River Catfishing

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monsterbuck07

monsterbuck07

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2008
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3,327
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Alabama
what are some tips you guys would suggest? Panty Hose with chicken liver? Cut up fish? I am ready to do it just wanting a few tips to get me started! Thanks!
 
They love chicken liver, cut bait, whole minnows (I love stonerollers), etc. Put on an egg sinker big enough to handle the current, and a swivel, and then a 2-foot leader or piece of line and a Kahle or circle hook.

I caught a 5 pound channel cat in the Harpeth which is a real small river, using a bluegill head. When I catch a 3-inch bluegill with my cast net I cut it in half and use the head first, works well for me. Also whole stonerollers are great. If you are tired of liver not staying on the hook, try chicken/turkey hearts.

As for where to fish, channel cats like channels but I find them pretty much in any slow-moving area that looks deep enough.

Hope this helps. I'm not an expert but it's what I have learned through experience.
 
Plain chicken breast cut in chunks... sized based upon the size fish you expect to catch.

Tough as nails... will NOT come off the hook (unless you catch a fish, and that's OK). If you don't use it all... either refreeze it for next trip, or eat it for dinner.

With the exception of sometimes using cut bait, it is the only thing I use on my guide trips (see Photo Galleries for results). :grin:
 
Chicken breast huh....may have to try that the publix by the house actually has a sale going on theirs right now...any certain technique? All I have ever done is cast and wait...could be correct but not sure. I will be fishing the TN River if that helps.
 
monsterbuck07 said:
Chicken breast huh....may have to try that the publix by the house actually has a sale going on theirs right now...any certain technique? All I have ever done is cast and wait...could be correct but not sure. I will be fishing the TN River if that helps.
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I just went in and picked some up at Publix. works well. i aslo sprinkle mine with garlic powder.
 
i do alot of catfishing. i mainly taget blues. fresh cut shad and fresh chicken breast work very well for me. try and find an outside bend in the river. if that does'nt produce try drift fishing. In my opinion though when fishing for blue cats. The key igredient is to throw fresh bait. good luck
 
catman529 said:
When I catch a 3-inch bluegill with my cast net I cut it in half and use the head first, works well for me.
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that's illegal. any bluegill you use for bait must be caught on rod and reel.
 
stik said:
catman529 said:
When I catch a 3-inch bluegill with my cast net I cut it in half and use the head first, works well for me.
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that's illegal. any bluegill you use for bait must be caught on rod and reel.
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Stik is correct. It is illegal using a cast net under a sport fishing license to take and possess any game fish. That would include bluegill.
 
scn said:
stik said:
catman529 said:
When I catch a 3-inch bluegill with my cast net I cut it in half and use the head first, works well for me.
Click to expand...

that's illegal. any bluegill you use for bait must be caught on rod and reel.
Click to expand...

Stik is correct. It is illegal using a cast net under a sport fishing license to take and possess any game fish. That would include bluegill.
Click to expand...

Hmm I didn't know that. I will stop and use a rod and reel from now on. I had thought bluegills/bream were nongame fish because in the size/creel limit table in the fishing guide, they were grouped in with "nongame fish" so I thought they were nongame. And I was not aware they could not be harvested by cast net. Tough to get the regs all figured out sometimes.
 
I occasionally see confusion about what a game fish is. I'm not even sure what the rule is for deciding if a fish is a game fish or not. It's apparently not based on possession or size limits, so what is it based on? Everybody knows a largemouth bass is a game fish and a carp is not, but what about a green sunfish, or a chain pickerel, or a blue catfish, or a rock bass, or a yellow bass?

I personally think it would be a good idea for TWRA to make an unambiguous list in the Fishing Guide of which species are "game fish." Otherwise, if the State doesn't offer any definitive guidance on what a game fish is, then prosecuting someone for cast netting a "game fish" could be subject to defense on vagueness grounds.

bd
 
B.D. said:
I occasionally see confusion about what a game fish is. I'm not even sure what the rule is for deciding if a fish is a game fish or not. It's apparently not based on possession or size limits, so what is it based on? Everybody knows a largemouth bass is a game fish and a carp is not, but what about a green sunfish, or a chain pickerel, or a blue catfish, or a rock bass, or a yellow bass?

