Steve Carlson Memorial Raffle

I am holding a Raffle for the Family of a good friend and fellow fisherman Steve "Catace" Carlson.  My sponsors are donating some nice gear and Tackle.  Bottom Dwellers Tackle is giving 2 Alphamar 12s, Blackhorse Custom Rods is donating a Custom Catfishing Rod, Driftmaster Rod Holders is Giving a Rod Holder package, OS Nets has gave a Joy Cast Net and Catfish Freaks is giving a Abu Kalex 60 Reel and A American Spirit Rod.  The raffle is 10 dollars a chance and 100% of all money raised will go to Steves Wife and Children. Please anyone interested follow this link for more info http://catfishfreaks.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=catmem&action=display&thread=1154
  Steve was a great person, Husband and Father.  Thankyou all!

4-15-2012 Lake Report

The temp got into the mid 70s today and I knew the Channelcats would be up feeding on the shallow flats.  I found a new lake spot and got in early to clear a few spots to cast and land fish.  It wasnt long after I casted out I had action.  The first channel I caught I guessed to be over 10# pushing 11# He came of a piece of cut shad.

The second fish Came shortly after and took a Live Handsized Bluegill.  I weighed this one and she weighed 13#s  not a bad night in a new spot and im sure it will only continue to get better.

Shallow Water Shad

Its been a few weeks since ive been able to get any shad.  With the recent cold weather we have had the shad moved to deeper water.  Today got up into the low 60s so i figured id get out to try to find some.  It took one throw of the net to get more than enough for a trip or two and also gave some to some catfisherman at the lake.  Its exciting when bait comes this easy,  Hope i have a sucessful trip tonight!

Many Nights And Very Few Fish

Ive fished the last 8 days on and off with only two fish to show for.   Its a little early but ive been spending a lot of nights on the lake.  Usually this time of year the fishing is far better during the day but with my schedule the only time i can really get out is after dark.  First off the cold front we had last week almost shut the bite off completly, but i was there sitting waiting for that one lucky bite.  Two nights ago the front had moved through and I actually had some decent weather to sit out in.  The first night i had two runs and landed one channelcat.  The first fish got into a snag and got off and the second was a small channelcat.  He went around 6 pounds and came off cut shad.

Last night I got to get out again for a few hours and had two runs again.  The first run was a solid run but dropped the bait never to return.  The second run came about 10:00 and there was no stopping him, I turned the clicker off and fed him some line to be sure he had it in his mouth.  When i locked it down he about pulled the rod from my hands,  I knew he was commited so i set the hook.  After a short fight i landed this fish and weighed him at 11.3 pounds.  Ive caught many bigger fish from this lake but was kind of satisfying for the time of year.  Im taking a few days off to spend with the family but ill be back at it saturday night to try for an even bigger channelcat or a decent flathead.  Heres the pic of the 11.3# Channel

Late Winter Channelcats

Rollo and I hit the river again today for some channel cats. Water temp was 42 to 44 degrees while the air temp. was around 40, bite was real finicky again. With the rising water and the 25 to 30mph wind gusts, we had a hard time getting anchored up but made due. They werent far from where we found them last time but they def. have moved. Cut shad was bait of choice. Heres a vid of a nice channel I caught today.

Giant James River Bluecat Video 69# 48in long

James River Trip (New Personal Best Bluecat)

Fished the James River for three days with my good friend Catfishrollo and my dad.  This has to be the best trip to date.  We caught 25 fish with only three being under 20 pounds, we caught a bunch of fish in the 20s,30s and 40 pound range.  Rollo caught a solid 45 pound fish, Dad caught a big 50 pounder and I got a new personal best 69 pound Giant.  The amount of good fish we caught on this trip was unreal.  A big thank you goes out to Capt. Hugh Self for the great fish he put us on.  Me, Rollo and Dad had a great time and had lots of laughs, looking forward to the next trip with these guys. These pics are of the biggest of the trip.  My 69#,  Rollos 45# and Dads 50#

James River Here We Come

Its that time of year again to head to the James river.  Catfishrollo, My Dad and I are headed down early Monday morning for a three and a half day trip.  Like the last three years we will be fishing with Capt. Hugh Self.  We always have great sucess with Hugh and have a great time.  Last year we caught some good fish with Dad catching a 52.4# fish and Rollo Crushed his PB on last years trip catching a 70+ pound Giant.  Capt Hugh has been on the big ones this year so far and had a client catch one over a 100#s a month or two ago with numerous 70 pound fish being caught.  Cant wait to get on the water and try for my own James River Giant!  I will give a report, pics and vids when I return!

