Big cats in irvine lake......

[Fishbones]

Where are the big catfish in irvine lake?...ive gotten a few tips from people here and there and have dedicated a few trips during trout season to just fishing a big ol stinky bait of something usually mackerel,bonita,barracuda.I use a calstar 800XL with a oldschool shimano speedmaster loaded with either 15 or 20 lb depending on depth will depend on weight choice, and a big ol octopus hook.
I tried fishing the dam and fished the center of the lake, along some shoreline and drifted with a few good bites but nothing to lean back and watch the line peel off. do i anchor and wait , do i drift, do i pitch into brush and rock piles? Looking for a nice big cat to CPR for my personal best and think it might be at Irvine just sitting there inhaling and ambushing trout.Any tips or advice would be appreciated.....you can PM me for undisclosed info thanks.......fishbones

[troutdog]

Hopefully some of the seasoned big cat vets can shed some more light on this for you, but based on what I have learned anchoring up is going to be your best bet. I know the fish were tight to the brush early in the summer, but I don't think that is the case as much now although I could be wrong. Personally I would try to focus on some type of underwater structure like a drop off, or adjacent to a hump...I bet the area in the flats where the water enters the lake is going to be kicking out some kitties. Keep us posted on your quest and good luck!


TD

[Fishbones]

Thanks for the tips TD...ive got a fish-depthfinder and have fished all over the few times i was there. More than two trips and multi bites i kept getting great runs but when id set the hook nothing...can it be possible that there are wipers or something other than cats stealing my bait or is it just smaller cats that im not hooking..? I let them run line out at different counts and then set the hook and still nothing. I also changed hook sizes from large to small and still could not hook these bait stealing fish that had me scratching my head LOL.... I will keep at it and be sure to post my trips there very soon....fishbones

[muskyman]

Best time is in the afternoon from 1-4 pm anywhere in at least 50-60 feet of water between rocky point and the west shore in BFE. Double anchor and use big baits. Watch the trout fisherman do circles around you while they troll. Bring a portable DVD player and put in napoleon dynamite or full metal jacket. The cats prefer comedies and vietnam movies from my experience.

[bruce watson]

If you really want to get the big one, forget the DVD player. Just bring some dynamite and a rifle and bullets with full metal jackets.

Muskyman, for those who never met him, moved to Chicago from here. In the same month he caught a 49lb and a 75lb catfish at Irvine a few years ago. I believe his pictures are still used for their advertisments.

[AngryAgent]

Thanks for the tips TD...ive got a fish-depthfinder and have fished all over the few times i was there. More than two trips and multi bites i kept getting great runs but when id set the hook nothing...can it be possible that there are wipers or something other than cats stealing my bait or is it just smaller cats that im not hooking..? I let them run line out at different counts and then set the hook and still nothing. I also changed hook sizes from large to small and still could not hook these bait stealing fish that had me scratching my head LOL.... I will keep at it and be sure to post my trips there very soon....fishbones

Are you reeling down until the line gets tight and then setting the hook?


Best time is in the afternoon from 1-4 pm anywhere in at least 50-60 feet of water between rocky point and the west shore in BFE. Double anchor and use big baits. Watch the trout fisherman do circles around you while they troll. Bring a portable DVD player and put in napoleon dynamite or full metal jacket. The cats prefer comedies and vietnam movies from my experience.

That's some funny chit:Envious:

And great advice:Wink:

[riverbud55]

Tell ya very few know the Vine any better then Dave(muskyman), the one thing I could add for big(40#+) fish is go with big hooks and big baits, hook size a minimum size would be a 7/o bait size would half the size of your fist or bigger, a larger mack head makes for great bait them cat big mouths ,match the size of hook to bait size, one other thing I wouldn't fish with less then 40lb line ya very well could hookup a 75lb+ size fish and cats are not hook or line shy, make sure the hook point/tip is fully exposed

Big hook + big bait = big fish

[Fishbones]

[QUOTE=AngryAgent;424656]Are you reeling down until the line gets tight and then setting the hook?


Yeah i wind slack then set....ive also let them run for diffrent amounts of time and then engeged waited for it to tighten then swing .....i fish them with a high speed reel 6:1 so removing slack or winding down is not a problem.
Im puzzled cuz i miss them almost every time so far and its happened alot of times in diffrent places of the lake. i fish big baits and big hooks and after so many times i really couldnt figure it out so i down sized hooks and baits and still couldnt hook whatever was pulling line out in freespool...i thought mabye it was the wipers or somethin else stealing and running with it or just small cats... we will see when i go back in the next few weeks.....fishbones

[Fishbones]

Best time is in the afternoon from 1-4 pm anywhere in at least 50-60 feet of water between rocky point and the west shore in BFE. Double anchor and use big baits. Watch the trout fisherman do circles around you while they troll. Bring a portable DVD player and put in napoleon dynamite or full metal jacket. The cats prefer comedies and vietnam movies from my experience.

I will be heading there in the next few weeks to put a couple days in and see what happens. i do fish big baits and big hooks.. thanks for the advise...
you can bet there will be a copy of napoleon dynamite and full metal jacket in the boat.........fishbones

[bruce watson]

I will be heading there in the next few weeks to put a couple days in and see what happens. i do fish big baits and big hooks.. thanks for the advise...
you can bet there will be a copy of napoleon dynamite and full metal jacket in the boat.........fishbones

Don't listen to Muskyman. I've known him for years. I know for a fact that he has copies of Steel Magnolias and Driving Miss Daisy in his boat.

Right now, during and just after these storms is a great time to hit the river inlet at the end of the flats. With all the stuff floating down the river, the cats stack up.

[bluehunter]

Some good tips given already. I would like to add that winter time can bring about finicky bites as well. Some will nibble or just sit on your bait and you will not know you have a fish until you start reeling in. Now for blue cats that not necessarily the case, but for channels even up to double digits size that can be the case.

When the bite is finicky and soft I like to use circle hooks and engage the reel. In other words tightline. I do not let them run with the bait at this time I just have my rod in a good rod holder and let the fish just load up. You will want to use a soft tip rod for this to work successfully. Have a good rod holder in your boat. And just watch the rod tip load down. You do not want the drag too tight and its good to have a little give, but you also do not want it loose not allowing the circle hook to do its job. I like using 7/0 to 8/0 circle hooks for this kind of fishing. If I am using giants baits intended for getting massive trophy blues I prefer to not tightline and let them run. Blues normally have no problem attacking your bait as opposed to channels that may nibble and play with your bait.