11-09-2009, 11:52 AM
[cool][#0000ff]I lived in Sacramento for several years and tubed all along the foothills of the Sierras and out into the flatlands. Even tubed most of the length of the Sacramento River for stripers, salmon, steelhead, shad and even a couple of sturgeon. Plenty of kitties but mostly on bait in the murky river.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are a lot of clean water reservoirs in northern California that kick out grundles of bass, crappies, bluegills and kitties...as well as those silly trout. Some of my favorite tubing was on small farm ponds where there sometimes were not many fish but they got big and they often had not been hit by tubers. I was in the real estate business and had connections with some private land owners.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have caught kitties on fly rods in many parts of the country. They are efficient predators with a lot better eyesight than most people give them credit for. When the water is clear enough for "sight feeding" cats will chase minnows and hit bugs on the surface...especially big hoppers and caterpillars in the late summer. I have had some banner days casting to big cats right along the shoreline when they are cruising shallow and looking for topwater groceries. A 10 pound cat on a hair bug definitely outfights a 10 inch bluegill.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I live and fish mostly in Utah these days. We have several good catfish holes here. I have caught lots of channel cats here on flies...even on purpose. My opinion is that the pattern is not as important as getting something in the right zone...so they can feel the vibrations and then see the fly. Dark patterns are good not only for visibility but because cats feed on the young of their own kind after they hatch out. Black, brown or purple buggers all fill that bill. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In both California and Arizona I have taken cats on topwater and shallow flies and lures being fished for bass in the middle of a shad school. The kitties were up on top, busting shad, side by side with the bass. Cats fight harder on a fly rod. Any good white or silver pattern of a similar size to the baitfish will get hammered.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Lots of cats like chartreuse. And adding some contrasting color helps too. Try making a chartreuse "egg sucking leech" with a hot red or orange head/egg. Trout, steelhead, salmon and bass like it too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck and post up some reports for your trips over there. I do miss that part of California.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There are a lot of clean water reservoirs in northern California that kick out grundles of bass, crappies, bluegills and kitties...as well as those silly trout. Some of my favorite tubing was on small farm ponds where there sometimes were not many fish but they got big and they often had not been hit by tubers. I was in the real estate business and had connections with some private land owners.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have caught kitties on fly rods in many parts of the country. They are efficient predators with a lot better eyesight than most people give them credit for. When the water is clear enough for "sight feeding" cats will chase minnows and hit bugs on the surface...especially big hoppers and caterpillars in the late summer. I have had some banner days casting to big cats right along the shoreline when they are cruising shallow and looking for topwater groceries. A 10 pound cat on a hair bug definitely outfights a 10 inch bluegill.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I live and fish mostly in Utah these days. We have several good catfish holes here. I have caught lots of channel cats here on flies...even on purpose. My opinion is that the pattern is not as important as getting something in the right zone...so they can feel the vibrations and then see the fly. Dark patterns are good not only for visibility but because cats feed on the young of their own kind after they hatch out. Black, brown or purple buggers all fill that bill. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In both California and Arizona I have taken cats on topwater and shallow flies and lures being fished for bass in the middle of a shad school. The kitties were up on top, busting shad, side by side with the bass. Cats fight harder on a fly rod. Any good white or silver pattern of a similar size to the baitfish will get hammered.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Lots of cats like chartreuse. And adding some contrasting color helps too. Try making a chartreuse "egg sucking leech" with a hot red or orange head/egg. Trout, steelhead, salmon and bass like it too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck and post up some reports for your trips over there. I do miss that part of California.[/#0000ff]
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