# The Catfish appreciation thread!



## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Well, its time for me to come out of the closet. Uh, nonot in that way, I meanI have to confess that there is a fish that has, over the past couple years, become as near and dear to me as my beloved steelhead. Im talking of course, about the catfish.

There, I said it out loud and I feel like a monkey has been lifted off my back. I love chasing catfishbig catfish, big channels and flatheads. After a long fall, winter and spring of chasing the magnificent steelhead, as soon as the weather starts to warm I begin thinking of those whiskered denizens that populate many of our SW Michigan streams. 

Im not kidding, to watch that rod start to double over as a big cat takes the bait is a rush in itselfsetting the hook and tying into those dandy cats is as fun as any salmon. They take line on short, yet powerful bulldog like runs and push even the stoutest rods to the limit as you attempt to pull them up to the surface. Once youve tied into any catfish over 10lbs, you cant help but earn a quick respect for them. After going toe to toe, again, with a few over the weekend, it was a welcome feeling that quickly came back to mea fight Id missed since the end of last summer. I actaully was giddy and anxious this past week because I knew I was going to start my yearly cat fishin' this weekend! 

I LOVE chasing those big catsand I know Im not the only one. Lets hear it for these fine game fish, huh? I know where Ill be most of the summer

There's no head like steelhead, but damn--I sure adore those river kitty kats!


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## RedChevy (Feb 13, 2005)

Hey I love catfishing also. Can you give me an idea on how to be more successful. I have caught a few small ones and probably hooked 1 or 2 bigs ones that i never got to see. Also any place within a 30 min drive of where I live that might bring some decent results? Thanks


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

The Kalamazoo and St. Joe rivers are excellent rivers for big cats. A lot of guys fish the timber for big flatheads, but you can't overlook all the big channel cats that live in those rivers as well. For the big channels, find areas where the current is a bit more swift and where there's some deeper holes and slots. Get yourself some small bluegills or shiners and use them as cut bait. Big channels love bluegill cut bait!


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## STEINFISHSKI (Jan 30, 2001)

Ah yes, catfishing at it's finest. It's been almost 2 years since I made it out for them, but what a riot. I took the kids down to the farmpond and caught a bunch of gills and kept them alive in a 5 gallon bucket for my evening plans upstream from Filmore County Park on the Grand River. I anchored alongside a log jam in a deeper section at dusk. I used barrel sinkers and a 1/0 single hook and swung the lively gills into the backside of the jam and waited. Things were quiet until the sun went down and I boated 6 flatheads to 13 lbs. Sounds like a revisitation trip is in order. No bluegill or crappie is too big as I got the better ones on 7-8" gills.


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Another good thing to remember is that Flatheads may be a nocturnal creature, but even the big channel cats can be taken all day long--especially in rivers where the water is a bit turbid or murkey. I've landed some real brutes when the sun is just beating down on the river!


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## Steelheadfred (May 4, 2004)

YEAH - I lost all respect when Kush blew up a 10 foot 7 weight custom steelhead drift rods I had hours into building - on a catfish!:evil: :rant:


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## Mitch (Jan 10, 2003)

I usually curse the dumb things, of course that's because I usually catch them while steelhead fishing and they end up wasting all my spawn! I've never really thought about targeting them, might have to try that on the "Zoo" this summer. 

Mitch


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Kush should've known better than to go after cats with a 7 weight rod! :lol: 

In regards to the type of rod to chase cats with, never send a boy to do a mans job!


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

> I've never really thought about targeting them, might have to try that on the "Zoo" this summer.


Once you tie into a few, you'll have instant respect for them! You guys know I love my steelhead, but chasing those big cats all summer is a real close second place for me.


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## GVSUKUSH (Mar 9, 2004)

Next time I go home I'm grabbing the Yellow Michigan Steelheaders rod. It's about 20 pounds, it has a little flex in the first 3 guides or so, come's complete with a foam handle, and gave the old man tendinitius in his shoulder for 6 months last time he took it out :lol: Just call me "Yellow Rod Todd".


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## Mitch (Jan 10, 2003)

thousandcasts said:


> In regards to the type of rod to chase cats with, never send a boy to do a mans job!


Does this mean I'd have to go buy myself a pair of "King Kat" rods?

Mitch


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

Nah, I got a couple of those Cabela's Fish Eagle II bait casting rods (8'6" moderate/heavy action) and they kick a** for chasing cats. I've got them armed with Shimano Curado baitcasters and fighting them with that set up is a riot!


