05-04-2007, 05:39 PM
Hey there Holmz, and welcome to the bigfishtackle forums! It's nice to see another catfisherman on the boards! Great question by the way, let me see if I can help.............
First of all, bullheads and Channel cats are peas in a pod. They pretty much like the same conditions and eat the same things. They are scavengers by nature, but have been known to knaw on a passing spinner bait when they are really hungry or excited. The best bait i've found for either species is chicken livers. I like to freeze the chicken livers prior to use. They work just as good frozen and also stay on the hook alot better. Chicken livers also give out a great scent trail and it will drawl the fish to your hook. There are plenty of other baits that are effective for bullheads to include: nightcrawlers, shrimp, fresh cut bait, stink bait(sometimes), hot dogs, and just about anything else.
Next, I must ask how deep the pond is. Channels and bulls, especially in a small pond, like to hang around any deep structure they can find. The deeper the hole the better. If your pond doesn't reach a depth of over say, 6' or so, than it really doesn't matter where you fish, they'll probably be roaming around. Also, most fish species grow in accordance to the size of the body of water they live in. The larger and deeper the body of water, the higher of a chance there is to catch a trophy fish. However, there should be a few 5-10 pounder in there anyhow.
You may also want to try a bobber rig. The same rig you would use for bream, just a larger bobber with a 5/0 circle hook or so. You'll want a bigger hook for the larger fish. Just bait the hook with a big chunk of frozen, fresh chicken livers and chunk it out. Be patient, in a pond with a consistent depth, the fish do tend to roam around. It may take them a while to find your offering. But, rest assure once they do, you should be in for plenty of action. Channel cats rarely hang out alone, even the larger fish. Don't be surprised if you snag a 20+ pounder either. [
] Bottom fishing for them is effective as well, especially if the water has deep holes. I use a carolina rig with a 1 oz egg sinker and the same sized hook.
So, get yourself a couple buckets of chicken livers and toss them in the freezer. Next, rig up your favorite rod with a bobber rig and a larger sized, 5/0 hook. Now, head to the pond with your new strategy and be sure and let us know how you do!!!!
Oh, bullheads are great when cut into nuggets and deepfried in Beer batter. YUMMY!!!!!!! I can get you a recipe from TubeN2 if you're interested in a home made recipe. [cool]
Don't forget your beer to drink. I'm a Yuengling Light kinda guy myself. Or some captain and coke. [
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First of all, bullheads and Channel cats are peas in a pod. They pretty much like the same conditions and eat the same things. They are scavengers by nature, but have been known to knaw on a passing spinner bait when they are really hungry or excited. The best bait i've found for either species is chicken livers. I like to freeze the chicken livers prior to use. They work just as good frozen and also stay on the hook alot better. Chicken livers also give out a great scent trail and it will drawl the fish to your hook. There are plenty of other baits that are effective for bullheads to include: nightcrawlers, shrimp, fresh cut bait, stink bait(sometimes), hot dogs, and just about anything else.
Next, I must ask how deep the pond is. Channels and bulls, especially in a small pond, like to hang around any deep structure they can find. The deeper the hole the better. If your pond doesn't reach a depth of over say, 6' or so, than it really doesn't matter where you fish, they'll probably be roaming around. Also, most fish species grow in accordance to the size of the body of water they live in. The larger and deeper the body of water, the higher of a chance there is to catch a trophy fish. However, there should be a few 5-10 pounder in there anyhow.
You may also want to try a bobber rig. The same rig you would use for bream, just a larger bobber with a 5/0 circle hook or so. You'll want a bigger hook for the larger fish. Just bait the hook with a big chunk of frozen, fresh chicken livers and chunk it out. Be patient, in a pond with a consistent depth, the fish do tend to roam around. It may take them a while to find your offering. But, rest assure once they do, you should be in for plenty of action. Channel cats rarely hang out alone, even the larger fish. Don't be surprised if you snag a 20+ pounder either. [
] Bottom fishing for them is effective as well, especially if the water has deep holes. I use a carolina rig with a 1 oz egg sinker and the same sized hook. So, get yourself a couple buckets of chicken livers and toss them in the freezer. Next, rig up your favorite rod with a bobber rig and a larger sized, 5/0 hook. Now, head to the pond with your new strategy and be sure and let us know how you do!!!!
Oh, bullheads are great when cut into nuggets and deepfried in Beer batter. YUMMY!!!!!!! I can get you a recipe from TubeN2 if you're interested in a home made recipe. [cool]
Don't forget your beer to drink. I'm a Yuengling Light kinda guy myself. Or some captain and coke. [
][signature]