I am taking a non fishing buddy catfishing Thursday night( in a boat), I've only been at night one other time. Always seem to do well early in the morning. So you guys that go at night all the time, what would you say has been your most successful time frame? Just wondering if it would be better to go out around nine and stay however long or wake up in the middle of the night and go then? One more question, at night do the cats seem to go deeper or shallower this time of year?
Thanks for any suggestions.
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I think from about 3 am until 9 is the best time all around for big cats close to shore. I use a large float about 5 feet or so from the hook, just enough to keep it ticking along the bottom, and I use fresh cutbait. You'll really see things pick up between 4 and 5 am. Hope it helps.
Pacs
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[cool][#0000ff]Contrary to popular opinion, catfish bite all day and daylight hours are often better fishing than at night. It has been three years since I last fished at night. I caught a few fish, but no more than I normally do during the day...and the bugs are much more active at night (think West Nile virus).[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Still, night fishing has a special charm. So does skate boarding on a busy freeway. But, you need to be fully prepared. Part of that is knowing the spot you plan to fish...from fishing it in the daytime. Not good to damage a boat by ramming rocks or to fish in a spot where there are too many snags and not enough fish.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]There is no particular time of day or night anybody can say is universally better than another. The fish bite according to their own clock. And, that can change on a daily basis. There are a lot of factors that determine when fish feed...not just the time of day...especially with cats.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If I go night fishing, I hit the water before it gets dark. I try to search out spots where there is a good depth and also some fish. If it is calm, you can drift. If there is a breeze, put out the anchor. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some folks like bobber fishing for cats. I use bobbers but not for night fishing. You can use those that light up, but I prefer to just chuck out a weightless bait and leave the bail open on the reel for the fish to take off line after they pick it up. But, if you are fishing in an area with a lot of bottom snags, then a bobber will save you some tackle. That is not the case on most of Utah Lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]All that being said, night time is the right time for some of the biggest cats during the summer. And, the big cats often go very shallow at night, looking for crawdads or small fish that are also foraging in the shallows. In the days before they closed access to the rocky shelves off Lincoln Beach, you could fish a large bait only a foot or two under a bobber, very close to shore, and hook some big ol' bigguns.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]A good game plan if you do not find fish in deeper water is to move near some reeds in shallower water. Cast your baits near the line of reeds and foraging cats will find it. Have stout line, because big cats know all about running back into the brush and reeds for an escape plan.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Be sure to keep a light lit on your boat at all times, as per regulations. After that, you should have a powerful spotlight for navigating or emergencies. Otherwise, a small headlight for retying or for landing fish is helpful...and handsfree. Unless you love bugs, do not use a bright lantern or even a flashlight for any period of time. Better to fish in the dark than to eat bugs.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Good luck.[/#0000ff]
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any time ya can get out is a good time! [sly]
but i have found that from 10:00 pm tell sun up is the best! [:p]
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Thanks for the info [
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The one thing a person can always depend on when dealing with Big Cats is, there is NO perfect plan or time to hunt them. Their strict opportunist.
If one must hunt Big Cats at night fish in water depth of 1-3 feet.. Keep your lighting level low and cut bait fresh.
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Do you have room for one more?
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Thanks a lot tubedude for your help. You guys make me want to hit the lake now.
Just another suggestion is to get the stinkyest bait you can. I have left out chicken livers for a day or 2 and the used a treble hook to hold it all together. I just fished from the shore south of the airport and once had good luck with that.
wish you success.
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I disagree. I have found that fresh cutbait (carp or white bass meat) or fresh minnows works better than rotten, aged or smelly anything. Catfish are predators as well as scavengers, and have very sensitive 'smell'. No need to stink yourself out with secret stinkbaits, the fresh stuff works better (at least at Utah Lake).
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I agree, freshest is best. I usually try to catch a white bass and immediately cut it up for bait and it has always worked, never been skunked with it. I've noticed the same with shrimp, fresh from the deli outfishes even day or two old stuff thats been in the fridge.
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Last sunday I took a friend out on UL for cats, put boat in water at Pelican point and headed south around the big point you see in front of you, all we did was get close to the reeds and throw nightcrawlers rigged like dropshotting. Caught a white bass and cut up in small chunks and then used bass meat tipped with a crawler, we would throw to the reeds and drag slowly back to the boat and we stopped fishing when we got 16 cats. Caught cats everywhere along the reeds. Used electric trolling motor and kept moving up the reeds. Got on the water @ 8am and off by 2pm. I tried for bass early in the morning but got nothing. Cats kept us busy. goodluck
ps. keep moving and dont anchor. There was a boat in the reeds anchored up all morning and they only had 1 cat. We must of caught 8 or more in sight of them...
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