If you too would like to get a shot of a monster catfish make sure you give Capt Hugh a call and He will do his best to get you on some good ones!

www.hughscatfishing.com

Catfish Freaks Forum

Me and Rollo have a catfishing forum for the novice to the advanced catfisherman, we have free giveaways every month and tons of knowledgable catmen.  Feel free to join up and share your tips, tricks and experiences with all of us.  This fourm is a catch and release and or selective harvest forum and dont support any alternative methods.  If you love to catch big catfish and enjoy sharing your methods feel free to join up with us......smooth

www.catfishfreaks.proboards.com

Braid for the Cold water Channelcat bite

I wrote an article on catching channelcats in the winter a month or so ago and i suggested using light mono for catching them.  This is the way ive always done it in the past.  I have to say after this weeks fishing trip with Catfishrollo i am sold on using braid when the water is real cold and the bite is real light.  We only caught two fish but the sensitivity of the braid was unreal compared to the 14# monofilament i was using.  The bite was so extremely light i could barely feel it in the mono and at times you couldnt even visually see it in the rod tip.  Ive came to the conclusion that i will be switching to the 50# power pro braid for this type of fishing.  I appreciate being able to get out and fish with other avid catfisherman and feel greatful for the little tip i learned this last trip. I honestly believe you learn something every trip regardless if you are successful or not........smooth

Muskingum River 2-18-2012 (first trip of 2012)

Rollo and I hit the river today for some cold water channel cattin, the bite was real light.  Water temps were 37 degrees.  Rollo managed to hook up on two and i blanked.  Had a lot of bites but nothing wanted to commit.  Still nice getting on the river for the first trip of the year.

Abu Garcia Kalex 60 reels from Bottom Dwellers Tackle

Picked up 4 Kalex reels from Dave at Bottom Dwellers, also got power handles and a 1# spool of Hi-Seas 25# mono. I picked these reels up for Valerie and I for channel cattin. I was impressed with the quality for the price. The Kalex reels have a recessed reelseat for easier handling on the rod, Thumb bar spool release and a clicking drag indicator which is handy. I like the drag which seemed smooth and strong. I'm confided these reels will handle anything I throw at them. Great price, service and fast shipping as always from Bottom Dwellers. Can't wait to test them out.

Basic Differences Between Small Channelcats And Bluecats

  With the recent release of bluecats in a few Ohio lakes the past two years i thought it would be a good idea to post some information on distinguishing between the two species.  They do have many similarites but are easy to tell the difference.
  First the young channel catfish will have spots down the side of its body while a small blue catfish will not.

 Baby Channelcat (above)

Baby Bluecat (above)

Another way to tell to be 100% sure is by the anal Fin.

  The anal fin of a channelcat will have 25 to 29 Rays.(above)

The anal fin of a Bluecat will have 30 to 35 rays.(above)

(Please all) release the bluecats so they can grow and reach trophy potential.  With everyones efforts we could possibly see 20# Bluecats in a short 5 years, for these fish  feed all year long and grow to extreme sizes.  I hope to see in my lifetime a trophy fishery come from the release of these great sport fish......smooth

Bluecats released in Hoover Res.

8,300 Blue Catfish were recently released by the Ohio DNR into Hoover Res. and 30,000 more are to be released in the near future. The fish that were released were in the 6" to 8" range. In five years you should expect to see some fish close to 20 pounds. Last fall the ODNR stocked Dillon Lake with 13,000 and that project is said to be a bust due to the pass through into the rivers. Some reports of these fish already making it to the Ohio river. With Hoover being impounded there's no way of escape. The ODNR said they also plan to stock other Res. In the future.

Cold Water Channel Cats

As the water temps continue to drop into the 40s here in Ohio, doesn't mean that the catfishing has come to an end. There is still plenty of fishing to be done just have to know were to look.
When the water temps start to drop is when I start changing my techniques, first of all you have to know where to find the fish. I start by finding the wintering holes. A wintering hole doesn't have to be the deepest water in the stretch but with the most suitable conditions. Most of the places I find have little to no current and or a good current break. You find the right hole and the fish will be stacked up.
Next thing I think that is important is downsizing baits. During this time I usually will use a piece of cut bait not much bigger than a quarter. The best baits I've had success with is small chunks of Shad, Sucker or even Chubs. A lot of guys also have much luck with cut Minnows and Nightcrawler. I also will drop my hook size to the bait. I will run a size 5/0 to 6/0 hook, J style. I also like circle hooks but a lot of times at this time of year the fish are a little more sluggish and don't load the rod up enough for the hook to work properly.
Another thing I do is lighten my gear. I will use a light to med light action rod and say 10 pound line. At times the bite is so soft that with heavier gear you might not even feel the bite. Alot of times I will use my bass tackle the colder the water gets.
The last thing is patience! You might have to hit quite a few holes before you find the right one, but when you do find the right one, it can make for some non stop channel cat action.......Smooth