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## mallardtone-man (Nov 20, 2002)

It's about time someone started a thread like this! Of all the fish that prowl our freshwater lakes and rivers I would have to say that the mighty catfish is my favorite! I have several spots that regularily produce channels in the 5-15lb range, and I love it! I have yet to catch a monster flathead, I have caught them from 6" to 3lbs on a channel cat rig, but have never really targeted them with large live baits. I will have to give it a try this year, I know a couple of spots that would be perfect for it. I have not been out on a serious cat trip yet this year, but with all of this talk one is in order for sure!


James


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## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

Cats are awsome! Nothing better to help make my day when I'm not catching steelhead.
I can truelly understand and appreciate the attraction. However, and this is just me so don't anyone think I'm trying to be a stick in the mud, but I just can't stop thinking about steelhead. They almost never leave my mind. I think about em at work. While I'm hunting. Even when I'm sleeping. Occasionally every once in great while they leave my thoughts for about 15 minutes while I'm having sex Then afterwards they come right back. I've tried to fight it, but it's no use. I fish for walleyes, yet in my heart I'm wishing for steelhead. I fish for trout, and I keep hoping a steelhead will somehow sneak up and surprise me. Bluegills? They're great! I love to eat em. And with every bite I'm thinking to myself "man I can't wait for the steelhead to run". I sold all my ice fishing equipment. I sold all my pan fishing rods. I just use my steelhead rods for everything nowadays. This is no bull. It's a fact, and you can ask anyone around me. I seriously need help! I even recently sold my vee bottom, and purchased a jet sled. I'm affraid theres no turning back now. I fell off the deep end. The only hope I have remaning is october 1st. Bow hunting is the only thing that takes my mind off of steelhead. And with the onslaught of recent firearm season extensions I fear it is only a matter of time before I won't even have bow hunting to ease my steelhead addiction.

Good luck to all you die hard whisker chasers


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## thousandcasts (Jan 22, 2002)

I truly understand Erik! I know how acute the steelhead bug is. When I owned my big lake boat, I'd sit there staring at bent downrigger rods, getting seasick and chumming over the side of the boat--all the while saying, "why the hell am I out here when I could be chasing scams in the river? I'm a river rat for crying out loud!" I got rid of my lake boat and went back to chasing scams--and then I got hooked on the big cats as well. I am without a doubt a steelhead addict, which makes catfishing all that much more fun for me--they're the only fish I can chase where I'm NOT sitting there wishing I was catching steelhead instead. I'm truly hooked on the cats just as much as I am the steelhead--but the steelhead, especially the fall/winter runs, will always be # 1 in my book. I kind of like the three or four month "break" where, aside from chasing the scams when it's worth it, I can just have a ball with the cats and recharge my batteries, so to speak. I usually start getting burned out on steelhead by the end of March...by the end of September those steelies are consuming my every thought again, even during sex! :lol:


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## Waser Hund (May 27, 2005)

I have been a life long catfisherman but since my move to Michigan have found them hard to come by. Where in the Kalamazoo area can I get into the cats ? I used to use chicken livers. Does that work in this area ? Any help on locating spots would be great. I live in Galesburg by the way right by Morrow Pond but no luck on the cats in there. Any bait advise ?


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## RedChevy (Feb 13, 2005)

There are cats in Morrow Pond. We fish for cats just below the dam and hook tons of channel cats there. You need a boat to get there tho. Also it is not safe to eat fish from below the dam. We just use a full nightcrawler. PM me if you wanna get together for some fishing. I have been trying to catch a big cat for awhile. Mark


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## N8QGE (Jun 20, 2006)

I'm live in the Lansing area, what would be a good river to catch catfish in the west side of the state?


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## Splitshot (Nov 30, 2000)

Cool thread Steve I used to chase them all the time and still do a couple times a year. By the way I chatch channel cats all day long and my best bait is live shinners I catch my self. Flatheads I catch mostly at night and since I was a kid I was taught that flatheads like live bluegills, not dead ones like channel cats.
A few years ago I caught a 21 ½ lb channel on two pound and a waxworm on Rainbow lake. I thought it was a flathead just because it was so big and the tail was not forked. Turns out that big channels wear their tails down so they are rounded. When I showed the picture to the guy at the baitshop in Maple Rapids set me straight. 

Cost me $1,000.00 as it was a world record channel on two pound. Clearly the most expensive catfish meal I ever ate. I still have the picture somewhere, I just have to dig it out. I had it posted on the site about four years ago! lol

Anyway Il looking forward to getting out there with you some night.

Lots of channel cats in the Grand River in many spots. I caught a couple of 5 pounders in downtown Lansing last week at Moores River Dam. My son caught one about 12 lbs. near Grand Ledge last week too. 

Anyway let me know when you have an open seat and Ill bring my big minnow net and well catch a couple.


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## Whit1 (Apr 27, 2001)

Steve,
The next time you're up this way check out the Big Manistee River for cats. I've heard it can be awesome. One of the better stretches is from the piers up to Manistee Lake.


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