Author Topic: Anyone go trolling for catfish? (Read 3497 times)

Bowhunter57 · « **on:** February 25, 2012, 03:23:26 PM »

I was introduced to trolling from my kayak, last year and it has become a great way to catch fish...all sorts of fish. Some of my greatest catches came from channel cats that were 18" to 24". I have no idea what they would weigh, but I recently purchased a hand scale to have a better idea, on my next adventure.

Anyone go trolling for catfish?
Thank you, Bowhunter57

briarpatch · « **Reply #1 on:** February 25, 2012, 05:03:30 PM »

No. How do you do it?

yellowtail3 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 25, 2012, 05:46:41 PM »

Sweet. Hey, time for me to share a picture of my daughters:

bubbadoyle · « **Reply #3 on:** February 25, 2012, 07:06:24 PM »

Never trolled for them but August and September here in Wisconsin I know of a place where the flatheads come to feed up before winter and I have caught hundreds of them casting crankbaits and musky baits for them. Have caught them this way from about 8lbs up to 50lbs personally and know of another fisherman who has caught a couple over 60lbs in the same spot.

Gun Runner · « **Reply #4 on:** February 25, 2012, 09:45:34 PM »

Out of 60 plus yrs of trolling for trout have caught 3 catfish. Twice with flashers and worm, and once pulling a 6 inch plug trolling for strippers.

Gun Runner

BUGEYE · « **Reply #5 on:** February 26, 2012, 03:08:38 AM »

saw Bill Dance dragging cut-bait in the mississippi river, but that's probably different that your way.

charles p · « **Reply #6 on:** February 26, 2012, 03:12:17 AM »

Caught a few casting a Johnson silver spoon with a skirt or pork rine.

Bowhunter57 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 26, 2012, 03:32:43 AM »

Quote from: briarpatch

No. How do you do it?

briarpatch,
I paddle about 1.5 mph, have 2 rod holders that are set up on either side and I watch the fishfinder to parallel the bank where the fish are located. I use floating crankbaits, like a Rebel crawfish or Fat Rap Shad and troll them about 20 yards behind me. The floating crankbaits work better because, when I catch a fish on one line the other lure floats, instead of getting tangled up on the bottom. The bigger cats will drag you a ways, sometimes.

Using the same lures and trolling, I've caught, smallmouth, walleye, saugeye, crappie, bluegill and pike.

Bowhunter57

hillbill · « **Reply #8 on:** February 26, 2012, 12:11:46 PM »

i dont know if you would call it trolling but i often do what we call "drifting" for catfish. basically you position your boat upwind of a area you want to fish. throw out a couple poles with small shad or worms on them and let a stiff breeze blow your boat across the area yu suspect the fish to be in.at least one pole with enuf weight to drag the bottom and maybe one with lighter weight to suspend off the bottom depending on the speed the wind is blowing you along.a stiff breeze will prob blow you along at least the speed your talking.but this is with a bigger boat than your useing so the wind catches it more.very effective in my area. btw that cat you showed in the net is a very delicious size fish! easy to fillet and cook.

chefjeff · « **Reply #9 on:** February 26, 2012, 02:57:37 PM »

I troll for crappie exclusively,but catch some bass and channel cats with 1/16oz jigs,mostly tipped with minnows.Keep the channels also,best tasting of the whiskerfish to me.They sure give one a fit on light tackle .

briarpatch · « **Reply #10 on:** February 26, 2012, 04:29:39 PM »

Dang sure looks like fun, thanks for posting. Probably have a few looking at kayaks.

pastorp · « **Reply #11 on:** March 08, 2012, 10:40:53 AM »

My legs won't fold up to get in a kayak or even a canoe any more but it shore does look like a fun way to fish....

We troll for salmon but I use a 19' runabout with a hardtop. Of course were in deep water most of the time.... Doubt theres a catfish anywhere around here. When I get back home to Flordia though I eat as many as I can.

Actually I'd rather eat a catfish than a salmon any day.

Regards,

plumberroy · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2012, 04:43:58 AM »

I troll/drift live bait usually a bluegill off the back of my ocean kayak drifter summer before last caught a 30 lb blue cat

If i could figure out how to steer him I could have used it for a trolling motor
Roy

spruce · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2012, 06:10:40 AM »

Used to fish an impoundment close to where I lived at the time that had both walleye and channel cats in it.
When trolling with Rapalas or Shad Raps usually caught more cats than walleyes. It wasn't unusual to even catch one while trolling 4 or 5 feet deep over 60 feet of water! Not the location or style of fishing that usually comes to mind when cats are mentioned, but I guess they're where you find them!

deernhog · « **Reply #14 on:** May 01, 2012, 04:32:05 PM »

Catch Blues and Flatheads trolling for stripers on Texoma with Model A bombers. A 30 lb flathead hitting at 1100 rpms is a heck of a pull on the rod.

streak · « **Reply #15 on:** May 01, 2012, 05:07:28 PM »

Bowhunter57,
What brand and length of kayak are you using?

streak · « **Reply #16 on:** May 01, 2012, 05:14:28 PM »

There was a lake not far from my parents house near Shreveport, La. that was called Cross Lake. It was at that time well known for good channel cats! We used to take a Jon boat and try to get the wind to blow us over the many sand bars located in the lake. We would troll over these bars and if they were biting , could fill up a Igloo cooler pretty fast. But boy did it get hot out there in the summer time!!

Bowhunter57 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 04, 2012, 01:01:54 AM »

Quote from: streak

Bowhunter57,
What brand and length of kayak are you using?

steak,
It's an Old Town Vapor 10XT, which is 10' long and weighs 45 lbs.
Here's more info on their line of kayaks:
http://www.oldtowncanoe.com/kayaks/

Bowhunter57