02-26-2012, 04:54 PM
**WARNING: Long post ahead.
Thanks for the video, Ron. People (like me) who aren't fond of carp would consider that a Hollywood ending! [laugh]
Last fall, a friend and I were fishing near the Snake when we noticed something small and shiny wash up near our feet. Turns out, it was a cutthroat parr (~6 inches) with a 3-inch yellow perch stuck in its gullet. We dislodged the perch and it swam away, apparently none the worse for the wear. The cutt wasn't quite as spry. I still kick myself for not taking a picture.
Regarding the size of the bait versus the size of the catch, there's some truth to it but not universally so. A big object is simply discriminatory--small fish can't get it into their mouths, while larger ones can. You'll get much less action with a bigger lure/hook, but you'll only land larger fish.
One of my favorite places to fish for cats back home was stocked with many species, all living fairly close to each other: largemouth bass, white crappie, bluegill, sunfish (pumpkinseed), channel cats, blue cats, mudcats, carp and hickory shad. With so many small swimmers about, the best way to ensure you'd catch a channel or blue was to use large bait. If you didn't mind waiting forever, you could run a hook through a freshly caught sunfish underneath its ray.
The best way, however, was to use a relatively huge (at least 1/0) hook and some cut bait, and, friends, lemme tell ya, there is no better cut bait for catfish than shad. I don't suppose you can get it around these parts, but shad is a catfish magnet. The whiskered ones will eat just about anything, but they LOVE shad.
Even better, shad meat is tough, bony, and the skin is extremely leathery. A couple of large chunks on a hook can last hours, and one average shad will last the day, whereas you might have to replace meat from soft-fleshed fish like bluegill or crappie after every cast.
**Disclaimer: I haven't catfished since moving to Idaho, and I am not familiar with the regulations here for live or cut bait, so take everything I've shared with a grain of salt. I am not advocating anyone break the law.
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Thanks for the video, Ron. People (like me) who aren't fond of carp would consider that a Hollywood ending! [laugh]
Last fall, a friend and I were fishing near the Snake when we noticed something small and shiny wash up near our feet. Turns out, it was a cutthroat parr (~6 inches) with a 3-inch yellow perch stuck in its gullet. We dislodged the perch and it swam away, apparently none the worse for the wear. The cutt wasn't quite as spry. I still kick myself for not taking a picture.
Regarding the size of the bait versus the size of the catch, there's some truth to it but not universally so. A big object is simply discriminatory--small fish can't get it into their mouths, while larger ones can. You'll get much less action with a bigger lure/hook, but you'll only land larger fish.
One of my favorite places to fish for cats back home was stocked with many species, all living fairly close to each other: largemouth bass, white crappie, bluegill, sunfish (pumpkinseed), channel cats, blue cats, mudcats, carp and hickory shad. With so many small swimmers about, the best way to ensure you'd catch a channel or blue was to use large bait. If you didn't mind waiting forever, you could run a hook through a freshly caught sunfish underneath its ray.
The best way, however, was to use a relatively huge (at least 1/0) hook and some cut bait, and, friends, lemme tell ya, there is no better cut bait for catfish than shad. I don't suppose you can get it around these parts, but shad is a catfish magnet. The whiskered ones will eat just about anything, but they LOVE shad.
Even better, shad meat is tough, bony, and the skin is extremely leathery. A couple of large chunks on a hook can last hours, and one average shad will last the day, whereas you might have to replace meat from soft-fleshed fish like bluegill or crappie after every cast.
**Disclaimer: I haven't catfished since moving to Idaho, and I am not familiar with the regulations here for live or cut bait, so take everything I've shared with a grain of salt. I am not advocating anyone break the law.
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