North Carolina: Cold Water Cats!

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oceanorange
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North Carolina: Cold Water Cats!

Post by oceanorange »

Panfish:

Well, Hatchery supported waters, season ends feb 28th, to commence again April 7th at 6am. If you can't get to any trout at the moment, don't forget the largely available Bluegill. Even though this is a small and almost nusence fish in some areas, with 2-4 lb. test and small jigs, this cold won't keep them from biting. What I do is get a small round bobber, preferably clear, and let 12-24 inches down with a small jig, tiny spoon or ice fishing jig. I tip the jig with mousies ( a water magot) or any grub I could get my hands on, the smaller the better for these. In cold water most fish avoid large bulky lures (in my experience) and most of my largest cold weather fresh water fish have hit these tiny lures with ultra light lines! These fish are slow eaters this time of year, but if you put one of these small tinny lures on their noses they will strike!.
Through out in areas where the water dips suddenly, where current does not flow, or around deep structure away from the sore line, as far out as you can cast. you jig it as if it had no bobber, slowly tapping it towards you, and stopping for no more than 30 seconds at a time. Fish in this cold weather will school together so if you catch one, cast back to that same spot and do the tapping retrieve.

Good luck and don't let the cold bum you out, there's plenty of ultra light action, all you have to do is cast.
Last edited by oceanorange on Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by oceanorange »

So, Went fishing 2 days straight to a river called: Yadkin River, a section between winston-salem and jonesville. Tried to go for some channel cats or blue cats. I used Chicken liver, hot dogs, night crawlers, and even shad.

All I have to say is either I'm doing something wrong or the river is empty. I saw no signs of any life (except for a little fish about the size of my pinky nail, may be even smaller)... Definately a slow producer. I did read up on it, stating that due to lower water levels a few years ago there was a mass fish kill due to oxygen levels, go figure..

Well, next week I'm headed to the mountains for some trout. here is a picture..

my red chair, mind you I never sat down, tooooo COLD!
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fishnfool73
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Post by fishnfool73 »

Try the cheapest bacon you can find for them. Always worked for me down here for them.

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Post by oceanorange »

fishnfool73 wrote:Try the cheapest bacon you can find for them. Always worked for me down here for them.
Hmm, good Idea, I'll try that next week when I go again, but that chicken liver was pretty juicy, I think that I almost wanted to take a bite..lol.. I think I'm gonna call it quits on that river until late spring.. Seems way too slow for me, two days almost 15 hrs combined and not one bite? not a good sign.
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Post by kyfisherman »

don't use liver, there are so many better baits. .. buy you a package of boneless skinless chicken breast, cut it up in pieces about the size of your hook you want to use.

Cut up 2 breast. Place in plastic bag, pour 4 packets of red cherry koolaid over it, wait a few hours, and drain out the water that has accumulated, put 4 more packets on, drain off the water again later, before you go fishing throw in a couple more packets for good measure, just make sure to work the chicken around to get it all covered good, smelsl great, catfish love it, last a long time, you can freeze it.

Always tip the chicken with 1/2 nightcrawler on the end of the hook..

Beats chicken liver 5 to 1 easy

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Post by oceanorange »

kyfisherman wrote:don't use liver, there are so many better baits. .. buy you a package of boneless skinless chicken breast, cut it up in pieces about the size of your hook you want to use.

Cut up 2 breast. Place in plastic bag, pour 4 packets of red cherry koolaid over it, wait a few hours, and drain out the water that has accumulated, put 4 more packets on, drain off the water again later, before you go fishing throw in a couple more packets for good measure, just make sure to work the chicken around to get it all covered good, smelsl great, catfish love it, last a long time, you can freeze it.

Always tip the chicken with 1/2 nightcrawler on the end of the hook..

Beats chicken liver 5 to 1 easy
WOW!, Definately going to try this, It sounds like allot of work, but dag gone it, I'm trying this one. Thanks Bro.
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Post by Lomax »

... If there is a nearby reservoir and the floodgates are open, try there, and for other species. That is feeding grounds. My grandparents used to run and live at a fish camp, boat rental and tackle everything type of place years back in North Carolina. So, I had my experience seeking how to fish up there.

