Trolling for cats

[Florida_Native]

I saw Jeremy Wade catch a catfish on a popper in Japan but i didn't think a US cat would bite on a lure until today. I was trolling liberty lake and caught one on a Rapala.

Weird!

[Button Nubbs]

Predatory fish, why not? I've heard of sturgeon being caught on spinners. That would be a fight...

[Mfowl]

I've caught a few in the Lower Snake while trolling plugs for steelhead. Thought the first one was gonna be a big walleye, we were surprised when it turned out to be a 10lb cat.

[Kola16]

I've caught a couple trolling a nightcrawler...it wouldn't be my main strategy, but it will get an occasional cat.

[lokidog]

Caught a 23 pounder in WI trolling a Shadrap in 15 or so feet of water.

[mrmoskillz]

When I was a kid we used to catch them on a jig fishing for crappie in Missouri all the time.  We would get like one cat per five crappie we caught.

[jechicdr]

Caught a 19 lb cat out of Sprague lake before they poisoned it trolling bait (probably closer to drifting).  Mainline down to about a 1 ounce egg sinker attached to swivel then about 18 inch leader with a small bobber threaded on the line (the ones with the plastic insert to stop it from sliding on the line) and a wide gap, almost circle hook about 8 inches down from the bobber.  This keeps the bait off the bottom.  I used thread fin shad that I had brought over frozen from North Carolina.  If there is a gentle wind, position yourself upwind and drift bouncing the sinker on the bottom.  If there is not much wind, you can use slow speed on a trolling motor.  If there is too much wind, you may use the trolling motor to slow you down, or a water anchor.