ben0606
06-26-2013, 02:28 PM
Ok, I've seen a lot of posts and talk to people about corona lake cat fishing about not catching a lot or skunking or disappointment. I post every time I go with some tips of what I do and I've also known of surfnsnowboard who does very well and post as well. I've said it over and over why I joined fnn, learn and share. All I ask is pay it forward so please do so. Here are some general tips of my trips to corona:
Timing: 1st thing is deciding what time to fish which I believe is crucial at this lake just as much as other lakes. Most posts I see that are disappointed or don't catch but a couple, are fishing during the day. Every summer I fish very little during the day at corona. What's the general knowledge of catfish........night feeders right?........doesn't mean you can't catch them during the day but why fish during a time that has less advantage. 24 hour fishing is nice and when I do it I pretty much beach the boat, shore fish, and stay in the shade between the hours of 11am-230pm. That's my chill in the shade time. Then I hit the cove by the bait store until its time to pay and then I night fish the whole night into the next morning. If I don't do a 24 hour, I do the 5pm-11pm session. I've had success from start to finish during that session plus it's not as hot. The bugs suck but as long as you keep your lights off you don't get swarmed as much and their not Mosquitos so these bugs don't bite. I had over a thousand bugs on my boat and didn't get bit once. Avoid day sessions as much as possible but if you do go maximize your 6am-9am time period. Don't waste time.
Gear: use what best suits you, I bring 6-8 poles with different intentions. Spinning reels and baitcasters, 6ft to 8ft rods of all different variations, 6 lb fluro- 65lb braid. I prefer lighter line, more bites in my opinion and you have to fight them just right, ya just can't yank them in. All my rods are shimono as well as reels. Ya can't beat lifetime warranties.
Bait: bring a variety cause you never know the mood of the cats. I bring with me frozen mackerel, shrimp, nightcrawlers, meal worms, chicken liver, I even have some whoop ***. I've caught cats at corona on all the listed baits. My go to is the mackerel. DON'T thaw it out until ready for use. I usually bring 3 Mack's. when it's time to fish I keep 2 on ice, and the one I rinse in the water for about 20 seconds and then slice them up. I cut about 5 slices on one side and 5 slices on the other side. When I'm done its pretty much a fileted Mack head and bones with guts. With the 9 slices I put in a bag and throw on ice.
Set up: fly line is the best for me cause I'm fishing areas with a lot of underwater brush. Sinker just one more thing to snag me up which you don't want. Drop shot works, Carolina rig works, hell Texas rig works but like I said less crap on our line means less crap snagging in the water. Don't forget to use a good old bobber set up too every once in a while. Cats DO hit top water too. If you know your depths then you can also throw a bobber out with a Mack fly lined underneath but have the Mack sink to about a foot off the bottom.
SECRET SPOTS: here is the best spot I can tell you.........the spot with water in it! :LOL:. Fish go everywhere the water is. My main focus is structure which there is a lot of at corona, shoot the vegetation grass on the south end houses tons of cats. I like propping up my motors and paddle into the vegetation grass. It's a hassle but there are cats in there. More structure, obvious structure is the rental boat dock, I'm always getting a few there. Tullies, think about this one, shade and the cats can swim through them. Rocks, another good structure which think of it this way, if you stacks 20 rocks on a pile, is there a whole or two or ten that a cat can get into. If ya haven't seen them, watch some noodling shows. Where do noodles get their cats, STRUCTURE, whether it be trees, rocks, wholes, or dams.
Final note: ya gotta put your time in, which could mean a bunch of trips or it could mean one trip. I found my go to spots and go to baits in one weekend trip. Memorial weekend is my research trip each start of my catfish season. That's when I experiment and search. This year I got 7 but more importantly I found the go to spots and bait. 7 in 2 nights that weekend, and limits within 25 minutes after that trip. Even my go to spot I have to be smart. Example the first couple hours nothing on the left side of my boat and bites on the right. Then a shift, nothing on the right and fish on the left. Get a boat, rent, buy, tag along, split costs. Boat is going to give you an advantage. Don't believe the "they didn't stock" remarks. They stock and they even have a lot of holdovers.
Like I said there's plenty of cats in there, it's all about timing, set up, rig, bait, and LOCATION. More importantly, positivity. Go out and have a great time. Slay it and share your trips, ideas, and tips. Wish I could be out there this Friday but I'm fishing sat night at a bass tourney plus I work Fridays and Saturday nights so I'm taking sat night off. If your on edge about going, I urge you to go. Team 57 is a great group of fishermen who are all about having a good time.
