Entries Tagged 'Fishing' ↓

Doug Burns asked:


There are so many good baits for catfish. Let’s be honest the catfish is not a finicky eater. They have been known to bite on everything from hot dogs to ivory soap. I know people that will swear shrimp sprayed with WD-40 is the way to go. Trying to identify the best bait for channel cats is difficult.

Here is my list of baits that work best for me and depending on your local, time of day, season or any other variety of reasons will work for you. Every one of these has worked for me and every one has left me without a fish. I will list them here in the order I prefer and some of that has to do with ease of use.

CUT BAITS

Cut baits cover a wide variety of fish baits. The most common ones are: shad, bluegill, anchovy, sardines, mackerel and minnows. Make sure it is legal to use them in your area. I know that bluegill is not legal in some states but is ok in others. I cut them into chunks depending on the size of the bait. I believe cut baits to be the best bait for channel cats and all other types of catfish.

SHRIMP

You can purchase shrimp at your local grocery either with or without shell. I leave the shell on but most remove it. Depending on the size of the shrimp and the size of the bait you want you can use them whole or cut them in half. Many also soak them in vanilla extract to enhance their appeal. I am particularly found of the cut baits and shrimp because they stay on your hook and can be fished in fast currents when necessary.

CHICKEN LIVERS

These can also be purchased at your local grocery store and are a very good bait. I do suggest you take an old nylon stocking and cut it into small squares. You can use these squares to wrap around the chicken liver and attach it to the hook. They will stay on the hook much better. Fish on the bottom and check your bait every 20-30 minutes. If all the blood is gone replace the bait.

WORMS

Night crawlers, garden worms and Catawba worms are all included here. These are the old standby and will catch catfish but are best used where they are likely to find them. Places where creeks and drainage ditches feed into the lake or river seem to be best.

PREPARED BAITS

These can and have been made out of just about everything you can think of. I have tried many different kinds and have had some success. I am sure others do as is evidenced by the thousands of recipes that can be found on the web but I prefer the more natural baits. I think they are the best bait for channel cats and occasionally you will catch their larger brothers, the flathead and the blue catfish.

Doug Burns asked:


Folks, it’s time to get out the fishing gear and go catfish fishing. With the waters warming up comes more activity. I have always found early spring to be a great time to go catfish fishing. The water is beginning to get warm and the catfish are more active. Strike now though as when the water really gets warm in late spring or early summer they will be spawning and are more difficult to catch.

Night fishing is best as this is when they do most of their feeding. Catfish will eat anything including soap but the best baits are live baits. If you can’t get live baits go to the grocery store and buy a tub of chicken livers and a small bag of shrimp. Soak the shrimp in vanilla extract the night before you go and see if you can find some old nylon stockings laying around for the chicken livers.

When you put the shrimp on the hook make sure you don’t bury the hook. The catfish won’t notice and I have seen too many people miss catching catfish because of this. When you use the chicken liver wrap it in a small piece of the stocking and it will hold up better with much less chance of slipping off of the hook when casting.

Catfish fishing takes some patience but if you haven’t gotten a bite in 30 minutes reel it in and check your bait. If you still have it cast again into a slightly different area. Repeat until you find that spot.

Ling Tong asked:


Even though the sport of bass fishing had been around since the turn of the century, it wasn’t until the development and implementation of modern technological advancements into the sport that it gained widespread success and acceptance throughout the country.  These developments really began to take effect on the bass fishing market in during the late 1950s and early 1960s. 

 

During this period, new inventions, including nylon strings, artificial lures, composite rods, and other useful fishing accessories, greatly added to fishermen’s ability to have multiple same-day catches, launching the sporting version of bass fishing to popularity.  In the later part of the twentieth century, the prominence of fly fishing for bass also grew, thereby adding another dimension to the modern spectrum of bass fishing. 

 

One of the driving factors in these developments was – as always – the desire to be the best.  Many sport fishermen realized that these advancements greatly increased their chances of breaking the world record for bass weight – a twenty-two pound bass caught in Georgia in 1932.  However, despite all the modern technologies that have been introduced over the years, this record remains in effect today.

 

Many people consider bass fishing to be a purely American past-time, but this is not simply the case anymore.  In recent years, fish stocking programs have become more popular as a means to help people find accessible bass fishing locations in their local areas.  However, the success of these programs has led to bass stocking programs in other countries like Japan and South Africa.  The success of these international stocking programs has made this sport increasingly popular in nearby countries as well, and is serving to create a worldwide name for bass fishing.

 

The production of bass fishing television programs and magazines, and the introduction of more specialized equipment for bass fishing, makes it easier than ever to get started in the world of bass fishing.  These things have also encouraged the creation of a bass fishing culture, making the sport’s niche more globally well-known.  In addition, specialty stores like Bass Pro have opened the door for ordinary people to go in and buy everything they need for their first big bass fishing adventure.

 

However, some of the recent technological advancements in the sport are just as controversial as they are good.  For example, many sport fishermen are now using a device that emits sounds into the water simulating a school of fish, which is food for the bass.  This sound attracts the hungry bass and makes them more accessible to the fishermen.  Some fishermen argue that this takes much of the skill and timing out of traditional fishing – since you’re relying on technological means to draw in your catch, instead of using your knowledge to catch fish. 

 

While this may be an unwanted advancement, it’s unlikely to be the last of its kind.  Only time will tell what other advancements in bass fishing technology will occur as the sport increases in popularity and the demand for better equipment goes up.