holes/humps right in the area. (This is the kind of info I was hoping to get.) I felt pretty proud cuz I found the spots myself and I don't fish for cats hardly at all (3 or 4 times in the last few years north of Stillwater.)

I understand why people don't want to give specific info on spots but it kind of suprised me that there was no general info on my post. I wouldn't want anyone to post specific info cuz then you would be playing bumper boats on your spot for the rest of the season.

Good luck

[kais24]

JJB- I used to fish by the Ford Parkway dam years and years ago from shore and was thinking of giving that area a try (in my boat.) Is there any access in the area that I can use at all hours of the night? Besides the occasional floating log in the river is there any areas to be careful traveling through (assuming you have fished the area.) Thanks

[Stinkin'Sheephead]

Hey thanks for the info. I fish for walleyes a lot on the Miss and know the river pretty well around the Watergate Marina/Ford Dam area, never tried it for cats though. I'm planning on trying the 'Croix within the next two weeks, north of stillwater. The best luck I've had has been with a cut sucker. Sorry I can't help you out with the laws regarding bait, if you could, post what you find out. Thanks and good luck.

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I know it's been a good day when my hands smell like fish.

[JJB]

Thanks guys,
I fish I-494 area south past Hastings.I live down in hastings and have been fishing that area with good luck so far.I didnt make it down to the croix but look like next weekend were planning an all nighter out there.
Kais24 I dont know that area to good but have a buddie that live right down there and will ask him.I will let ya know what I find out.
We have always just fished the area off shore so we didnt have to worry about it.And have done well.

[hmg.fishin.pro]

I have caught a few very nice channel cats (12-25#) up by taylors falls from interstate park on the wisconsin side. All were caught on fathead minnows while fishing for walleyes. I have tried fishing for them with all the usual cat bait there but no cigar. They seem to like the fatheads or maybe its just luck. I might try again this weekend with some mackerel. That might work. And its prime cat weather rite now.

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I will go pro someday................

[JJB]

I was out sat night and fished a few areas around Afton. First spot I tried was the wing dam in the no wake and didnt get anything. Too many boat around so we left to another area with shallow water and lots of wood and weeds near. Olny took about 15 min and had our first fish(2lb channel). We stayed in that spot and cought a lot of them channels but no flats. I was going to keep a couple but have never cooked them b4.
Anyone have any good recipes for channel cats? I would love to try it.

I was using cut sucker and got them from 11pm-1am 4-6 fow up next to weed over a rock bar that has sand all around it.We would get a run about every 10-15 min. No size they all looked like really nice eaters.

[sra451]

soak in milk four 24 hours take out mud vane it runs along each side and deep fry it is good