Catfish

[anonymoose]

Liver or uncooked shrimp. Cast into the surf on any of our beaches late summer, or float the lower reaches of any of the lake erie tribs late spring, right before the bugs get too bad and fish the top of pools.

Surf fishing I use a 3-4oz weight on the end of the line, with a snelled hook a foot or so above it. On the creek use the lightest weight that will hold your bait in place.

 

[bryonfromTilly]

Liver or uncooked shrimp. Cast into the surf on any of our beaches late summer, or float the lower reaches of any of the lake erie tribs late spring, right before the bugs get too bad and fish the top of pools.

Surf fishing I use a 3-4oz weight on the end of the line, with a snelled hook a foot or so above it. On the creek use the lightest weight that will hold your bait in place.

What do you use for a 3-4oz weight?

 

[anonymoose]

I used to use pyramid weights like these: https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/south-bend-pyramid-sinker-grey-4-oz-0779501p.html

Now I just pour my own. I use a piece of round tubing, pour a "puck" shape and drill a hole in it.

Anything round will roll in the wave action and your snelled hook will wind up wrapped up in your line.

 

[Get Hooked]

I fish saugeen river for cats down by the boat launch close to the mouth. Spring time the grand river can be good in the dunnville area.

I 2nd the Saugeen River for huge numbers of good eating sized Channel Cats.

I lived up in Owen Sound for 10yrs. If I wanted Catfish I would head down to the Saugeen River in Southampton in which the river was full of them. Pick your method: Anchored, Drifting and one of my favorite methods for catching lots was trolling for them. If anchored I would use a Carolina Rig set up with the bait laying on bottom (worms) and a few inches above the egg sinker I had the main line looped with a short leader and a floating jighead which took a lot of cats. When trolling all I ever used was a Mepps Spinner loaded with a glob of worms (no weight) then fed enough line out till you nicked bottom occasionally. When they hit you swear it was a Salmon. Reel pole jerkers and fighters. Once I was heading out one morning into the Lake for Salmon and every boat that that was Cat fishing was playing one. In summer if you went down to the Marina you would see several African-Americans up from Detroit with their Campers. They would fish all night with 10ft and longer Rods propped with bank rod holders with Bells on.

Another time I was Rigger fishing on the outside near Chantry Island for Salmon in deep water. The Rigger goes off and when I was playing it I knew it wasn't a King, turned out to be a Catfish which gave an exciting fight.

If your Roasting a Cat in the oven make sure it is sitting on a drip rack or it will be saturated with its own grease (not pleasant tasting).

 

[Aggie Angler]

We have always had good luck fishing near the shore out of Burwell. Helps if there is a bit of chop. 3 way swivel with a heavy weight on one end and a circle hook on the other. Best bait is if you can go catch creek chub but shrimp always works well when you don't have time to go catch bait. When they run in the spring the we have also had good luck.

 

[can't miss]

Down to Pt Bruce for fishing early one day, way to foggy to head out so headed down to 3 tree's area hugging the shore. Was running a smaller tinny then, prob 30-40 ft off the cliffs to keep shore vis? Found a deeper spot once I went fog blind, to wait it out? Fished useing dead minnows to kill time, caught or almost caught my personal biggest fish, what a riot, giant cat, not going to guess weight or size, just huge. Never got it in, but to the boat.