Cats are Hitting

[scarkner]

Starting to get the first Catfish on the Ottawa River. Very slow bite, but they are hitting!

Feels awesome to be out, but really hard to find places to legally fish.

[zippyFX]

Nice! Trying to figure out were I can go. A couple of my spring spots are closed

Trying to avoid night fishing as chance of personal injury is too high in these times.

Good luck, waiting to see some picks

[scarkner]

They are hitting after dark right now, but as you said, finding a place is really hard. I was thinking about putting on some waders and going a few feet out from shore so I am no longer "in the park"... LOL.

[mophish]

What bait and rigs are you using for cats?

[scarkner]

(06-02-2020 02:38 PM)mophish Wrote:  What bait and rigs are you using for cats?

For the Ottawa river I prefer to use a heavy weight on the bottom with a hook tied to the line around 12-18 inches above the hook, setup your rod on shore with the line slightly tight (ie. not sagging into the water). The angle will put the bait close to the bottom, but not right on the bottom where the hooks would snag.

Use big weights, better to go too big and have the bait pinned in place than to use weights that are too small as they will get pulled with the current and roll over-and-over until they snag up.

Then just sit back and wait for your rod to jiggle.

[mophish]

What are you putting on your hooks? Worms?

(06-03-2020 07:55 AM)scarkner Wrote:  

(06-02-2020 02:38 PM)mophish Wrote:  What bait and rigs are you using for cats?

For the Ottawa river I prefer to use a heavy weight on the bottom with a hook tied to the line around 12-18 inches above the hook, setup your rod on shore with the line slightly tight (ie. not sagging into the water). The angle will put the bait close to the bottom, but not right on the bottom where the hooks would snag.

Use big weights, better to go too big and have the bait pinned in place than to use weights that are too small as they will get pulled with the current and roll over-and-over until they snag up.

Then just sit back and wait for your rod to jiggle.

[zippyFX]

Worms are good but cut bait is better.

(06-03-2020 04:13 PM)mophish Wrote:  What are you putting on your hooks? Worms?

(06-03-2020 07:55 AM)scarkner Wrote:  

(06-02-2020 02:38 PM)mophish Wrote:  What bait and rigs are you using for cats?

For the Ottawa river I prefer to use a heavy weight on the bottom with a hook tied to the line around 12-18 inches above the hook, setup your rod on shore with the line slightly tight (ie. not sagging into the water). The angle will put the bait close to the bottom, but not right on the bottom where the hooks would snag.

Use big weights, better to go too big and have the bait pinned in place than to use weights that are too small as they will get pulled with the current and roll over-and-over until they snag up.

Then just sit back and wait for your rod to jiggle.

[scarkner]

Worms get you more small fish, cut bait gets you fewer but larger fish.