Trying To Catch Some Big Catfish.

[STLfisherman]

I'll be doing some dock fishing this weekend and would like to catch some big catfish. The house we are staying at is back in a cove. I know this weekend is far from ideal for fishing with it being so busy but I'm planning on getting started late at night. Am I wasting my time? What is the best bait? Live perch? Cut Bait? Worms? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

-Scott

[OzarkFishman]

The big catfish (at least in my experience) stay closer to the channel. I usually look for flats that roll up out of the channel.

If you are restricted to the dock, then I would go with the smallest bluegill/sunfish you can catch (2 - 3 inches) and lip hook it with a circle hook.

Hope this helps a little,

OzarkFishman

[STLfisherman]

The big catfish (at least in my experience) stay closer to the channel. I usually look for flats that roll up out of the channel.

If you are restricted to the dock, then I would go with the smallest bluegill/sunfish you can catch (2 - 3 inches) and lip hook it with a circle hook.

Hope this helps a little,

OzarkFishman

Thanks for the tips! Caught about a dozen channel cats. One 4 pounder and one 2 pounder. All the other ones were babies. Released them all so hopefully they get A LOT bigger for next time! Starting to come to the realization that I'm not gonna catch a monster without a boat

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

What were you fishing with?

My dock is right by the Hurricane Deck and I've tried catfishing several times on the dock...frozen cut bate, stink bait, minnows, hot dogs. No luck!

[Stephen Hall]

Caught a 2 decent cats 2 weeks ago off a dock in a very small cove at about 12' depth using the cutoff fat from chicken breasts we were grilling. At a guess they were 3-4 lbs each. This was at night.

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

I think i finally figured it out 15-18 feet deep, fresh cut shad or sunfish 7/O hook! Caught 2 15 pound blues and 1 8 pound blue. Not huge but still fun!

[OzarkFishman]

I agree totally with the 7/0 hooks ... make sure they are octopus so that the hook point is offset from the shank (better hook-ups).

I usually catch my big ones in the 8 - 12 foot range, but depth is relative to the surrounding depth.

Keep catching,

OzarkFishman

[Jim Fish the Zarks]

I used the offset circle hook type with good results....or good results for an amatuer.

If you ever need a fishing buddy Im game...Im still learning, but willing to pay for gas, ice, pop, lunch, water, beer etc.

[Kayser]

I've been fishing a power plant lake this week, and an 8/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle has been working wonders for me- no hookset required, no gut hooked fish, no lost fish. Just feel the bite, and pull tight. Kept 130lbs of fish yesterday, and let many others go.

Rob