Next Saturday, I have a fossil collecting trip planned in western NY. On the way home, I'm planning on doing a bit of fishing in hopes of landing my first channel cat. I have a spot in mind on the Welland River, but other suggestions are welcome. What I would like is help locating a bait shop so I can pick up some worms. I'll be crossing at Fort Erie/Buffalo. I don't want to bring any with me because the border guards don't allow international dirt (yet I've never had any issues with fossils????). I also know channel cats don't do worms primarily, but might as well see what else is in there with them. Thanks in advance.
Can't help you with a bait shop but just wanted to say that you can get plenty of cats on worms, though not usually the bigger ones.
Never fished it but I heard good things about the well and canal.
Usually gas station near water bodies or boat launch would carry worms. Keep an eye out for gas station after border crossing? Worst case bring a small shovel and dig your own.
BassPro (Niagara on the Lake store) is just off the highway in that area.
So yesterday went well, despite the weather forecast. Made it to the border by 7 am, crossed over and headed to the collecting site to find the main route blocked off for a cycling event. Fortunately I know the area and had no problems. There were about 25 or so fossil hunters there, but I still managed to grab about a dozen trilobites. Several are complete, but most need some prep work to see whether parts are buried or missing. Anyway, this is a fishing forum, so after I left NY, I found my spot on the Welland River and got to it. Regardless of the border crossing, I brought worms with me, as well as turkey giblets left over from Christmas. Starting with the giblets on a 1/0 circle hook, it wasn't long till I felt a good tug, but then nothing. I recast and soon got a hit, my first channel cat, but dammit, he got off the hook at my feet just as I was getting my net. A few casts later, another one hit and he wasn't getting away. Not as big as the first, based solely on the fight, but still my first ever channel cat landed. I got a couple others on giblets, then switched to worms and a bobber to see what else was in the river. Turns out, other than a couple of carp I saw swimming by, there's nothing but channels. For a while every cast got me a channel cat within a minute. No giants, most 9-10", but they still fight pretty good. In all, ended up with at least 20 channels and a nasty sunburn. Despite a forecast of clouds and rain all day, I never saw more than a couple of drops until after 8pm.
Congratulations on your first Channel Cat(s).
Nice golden colour on that one.
Turkey giblets - great tip.
Congrats! As long as you only got a sunburn and did not get stuck by the catfish that's ok. Those smallones can be nasty!
Truth be told Zippy, I did end up with a couple of bloody knuckles as some sliced me with their pectoral spines on the release. The little ones really don't like staying still.
There you go, baptism by fire!
I hate getting poked and cut on the release. The one I hate the most is the nice, deep, jab between the fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and finger, when they flip in your hands.
Nice catch and thank you for sharing your story never knew I can use turkey giblets for fishing... Not that I am an experienced fisherman buy hey learned something new. Great day of fishing none the less.