Targeting catfish from shore

[LandBound]

Hi, all. 

Well, the only cats to catch off the dock are babies, it would seem. I thought the opening to Granny's Hollow looked promising, but only caught one channel (edit: flathead).

Anyone know a fairly easy place to get to for shore-fishing any kind of cat? What are they doing, this time of year?

I'm right across the way from Prairie Creek swim area.

 

Method: Tightline slip sinker with circle, cut bait bluegill or bridled baitfish, 2-3 inch. Missus uses stinkbait under slipbobber with treble, or nightcrawler on baithook 6-8 inches off bottom.

[bfishn]

All 3 types of cats can be had where you're at with enough persistence thru the warm months. Monte Ne, Blue Springs, & Hwy 12 accesses can give a fair shot at any of the 3 thru the warm months also. Channels & flatheads are about done for the year, but you can find active blues most of the winter. Where you're at should be real good for blues as soon as surface temps get down around 48-52, when the stripers make daily runs to the back of PC. When the stripers pass by, there's often a good school of blues slightly behind and below them, cleaning up the leftovers. You'll only get about a 30 minute crack at them from your fixed location twice a day, but if you get the timing right it can be pretty awesome. They'll usually follow the old creek channel on their way in and back out, 20-40 ft is the typical target depth then.

Forget about the store-bought stink baits, stick with shad (live or fresh cut) or the bluegill.

[LandBound]

Well, crud.

I seem to get an interest in a new species, get a month or so of practice, then they move out of the cove. It'll be good being prepped before hand, which will be the case for the blues. I appreciate the heads-up.

You know that long, thin island, looking  out and left from the swim area that the speed boaters have to go around? That point has some decent boulders and depth. If I night fished off the point, think there's straggler cats to be had? I've got a kayak, though it's a proper pita to cart up and down this hillside to the water, I'd consider doing it to stock the freezer.

Thanks again.

[LandBound]

Btw, Sunday night at Granny's Hollow, and night before yesterday in cove across from Prairie Creek, I caught a flathead ~8:30-8:45pm both nights. This may be a sign of when loners head into the coves to hunt young panfish. I need a few more attempts to verify.

I used 2-3 inch bluegills, spiked in brain, belly cut and stirred, and 2 1/4 inch deep scores on each side to release scent,  hooked on 6/0 circles through one eye and diagonal through forehead to prevent hook foul.

 

I'll try again soon and write findings.

[bfishn]

Cool! I'm not picturing the point you described in the previous post, or I'd have replied.

[LandBound]

Gotcha, np. If you're at Prairie Creek Marina, looking past the slips to the water, the swim area'll be on your left. Standing at the swim area, you'll see a landmass between you and the far shore, like a pointed peninsula. It gets wider the farther left you look, and even has docks on the farthest side from you. But, that point closest to you has boulders under water, plenty of hiding spots. I bumped a hair jig over those rocks and got a legal lm bass when they first moved out of the cove. 

Is land mass center channel a good sniping spot for cats?

I'm going to have to get some sort of front and back lights for my kayak, and make my way over there some night.

The regs say nothing non-wood based can be used for yo-yo setups or inserted into Corp soil, but surely they don't include pole holders in the rocks, right? I made bent rebar and pvc spikes. Anyone get hassled over it?

[bfishn]

If it's got docks, it ain't no island!  I think you're referring to the point at the entrance to Avoca Hollow. Don't remember ever catfishing right there, but if there's cover, there's potential.

As long as you attend your holders and take them when you leave you'll have no problem.

Cats and snaggy bottoms are like ice cream and cake, but you don't necessarily have to risk hangups. A lively 'gill or shad under a slip float or ~3" balloon will call them out where you can get your rig back with fish attached. I've done plenty well drifting live baits suspended at 5-10 feet deep, over 30' rock/brushpiles (at night). Think jugline with a person attached. 

[LandBound]

Well, hell... I just checked the map, and you're absolutely right. I could have swore I saw jetskis and these boats race past me on the right, only to reappear 5 minutes later from the left. Either magic, hallucinations, or poor situational awareness on my part.

Brilliant idea on slipsinker. I have these glow in the dark ones that we made that'll be perfect. I'm in love with circle hooks and the screaming drag, though. Will circles work under a float like they do tight lining?

I'll be getting navigation lights in the next 2 days. My heart rate's up. I'm like a dog on a leash, now, and somebody just said "park".

[bfishn]

Circle hooks should be fine under a float, just reel into the fish instead of setting the hook.

[MoCarp]

look for a divers float they usually are shooing up a few for the pot on beaver...but chicken liver on bottom near brush...anything shiny for a diver and a 10/0 snagging treble..they give one hell of a fight if you catch one...releasing one unharmed is another story!