I personally think it would be a good idea for TWRA to make an unambiguous list in the Fishing Guide of which species are "game fish." Otherwise, if the State doesn't offer any definitive guidance on what a game fish is, then prosecuting someone for cast netting a "game fish" could be subject to defense on vagueness grounds.

bd
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interesting
 
B.D. said:
I occasionally see confusion about what a game fish is. I'm not even sure what the rule is for deciding if a fish is a game fish or not. It's apparently not based on possession or size limits, so what is it based on? Everybody knows a largemouth bass is a game fish and a carp is not, but what about a green sunfish, or a chain pickerel, or a blue catfish, or a rock bass, or a yellow bass?

I personally think it would be a good idea for TWRA to make an unambiguous list in the Fishing Guide of which species are "game fish." Otherwise, if the State doesn't offer any definitive guidance on what a game fish is, then prosecuting someone for cast netting a "game fish" could be subject to defense on vagueness grounds.

bd
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BD-The game fish species are listed in the Proclamation (06-23 currently). All Proclamations and Rules and Regulations are linked on our website. On all of our "Guides" there is a disclaimer at the front that the publication is not a legal document but is merely a summary of various rules and regulations. TWRA meets the legal standards by sending a copy of all Proclamations and Rules and Regulations to the county court houses for them to display.

I'll see if they can make room for such a list in the next Fishing Guide.
 
scn said:
BD-The game fish species are listed in the Proclamation (06-23 currently). All Proclamqations and Rules and Regulations are linked on our website. On all of our "Guides" there is a disclaimer at the front that the publication is not a legal document but is merely a summary of various rules and regulations. TWRA meets the legal standards by sending a copy of all Proclamations and Rules and Regulations to the county court houses for them to display.
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That's what I suspected.
 
chicken liver, night crawlers is about all we used. we use to go dawn to Wilson lake during the summer and fill the coolers full. We ran into a guy jug fishing one day and he told us his secret. he cut up hotdogs and put in a ziplock bag with louisiana hot sauce and some sort of hot seasoning like kian pepper seasoning or something. we never gave it a try but he had a boat load and gave us about 20 that day
 
rsimms said:
Plain chicken breast cut in chunks... sized based upon the size fish you expect to catch.

Tough as nails... will NOT come off the hook (unless you catch a fish, and that's OK). If you don't use it all... either refreeze it for next trip, or eat it for dinner.

With the exception of sometimes using cut bait, it is the only thing I use on my guide trips (see Photo Galleries for results). :grin:
Click to expand...


you need to listen to this guy. :cool:
 
RSimms and others I took your advice and went with chicken breast...it WORKED! Caught 5 nice ones and all were in the 5 - 8 lb. range with one huge one breaking my line...I am "hooked"! Thanks!
 
monsterbuck07 said:
RSimms and others I took your advice and went with chicken breast...it WORKED! Caught 5 nice ones and all were in the 5 - 8 lb. range with one huge one breaking my line...I am "hooked"! Thanks!
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I am really gonna have to try it now. A few weeks ago I even picked up a package but put it back down because I wasn't sure.
 
it worked greak and it stayed on just like they said even with the strong under current...bout pulled the rods in the water a few times...i put some seasoning on the bait also...
 
rsimms said:
Plain chicken breast cut in chunks... sized based upon the size fish you expect to catch.

Tough as nails... will NOT come off the hook (unless you catch a fish, and that's OK). If you don't use it all... either refreeze it for next trip, or eat it for dinner.

With the exception of sometimes using cut bait, it is the only thing I use on my guide trips (see Photo Galleries for results). :grin:
Click to expand...

X2 on the chicken breast!!! I normally marinate mine in garlic and they absolutely hammer it!
 
monsterbuck07 said:
it worked greak and it stayed on just like they said even with the strong under current...bout pulled the rods in the water a few times...i put some seasoning on the bait also...
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where was you fishing?
 

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