01-05-2010, 07:43 PM
The cats at Mead typically hang out in less than 50 feet of water. In the winter, they can hold on the deeper side, and are typically less active, but if the water temp drops below 50, the cats can get really active (with the stripers) if there is a shad die-off. The water gets too cold, and those shad start droppin like flies- the cats and stripers school up under the schools of shad in deep water (50-80 feet) and pick off the dying ones. It is more common in lakes in the deep south where it gets colder in the winter, but if it gets chilly enough here, you can have some stellar fishing during the die-off.
In the early spring, cats start getting active, and can be caught on a variety of baits (fresh-dead, live or frozen shad and frozen chicken livers are my favorite).
At night, channel cats start roaming around in search of food in water as shallow as 2 feet. I like to soak baits in 5 to 20 feet of water.
In the summer, the cat-fishing can be great, and then it comes to a halt when the mature fish start their spawn. When water temps hit 72F- 82F, the fish focus their energy on the spawn and stop feeding actively for a few weeks. Because fish spawn at different times, you can always catch a few fish, but the fishing will get really good later in the summer.
By early fall, the fish are fat and in a feeding frenzy. Still focus your efforts in water less than 20 feet. This time of year, you cant go wrong with fresh cut shad (not that packaged crap).
The fish will feed throughout the year, but they are just harder to locate in the winter.
As with all bait fishing, 2 rules apply:
[ul][li]Change your bait every 15-20 minutes- fish like smelly, fresh bait- not water-logged mushy bait[/li][li]Bigger Bait= Bigger Fish - if you fish with a nightcrawler, you are gonna catch a dink. You tie on a fat shad, hold on.[/li][/ul]Happy Cat-Hunting!
The Whizzle
[signature]
In the early spring, cats start getting active, and can be caught on a variety of baits (fresh-dead, live or frozen shad and frozen chicken livers are my favorite).
At night, channel cats start roaming around in search of food in water as shallow as 2 feet. I like to soak baits in 5 to 20 feet of water.
In the summer, the cat-fishing can be great, and then it comes to a halt when the mature fish start their spawn. When water temps hit 72F- 82F, the fish focus their energy on the spawn and stop feeding actively for a few weeks. Because fish spawn at different times, you can always catch a few fish, but the fishing will get really good later in the summer.
By early fall, the fish are fat and in a feeding frenzy. Still focus your efforts in water less than 20 feet. This time of year, you cant go wrong with fresh cut shad (not that packaged crap).
The fish will feed throughout the year, but they are just harder to locate in the winter.
As with all bait fishing, 2 rules apply:
[ul][li]Change your bait every 15-20 minutes- fish like smelly, fresh bait- not water-logged mushy bait[/li][li]Bigger Bait= Bigger Fish - if you fish with a nightcrawler, you are gonna catch a dink. You tie on a fat shad, hold on.[/li][/ul]Happy Cat-Hunting!
The Whizzle
[signature]