Tough year on the river

With another year almost in the books it has to be said that this was the worst year I've ever experienced! The spring was filled with high water and terrible weather. My first flathead didn't come till may 16th and it came from a local lake. I never broke the teens personally but put a few guys on there personal bests and accompanied a few others on decent fish. To me seeing a few of my buddies catch PBs made for a good year regardless of my results. Only thing I can say is that I did learn a few things this year! 1st off is that I can't rely on old spots for success, after all the high water alot of my honey holes have changed and didn't give up many good fish. 2nd my favorite go to bait (northern hognosed suckers) were scarce in my stretch of the river. This coming up spring I need to start over and scout a lot of new areas. I hit a few tourneys this year and did pretty well. I'm gonna give the tournaments a more serious try next year and even hit a handful of the Cabelas King Kat Tourneys.
At the beginning of the year I started a new catfishing forum with a good friend of mine and it's taken off quite nicely, better than I expected actually and it's continuing to grow with great positive members and have some great sponsors! I have alot going on starting the first of the year. I'm starting a catfish research project with a private company and going to continue growing my website and better my fishing skills and knowledge.

Muskingum River 10-15

Hit the river for a few hours last night with Fatcat, the weather was terrible with high winds and rain. We managed to catch only one Flathead last night and had a few others come off the hook. Bait was fresh shad, and all bites came from 8 to 10 foot of water.
Water temps are dropping hard but I think there's a few weeks left of decent fishing.

Muskingum River 9-28

Hit the river with Luckeywade last night fished from 8pm to 9am. We put three fish on the bank, two big channelcats and a nice 20# Flathead at 8 am this morning. Bites been slow the past week but were still hitting it hard!

FatCat Gets His New Personal Best

Hit the river Sunday night with Fatcat, we were fishing the lower Muskingum and hit a few spots that usually produce good fish. Around 10:30 the big on bit. The fish took a live bluegill in about ten foot of water near some heavy wooded cover. Fish weighted 41.6#s and fatcats new PB. Fish was released after a few pica to fight again. Congrats man glad I got to experience with ya!

First Flathead of The Year (5-16)

Its been a real tough spring with all the high water but i finally managed to catch my first Flathead of the year. He came about a month and a half from when i usually start catching them and he came from a lake. Hes no monster by any means weighing in at 16#s but it sure was a good feeling getting the first one of the year. I was really starting to get discouraged with the water levels on the river but i started hitting the lakes and it payed off. This fish was caught in about 10 foot of water next to a 20 foot drop on cut shad. He was released after a few photos to grow and fight another day.

Cold Front Channel Cats

Fatcat and I decided to hit the lake the other night  for some channel cats.  The conditions were terrible with the cold front moving through dropping the temps into the lower 40s with rain and alot of wind.  Even with the terrible weather we still caught 7 solid fish. The biggest of the night went to Fatcat with a solid 15#er and his new personal best. he also caught a 13# and a few smaller ones.  I finished the night with a 14# and a 13# all fish were caught on cut shad and released to fight another day. 

Early Spring Channelcats

Heres a few pics of an early spring Channelcat trip me and a buddy made.  The water temp was around 50 degrees,  The fish were all caught on cut shad.  We ended up catching 4.  It was nice just getting out and spending a little time on the water.

A Slow But Successful Trip To The James River

Luckeywade, Dad, And I just returned from the James, the weather was awesome but the fishing was alittle slow. Capt. Hugh Self really worked his butt off to put us on fish. Not many fish were being caught on the whole stretch of river but we still boated some good ones. This was my dads first trip to the James and after Blues. Dad was big cat of the trip with a 52.4# and breaking my PB by 4oz. he also caught a 37# and a 30#. Luckeywade also broke his PB Blue with a fat 33#er he caught some other nice fish, a couple of 20#s and a nice 30# he also caught a 23# Flathead. I struggled but managed to catch a 30# and a 38. We boated some smaller fish also. We all lost some good ones throughout the trip but were real happy with our results. I want to thank Capt. Hugh for busting his butt to show us all a good time, Also Dad and Luckeywade for making for a great trip, we had alot of laughs and good times and friendships were made.