Aaron, from Aaron's Angle, your post and videos were great, sure do miss them. Hope the family and baby are well.
Ben
Timing: 1st thing is deciding what time to fish which I believe is crucial at this lake just as much as other lakes. Most posts I see that are disappointed or don't catch but a couple, are fishing during the day. Every summer I fish very little during the day at corona. What's the general knowledge of catfish........night feeders right?........doesn't mean you can't catch them during the day but why fish during a time that has less advantage. 24 hour fishing is nice and when I do it I pretty much beach the boat, shore fish, and stay in the shade between the hours of 11am-230pm. That's my chill in the shade time. Then I hit the cove by the bait store until its time to pay and then I night fish the whole night into the next morning. If I don't do a 24 hour, I do the 5pm-11pm session. I've had success from start to finish during that session plus it's not as hot. The bugs suck but as long as you keep your lights off you don't get swarmed as much and their not Mosquitos so these bugs don't bite. I had over a thousand bugs on my boat and didn't get bit once. Avoid day sessions as much as possible but if you do go maximize your 6am-9am time period. Don't waste time.
Gear: use what best suits you, I bring 6-8 poles with different intentions. Spinning reels and baitcasters, 6ft to 8ft rods of all different variations, 6 lb fluro- 65lb braid. I prefer lighter line, more bites in my opinion and you have to fight them just right, ya just can't yank them in. All my rods are shimono as well as reels. Ya can't beat lifetime warranties.
Bait: bring a variety cause you never know the mood of the cats. I bring with me frozen mackerel, shrimp, nightcrawlers, meal worms, chicken liver, I even have some whoop ***. I've caught cats at corona on all the listed baits. My go to is the mackerel. DON'T thaw it out until ready for use. I usually bring 3 Mack's. when it's time to fish I keep 2 on ice, and the one I rinse in the water for about 20 seconds and then slice them up. I cut about 5 slices on one side and 5 slices on the other side. When I'm done its pretty much a fileted Mack head and bones with guts. With the 9 slices I put in a bag and throw on ice.
Set up: fly line is the best for me cause I'm fishing areas with a lot of underwater brush. Sinker just one more thing to snag me up which you don't want. Drop shot works, Carolina rig works, hell Texas rig works but like I said less crap on our line means less crap snagging in the water. Don't forget to use a good old bobber set up too every once in a while. Cats DO hit top water too. If you know your depths then you can also throw a bobber out with a Mack fly lined underneath but have the Mack sink to about a foot off the bottom.
SECRET SPOTS: here is the best spot I can tell you.........the spot with water in it! :LOL:. Fish go everywhere the water is. My main focus is structure which there is a lot of at corona, shoot the vegetation grass on the south end houses tons of cats. I like propping up my motors and paddle into the vegetation grass. It's a hassle but there are cats in there. More structure, obvious structure is the rental boat dock, I'm always getting a few there. Tullies, think about this one, shade and the cats can swim through them. Rocks, another good structure which think of it this way, if you stacks 20 rocks on a pile, is there a whole or two or ten that a cat can get into. If ya haven't seen them, watch some noodling shows. Where do noodles get their cats, STRUCTURE, whether it be trees, rocks, wholes, or dams.
Final note: ya gotta put your time in, which could mean a bunch of trips or it could mean one trip. I found my go to spots and go to baits in one weekend trip. Memorial weekend is my research trip each start of my catfish season. That's when I experiment and search. This year I got 7 but more importantly I found the go to spots and bait. 7 in 2 nights that weekend, and limits within 25 minutes after that trip. Even my go to spot I have to be smart. Example the first couple hours nothing on the left side of my boat and bites on the right. Then a shift, nothing on the right and fish on the left. Get a boat, rent, buy, tag along, split costs. Boat is going to give you an advantage. Don't believe the "they didn't stock" remarks. They stock and they even have a lot of holdovers.
Like I said there's plenty of cats in there, it's all about timing, set up, rig, bait, and LOCATION. More importantly, positivity. Go out and have a great time. Slay it and share your trips, ideas, and tips. Wish I could be out there this Friday but I'm fishing sat night at a bass tourney plus I work Fridays and Saturday nights so I'm taking sat night off. If your on edge about going, I urge you to go. Team 57 is a great group of fishermen who are all about having a good time.
Aaron, from Aaron's Angle, your post and videos were great, sure do miss them. Hope the family and baby are well.
Ben