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Post by agroce23 »

The current looks a little fast for cats, try salmon row or shad, tie on a 3-4 foot leader with a 1/5 oz. egg weight and cast into the eddies. If it's too cold cats become lethargic.

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Post by agroce23 »

sorry 1/2 0z. oops :roll:

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Post by kyfisherman »

it is just a bit cold for cats in the carolina's but it should be picking up soon....

to swift for cats?? hmmmmmmmmm you need to come with me to the greenup dam on the ohio river, it makes that water loook dead calm, the water coming out of the turbines is literally boiling like crazy and it is the swiftest water i have ever seen. a lot of big cats are taken from there, they use anywhere from 4-12oz to hit bottom and then bounce it as the current takes it down!

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Post by kyfisherman »

hey oceanorange, not much work to it, just gottta prepare for it, like if you know your going on saturday start makin it friday morning u know

and what you got left put it in a container and freeze it

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Post by kyfisherman »

Check out the How to section of the forum in the next few days, I'm going to post a few of my favorite catfish baits.

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Post by oceanorange »

agroce23 wrote:The current looks a little fast for cats, try salmon row or shad, tie on a 3-4 foot leader with a 1/5 oz. egg weight and cast into the eddies. If it's too cold cats become lethargic.
I was thinking the same dar n thing, the cold will slow them down, but if I cast right behind those bridge pillings, I know that there could be 2+ catfish sitting there, half dead, but still eating..
Last edited by oceanorange on Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by oceanorange »

kyfisherman wrote:it is just a bit cold for cats in the carolina's but it should be picking up soon....

to swift for cats?? hmmmmmmmmm you need to come with me to the greenup dam on the ohio river, it makes that water loook dead calm, the water coming out of the turbines is literally boiling like crazy and it is the swiftest water i have ever seen. a lot of big cats are taken from there, they use anywhere from 4-12oz to hit bottom and then bounce it as the current takes it down!
Yes, current will not make a difference as long as there are rocks down on the bottom(which there are plenty of), durring the winter, Cats will stay in current behind rocks, since they are rarely moving and they need oxygen while they sit there, and food. They sit right behind these rocks in full current, (and bridge pillings). Flood gates at dams are great in late spring and summer, plenty of small minows, bluegill and baby bass falling through. During the winter water runs less, drought, due to cold and low rain falls, so dams offer very little if any sustinance for these cold weather cats.

But I will find a dam in late spring when rains are hard! definately a good idea Lomax.
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Post by agroce23 »

Those are the eddies I was referring to, they will hold fish.

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Post by oceanorange »

agroce23 wrote:Those are the eddies I was referring to, they will hold fish.
sheesh, forgot I was a moderator here and almost took off your mesg, sorry bro.

Well, I did come to a realization about fast water sinker fishing.

I use a 3 way swivel, 8 lb test line tied to a 1/2 ounce egg or less. then I tie on a single hook with 10-12 # test to the other swivel eye. I then use power pro as main line. This way I loose the stuff in order,
weight first, then hook, then swivel...LOL..

After loosing everything the fisrt day, I smartened up and used the above.
I then casted toward the current, what a difference, lost lots of lead, but hook was always there. any other way, you catch the fish, gets stuck, and then you loose it all.. I rather loose the lead..
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Post by agroce23 »

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Post by kyfisherman »

there is such thing in rivers as vertical eddy's... I don't know really how to explain them to you, but think of the current how it wraps around a rock and there is a calm place in behind it. Thats one example, a vertical eddy could be a fast drop off running across the bottom or a big hole in the bottom, cant necessarily see them from the surface but if you find them they will hold fish, as the main current boils over them they will lay under the current and come up every now and then to eat what goes by.