Leaving Tomorrow for the James

Well, just finished up my last night of work till my trip.  Tomorrow night Ill be headed south to the James River,  Ill be fishing again with the legendary Capt. Hugh Self.  Last year alot of good fish were caught and recently a few of my fishing buddies made the trip and did very well.  My good friend Jason (catfishrollo) ended up crushing his Personal Best with a giant 72+ pounder on the second day of his trip.  Right now there has been high water down there but Hugh said they have still been very successful the last week or so. Partners have been changed a few times throughout the months of waiting but we have put together a great crew to make the trip,  My father, My good friend Randy(LuckeyWade) and myself.  My father will be making his first trip to the James and first try at Bluecat Fishing.   My good friend Randy has made the trip before but is real excited to be fishing with Hugh and bettering his odds at catching one of them Monsters.  This will be my second trip to the James and I did pretty well last year but a new PB is very realistic on this trip.  I already have butterflies in my stomach.  I hope to see My Dad and Randy catch some monsters on this Trip, That is my number one priority!  I will give a report on my return and lets all hope its a great one!.......Smooth

Flatheadin With My Daughter Shelby!

I got a pic from a friend of mine from a trip from late August.  My daughter and I went on a trip where it would have been her first Flathead but it was 3:30 in the morning and she didnt wake up till it was on the bank.  She told me it was still her fish cause it was her rod! lol!  I have to tell ya this girl is Flathead Crazy and will be posting bigger Flatheads than most of the guys around here soon!  She understands why we catch and release these giants and has a great overall respect for the outdoors!  She calls herself Shelby Cat! LOL!

Passing The Sport On To The Kids

A good friend and fishing partner of mine Roger aka Pawpaw, sent me a video of a few of his grandsons fishing trips from last year.  I really appreciate you passing the sport on to these boys and teaching them the ins and outs of catfishing.  I must add that all of us need to take a kid fishing and teach them about catch and release and the negative effects that overharvest has on our lakes and rivers.  I also believe getting kids into fishing will give them something positive to be into and in turn will help them make right decisions in there everyday life, We have to remember the kids are the future and need to be shown the right path.  Thanks again Roger for sending me the Video.........Smooth

Keeping A Fishing Log

The last few years ive kept a fishing log of my trips, Ive recorded Date, Times, bait, stetch of river, water temp., barometric pressure and moon phase. It really is a good resource to have so you can look back and compare data to increase your odds and pattern fish. It seems like alot of work but really it isnt, If you just jot it down on a pad of paper then log it into the computer when you have time. I use Microsoft Excell for my Logs. The thing about this is that your not going be able to use the info to your advantage right away but with time you will start to notice patterns in activity of the fish. Dont get me wrong though you will have entries at times that just throw all the science out the window. I do believe this has increased my odds Catfishing. Give it a try and see if it helps you!.......Smooth

Changing Flathead bait choices throughout the year

Something that has made me a more sucessful flathead fisherman is change my bait choices throughout the year. At the begining of the year I like to use a more slender bait such as a sucker, shad or even a small bass. I also have figured out that what ever bait is running in the spring is a good go to bait, when the white bass are on the run in the spring that is one of my most succesful baits! During the spawn i like to use Bullheads and gills, they naturally invade a flatheads nest to eat the eggs and by far is my best baits in the summer, I also use what is called a green eared sunfish, They look alot like a gill but with larger mouths and green streaks up the side of there mouth and head, these baits are very agressive and easy to keep alive in the heat of the summer, in the tank and on the hook. Then as the water temp starts dropping in the Fall i start to go back to the slender baits but also use some bass and bullheads also. I also use some cut shad throughout the year but this past year was terrible dealing with the turtles and couldnt keep a cut bait in the water. The type of suckers i have the most luck on is the northern hog nosed suckers. I also believe in the saying "BIG BAIT BIG FISH" I always run at least one monster bait while im fishing and it might set out all nite without a run or it might be the bite to make your year or Lifetime! Good luck to all this year and cant wait t set into the first flat of the year!......smooth

Dillon Lake Bluecat Update!

I recieved a link to a video from Ohio DNR on the release of the Bluecats in Dillon. I really hope these fish take off in here! I imagine they will grow fast with the unreal shad population. I wanted to post this vid to clear up all the talk of when and where they were released.

Blue Catfish Project from Wildlife Matters on Vimeo.