Catfish?

[Redfred16]

One of my New Years resolutions was to catch a catfish.

That may not sound like much to alot of you, but I've never caught one being from Wisconsin, fishing for them is not very common.

I used to fish quite a bit, mostly for bluegills and bass. From time to time we'd go out at night for some walleyes but not often. I'd also hit a few trout streams when I was up north in the summer. I got away from fishing due to my parents selling thier boat and me not having the money to buy my own. I do have a few ultra light poles, a few medium wieght poles I used for bass and a tackle box full of assorted stuff.

I live in Hendersonville, anyone have any advice as far as where to go and what to use?

 

[arctic_cat]

just go off the bank somewhare and go get you some chicken liver or night crawlers. you dont need a giant rod to catfish. I just use my bass rigs. if you want to bump the bottom just tie a sinker on the end and a hook about 2' up from that to keep the bait off the bottom some. i do it this way all the time, used to go to Wilson lake a few times a year and come back with a cooler full every time

 

[arctic_cat]

just find you a boat ramp and go down the bank from there. most boat ramps have a no-fishing sign so you wont be able to fish from the docks but take a short walk down the bank from it and you will be fine

 

[rsimms]

What they said is fine advice... and I would add that raw chicken breast is a GREAT catfish bait... OR come and fish with me beginning in mid-April. :grin:

 

[quickfire]

You don't need a huge rod like arctic cat said, but I'd recommend at least 12 to 14 lb test line. You can fish on bottom with a slip sinker or Carolina Rig, or again, the simple bottom bumping rig with the sinker on the end of the line. Cut shad, cut bluegill, uncooked shrimp, chicken liver, small live bluegill are all great baits. This time of year I like fishing below steam plants where there's some warm discharge water. When the weather and water is warmer I like fishing below dams. Since you're in Hendersonville, you're right there at Old Hickory Lake and Old Hickory Dam. I'm not sure if there's any bank access at Gallatin Steam Plant, but they should be discharging warm water this time of year. Good luck.

 

[Redfred16]

You don't need a huge rod like arctic cat said, but I'd recommend at least 12 to 14 lb test line. You can fish on bottom with a slip sinker or Carolina Rig, or again, the simple bottom bumping rig with the sinker on the end of the line. Cut shad, cut bluegill, uncooked shrimp, chicken liver, small live bluegill are all great baits. This time of year I like fishing below steam plants where there's some warm discharge water. When the weather and water is warmer I like fishing below dams. Since you're in Hendersonville, you're right there at Old Hickory Lake and Old Hickory Dam. I'm not sure if there's any bank access at Gallatin Steam Plant, but they should be discharging warm water this time of year. Good luck.

Thanks, this is a bit more of what I was looking for. While I wouldn't mind someone to sit and talk to while fishing.

I had wondered if fishing from the banks here was legal. It looks like a lot of the river is very shallow and becomes exposed mud when we go a bit without rain. I'll have to check out those spots and put a line in the water.

 

[quickfire]

I just heard there is no bank fishing access below Gallatin Steam Plant. And I also heard that there is bank fishing access below Old Hickory Dam. Apparently the sidewalks were damaged during the big flood in Nashville a couple years ago but you can still fish from the rip rap. I've never fished either place, but been to both before but that was many years ago.

 

[Treestand Troubadour]

i usually use a 5 or 6/0 circle hook rigged up drop shot with a bluegill with the tail cut off. Caught more flatheads this summer than i have my entire life.