Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Fishing => Topic started by: sirfunkeybut on July 21, 2010, 07:06:42 PM

Title: nightfishing cats
Post by: sirfunkeybut on July 21, 2010, 07:06:42 PM: i heard that cats come up to the shallows in the evening to feed. after putting in over 20 hours with depths ranging from 10-25 feet in a lake thats about 35-40 max. So i was thinking about taking the boat out tonight and try the deep holes. Any input on my situation. i have tried a bunch of different baits and with one 5lb landed and only one bite out of all that time i feel like maybe trying the deepest spots would help.
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: rasbo on July 21, 2010, 07:20:31 PM: fresh cut bait,and close to the shoreline,late at night for channels
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: 1morebuck on July 21, 2010, 07:32:30 PM: I use dough balls with herring oil, same places as Rasbo. :twocents:
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: sirfunkeybut on July 21, 2010, 07:40:45 PM: well maybe i'll use the boat to get where others cant then.
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: 300magman on July 21, 2010, 07:46:11 PM: cut up stew meat soaked in garlic always works for me.................
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: Dustin07 on July 22, 2010, 11:30:09 AM: yeah I've been told stinkier the better. chicken livers or steak thats been left out a bit.
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: quadrafire on July 22, 2010, 11:41:43 AM: deeper during the day. Very shallow at night. You may even anchor deep and fish towards shore into the shallows
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: rasbo on July 22, 2010, 11:43:32 AM: fresh caught,trout,panfish,suckers,,,fresh gets it done
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: carpsniperg2 on July 22, 2010, 11:53:21 AM: chicken livers work good but like rasbo said fresh bloody fish works great 2. i loved fishing at night with my uncle we use to do really good on them at night. glow sticks and bells :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on July 22, 2010, 12:11:46 PM: This time of year I have several different ways of catching them,
A lake I like to fish is pretty clear, so you can see pretty good, so I cruise along far enough out from shore that I can still see bottom.
And look for holes., they will be 6 inches or more across, and the really good ones will have gravel at opening.
Using a nightcrawler on a baitholder hook, with a split-shot about 4 inches up the line,
I cast just past the hole and drag it into hole.......
if you see the fish take the worm, count to 3 and reel him in.
usually there are 2 cats per hole.

I also S-L-O-W-L-Y creep up to lillypad patches and look for them sunning at the surface, and put the worm right in front of their noses...

Also, while you are cruising along, look for dark patches (black) on bottom, sometimes these are schools of babies, with 2 adults protecting them.
I have had them hit Bass lures in this situation, but nothing beats a nightcrawler,(its just hard to get in front of them, as they are chasing off perch, bass, sunfish, etc).

As far as night fishing :dunno: soaking bait, and drinking beer, but again, I like nightcrawlers, you never know what you will catch...
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: rasbo on July 23, 2010, 12:07:12 AM: http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Man-catches-130-pound-catfish-98845829.html (http://www.kmov.com/news/local/Man-catches-130-pound-catfish-98845829.html)
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: sled on July 23, 2010, 06:37:37 AM: I have only caught the brown bullhead catfish. We would set up in about 10 feet of water at about 6 oclock, and fish nightcrawlers 1 to 2 feet off the bottom. we did really good until about 10 or 11 oclock. It was alot of fun. A case of beer is always good too. The beer seems to be the key though!
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: 1bugman on July 23, 2010, 07:19:53 AM: Used to night fish in Kansas, when I was in the army, fresh cut bait was the best, crawler would work to. never had any luck with stink baits. if I wasn't catching channels, flat heads or the occasional blue, it was because of the damn turtles stealing my bait. my buddy caught a 53 lbs cat on crawlers.
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: cohoho on July 23, 2010, 07:46:06 AM: As a kid on the Ohio River for Channel and Yellow Cats used freshly cut Carp and destroyed them. Stink baits i.e. chicken gizzards, chicken livers and old beef livers worked better during the day for some reason, but at night fresh nasty carp was best... I have not night fished for Cats since the early 80's and miss it as it was a blast for sure...
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: quadrafire on July 23, 2010, 09:45:08 AM: Noodling is still the best. ;)
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: woodywsu on July 23, 2010, 10:40:06 AM: :yeah: but illegal in Washington
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: RockChuck on July 24, 2010, 06:51:55 PM: Anyone catch cats in the Columbia around Tri Cities, I have tried a couple times at the mouth of the Yakima with no luck, tried chicken liver night crawlers and stink bait, fished from about 4:30 am till 10:00 fishing in about 10' water. no luck :'(
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: sirfunkeybut on July 24, 2010, 07:12:34 PM: join the club. I tried for three days and only lost one right at the bank. about 8 lbs or so. And everyone else i seen fishing were only catching yellow bellys.

Quote from: RockChuck on July 24, 2010, 06:51:55 PM
Anyone catch cats in the columbia around Tri Cities, I have tried a couple times at the mouth of the Yakima with no lock, tried chicken liver night crawlers and stink bait, fished from about 4:30 am till 10:00 fishine in about 10' water. no luck :'(
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: tony04 on August 01, 2010, 09:41:00 AM: take a coffee can and poke a bunch of holes in it, fill it with cat food and maybe a big rock or 2, and toss it in the water. wait a while after she sinks to the bottom, then just cast your bait by the coffee can.
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: Hunterman on August 01, 2010, 10:26:20 AM: Why is it illeagle to noddle in Washington??

Hunterman(Tony)
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: Jason on August 01, 2010, 11:26:13 AM: We always had great luck with raw bratwurst, cut them up into chunks leaving the skin on.
Title: Re: nightfishing cats
Post by: woodywsu on August 02, 2010, 07:23:48 AM: Quote from: Hunterman on August 01, 2010, 10:26:20 AM
Why is it illeagle to noddle in Washington??

Hunterman(Tony)

I've never read it in any game laws, but heard from friends from the south that they can't noodle up here. Maybe WDFW doesn't want them disturbing the cats when they are spawning. :dunno: Have to look into it I guess? I know a guy that has done some on the Walla Walla and killed em; he didn't know the laws and was told not to do it anymore.