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I just started at a different lake for the first time. And from 3pm to 7pm I didn't get one bite. I'm using nightcrawlers as bait.
I'm fishing for catfish at a lake I go to. I don't know what kind of catfish but the guy I talked to says he usually catches 12-18lbers. What's weird is he was using corn as a bait and had a bobber and casted only 5 feet away from the shore.
I'm using a carolina rig with a 1/4oz egg weight, barrel swivel, a 24" leader(12lb test line), with a 4/0 octopus circle hook.
Is there anything wrong with this rig? Should I change my bait? Should I go earliar in the morning?
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if you read my posts below youd see thats the rig i mainly use... there are alot of things to factor in... i never use crawlers for catfishing.. too many other fish will eat it.
try shrimp, shad, bluegill ect and keep the same rig
as for using circle hooks they are designed to let the fish hook himself, and you pretty much need a solid/stationary rod holder to lock the rod into and let them do their thing
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Shrimp work well for me, I go to a lake almost everyday to catfish, and most perch won't mess with it too much. Use a medium sized treble hook(around in inch long) and stick the whole shrimp on(curl it around the treble). Freelining works best for me (no sinker or leader). Keep your spool open and wait for a catfish to take line out. Let it run for about 2 seconds then set the hook. That's what works for me.
Good luck![fishin]
Bassmasta
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Take some hot dogs and put them in a zip logk with some garlic. LET THEM GET ROTTEN then tear off asize perfect for your treble hook put it on and fish good luck
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That fella with the corn, are you sure he knows the diff between a cat and a carp? Just a thought.
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thats a good point. Usually the bigger cats won't mess with corn, and they would be deeper than 5ft.
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I cant believe no one mentioned chicken liver as bait! Thats what we kill them on!
At least 12 lb line...Start with a 1oz egg sinker, throw on a couple of small plastic beads, tie up a small eagle claw nylon leader, and use a size 6 gamkatsu circle hook.
We find that the sliding egg sinker works the best because when the cat hits the bait, he doesnt feel the weight drag which means he's less likely to let go before the circle hook does the trick.
Go to the grocery store and get yourself some chicken liver. trust me. And buy some atlas magic thread. Get a gob of liver about the size of a golf ball, hook it up as best as you can, and wrap it with the thread.
check the attachment to see what im talking about. We hit ones like this from May until December in PA.
and one more thing. definitely learn your lake. look at topographic maps and find the deep holes/channels. that's where you'll find the cats unless it's in the hottest days of summer.
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[crazy]Maybe you good folks can help me too. I have just started trying to make my own dough bait as the chicken livers attracts so many turtles its next to impossible to actually fish in either of our 3 lakes.
I keep reading about the use of WD 40. Will the cheap brand of it work just as well? And is it just for catfish or will it help me get some decent sized pan fish too?
thanks in advance, kitty
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The catfish around here usually like carp meat or minnows. State law says they have to be dead but they work. Biggest thing I have learned is to leave the bail open. Cats don't seem to like pressure when they first take the bait. Just kind of hold it in the front of their mouth. Let them run with it for 10 to 20 seconds and then flip the bail. By theny they have put it all the way in and are starting to swallow it. Have had a lot more hook ups since I started doing that. For what it's worth.
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Chicken Liver is absolutely killer... Thats what we always use.. Also i recommend not using any weight at all specially if your fishing a pond. My buddy and i would go out and he would get mad because I would catch 3-4 10-15 pounders (keep in mind we fished from 7 pm till 7 am) and he would get small bites.The less tension they have the more likely they are too hook themselves and they are stuck.
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