Hotbite909
08-09-2015, 07:16 PM
During this summer I wanted to try a different style of fishing so catfish was the plan. I originally started with Irvine from a boat but had limited success at that lake because I did not put in enough time there to get it figured out. Since private boating is no more for now, I decided to go over to SARL and try my luck. I started with early morning session into the afternoon with no luck. Metered fish suspending and a whole lot of bait fish in the mix but could not get a decent bite. But I did learn somethings about the lake. Then weeks later I decided to fish the mid- day session. I got a few bite in the late afternoon which amounted to about a 50% strike versus catch rate and took a few home on livers and mackerel. I did also try other baits later as weeks passed by to key in on the bites.
I then decide to go later on the night session because the fish where hitting in the evening and it was too hot to just sit and wait for the bite to happen. When the sun goes down the bite is on! What we use for tackle was 6 to 10 lbs test and it did not make any difference what line was used. My set up was a Carolina rig and fly line set up with Owner #4 Mutu light circle hooks and I did not have to set the hook when the fish hit. The fish always hooked themselves in the corner of the mouth. But a smaller piece of bait was the key in catching most of the fish because I do not think the fish had a big enough mouth for big bait. They are all the average size stocker which is ok. The success rate has been real good lately with limits so I have been taking a few other people lately for the bite. Here is a couple of pictures from the last few weeks.
http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj617/thegecko12/catfish%207-7_zpsxczibfxe.jpg (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/thegecko12/media/catfish%207-7_zpsxczibfxe.jpg.html)
http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj617/thegecko12/catfish%208-7_zpsffngvops.jpg (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/thegecko12/media/catfish%208-7_zpsffngvops.jpg.html)
I then decide to go later on the night session because the fish where hitting in the evening and it was too hot to just sit and wait for the bite to happen. When the sun goes down the bite is on! What we use for tackle was 6 to 10 lbs test and it did not make any difference what line was used. My set up was a Carolina rig and fly line set up with Owner #4 Mutu light circle hooks and I did not have to set the hook when the fish hit. The fish always hooked themselves in the corner of the mouth. But a smaller piece of bait was the key in catching most of the fish because I do not think the fish had a big enough mouth for big bait. They are all the average size stocker which is ok. The success rate has been real good lately with limits so I have been taking a few other people lately for the bite. Here is a couple of pictures from the last few weeks.
http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj617/thegecko12/catfish%207-7_zpsxczibfxe.jpg (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/thegecko12/media/catfish%207-7_zpsxczibfxe.jpg.html)
http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj617/thegecko12/catfish%208-7_zpsffngvops.jpg (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/thegecko12/media/catfish%208-7_zpsffngvops.jpg.html)