Fishing Forum

Me and my son catslayer got up and got to the lake at about 6:45a.m. With all the issues that have have happened and the wind on previous attempt I would say I wasn't optimistic about the day going well. But as we arrived the water was barely rippling and it was a beautiful day. We started trolling for fresh white bass but we couldn't get any that wanted to come see us so I pulled out my frozen piece and cut it up and switched out the rods and started for the cats. I started for them in about 8.5' of water and it was slow for a while but once we hit 11' the fish finder screen was full of fish and I told my son that it was full of fish and 45 seconds later the first rod bent over, once that was about reeled in the second rod went bendo got the first fish in cooler and about got the second fish in the boat and third rod bent over. We got 2 rods back in the water and tried to get the fish figured out when the fourth rod bent over. Wow exciting few minutes. Got fish back in water as Devon forgot to take pictures but they were all in the 26"-27.5" range so wouldn't have been bumpers for me but would have been starters for him. Once everything was good to go fish finder showed fish and ham a rod dropped shortly after, got that to the boat and rode 2 bent over. More mayhem??? Nope just doubles.but Devon got 2 for the contest 




We finished with another set of doubles and so just happened to get 4 fish each for 8 total by 9:35 so about 2 hours of catfish fishing. We'd made our way back through the same path but nothing so just for nostalgia sake we headed for bird island as I haven't been there in 2-3 years. But it's so under water I couldn't get an idea where I was in relation to my normal spots I like to fish plus I want confident in where the structures were so after I got to 8' I dropped the trolling motor. I went to 6' and we anchored up. There were 2 other boats and I didn't see them catch anything either. Devon was so worn out he couldn't keep up with his old man, though he says I had the energy drink so unfair. He slept for 45 minutes then we headed home. As you can see the island is nonexistent. The other boats were crossing over it bravely but again I don't know where anything was. 

Good on you guys, glad you found some cats. I was there today as well. Arrived at 6:30 but had  to leave for home duties at 9:30. I headed for the Knolls (7 miles?) and fished near shore and in deeper water... nothing, not even anything on radar. Lots of carp and white bass but no big red blobs on the bottom. Water temps were 64-5 on the open sea and 67-8 closer to shore. I gave up and headed back to the mouth of Benjamin Slough and worked up stream to a depth of about one foot, anchored up and tried near the rushes... nothing interested in my offerings so after losing a couple of hooks to the submerged frags I was ready to move out deeper. While I was anchored, I watched three pairs of geese with small litters of 4-6 younguns' in tow. Why the small hatch? Probably due to the racoons, foxes, skunks and mink that frequent the shores but I preferred to believe it was because the young were taken by big catfish... maybe even 36-inch catfish. I may have to contact Tube Dude and see if he can make up a flig-type lure in a duckling or gosling form...   

Good day to be out on the water just not a good day for catchin'... for me. Lots of youngsters fishing the channel with moms and dads and I hope they were able to find some fish.  Hopefully the cattin' will just get better as the weather warms.