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Post by oceanorange »

Wow, I do like all the rigs, Great job on finding the illustration, I'm sure I'm not the only one learning from this.

when I'm fishing from shore with this fast current and who knows what's on the bottom (tires, Rocks, trees, bikes, cars...) I still like to use this three way rig, found it online somewhere and as soon as I tryed it, It works perfect for this river and all it's bottom and speed..
I would try these other rigs, but I will loose everything instantly, with this rig I found, like I said, I loose stuff in stages, LOL..

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Post by oceanorange »

kyfisherman wrote:there is such thing in rivers as vertical eddy's... I don't know really how to explain them to you, but think of the current how it wraps around a rock and there is a calm place in behind it. Thats one example, a vertical eddy could be a fast drop off running across the bottom or a big hole in the bottom, cant necessarily see them from the surface but if you find them they will hold fish, as the main current boils over them they will lay under the current and come up every now and then to eat what goes by.
yep, eddies are great, just gotta get to them from shore...LOL, I've been trying to cast to that dag bridge pilling and the current steels my spot.. Well, I may have to go to 3 oz sinker w/ some heavy dutty line.. This way, I can cast to one spot in the river and it stays there.
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Post by agroce23 »

Also can try drift fishing, Learned while steelhead fishing, works for slow cats..


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Post by agroce23 »


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Post by oceanorange »

hmm, please fix link, as it seams to be a back end way, most users will not be able to see it.

I did get a look at it though, yes, you walk the stream while you fish. This is a better tactic for Trout. But I think I'll try it with my lighter rod while I let the bigger one sit.

Great thanks.
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Post by agroce23 »

It is more of a steelhead (sea run rainbow trout) rig, I have been able to use it with pretty good sucess in the Saluda river in South Carolina, and Snohomish river in Washington. It takes a little more work and usually a set of waders, but is fun if your not in the mood too sit around and wait.

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Post by big_matt_duq »

live chubs are usually my favorite bait. get a minnow trap and put bread, cat/dog food, pretzels, whatever in it and put it in a slow stream or such. check it every once and a while and you can get all the bait you need. put them on a slip weight and just throw them wherever you think is good. you seem to know your stuff so ill leave that to you. live bluegill also work pretty good. use a circle hook if you like em, they make hookin them in current easier. it may be a little cold there. i went out ice fishin the other day and caught 1 bluegill and 1 trout between the 2 of us and the ice was 8 in thick so be thankfull you are not here. lol

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Post by kyfisherman »

ohhhh bluegill and chubs are a couple of my favorites as well....... Sometimes i fish them live but i love fishing them curled!!

haven't tried them curled then you need to!!! Take about a 2/0 hook and catch some 3-4 inch chubs, take your foot and smash them a bit until they pop.. and run the hook through there mouth and out near their tail, it will be curled on your hook, works awesome!!!

Same way with bluegill only don't step on them. On the top fin of the blue gill incert the tip of your knife and make about a 1/4 inch incision on each side and sometimes one on there belly.. I use really small bluegill when curling them, ones so small you have to catch them in a minnow trap, 1 - 2 inch tops.

Works great as well!! the different meat type baits i told you about are great, I'm glad you mentioned small gills and chubs because they are great as well.

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Post by oceanorange »

Nice fellas, Very nice!
I remember my ice fishing days too! awesome. ok,
so I made my list and will be fishing tomorrow or Saturday. I found someone local who told me where to go on that river I took a picture of. Nice little spot where he guarenteed a few cats! this guy fishes lots here, told him about boatlessfishing, but he said he doesn't have internet access. Being from where I was, I was a bit amazed, every one has internet? right? guess not...

So, tomorrow I'll post my catch! with all this info you guys are placing, bet I catch 4.
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Post by kyfisherman »

everyone has internet?????? LOL come to kentucky

not hardly................ i'm one of the few lucky ones that has high speed dsl

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Post by oceanorange »

so, finally went out, Some big rains fell on thursday night and the river rose almost 10 ft by the bridge. I went out this saturday morning and caught three cold water flatheads.. I was told that friday when the water was higher they were on the feed, but today since the water is dropping that less fish bite (they are full from the rise).

still caught some though, finally..
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Post by kyfisherman »

nice lookin cats there ocean!

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