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I know it was stupid to go fishen on the first day of the pheasant hunt, but I got to take the shotgun and the poles so it was all good... Didn't have a real hunt'en dog, so decided fishen would be my best bet, plus I could release them and get out of the cleaning detail... Anyway after way too much BSing at the launch I finally got to my spot about 10:30 ish, got to the dock about 8:00... and luckily there was still a couple fish to be caught, I started off with a 11 ish inch smallie and then met a 15 inch Walleye right under the boat... Then after a bunch of boats going by and a few other BS sessions I tied into one that I thought was a good walleye, I was using a yellow jig on the bottom and so I thought I found what I'd been dreaming of... I was wrong, it was a heck of a fight peeling line off my heavy king salmon rod, I was getting pretty excited and it turned out to be my best of species of the year, a 24 inch 5 lb channel cat... It was a really pretty fish no scars of marks and 47 degree water I almost took that one home to eat, but decided it would make more kittens if I left it, so I did... Anyway then I finished up with a 12 inch smallie and should have called it a day, but I stayed for a couple fruitless hours more... Fun day did see 3 roosters fly by but not close enough to waste powder on... Later J
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Righteous! SO nice to see you NOT living up to your name! What a great day for you! I love hitting into the multi species! That's always a riot.
I'd love to know the where/how/with what - but maybe I'll bug you in private. In any case - you shame me for my slacker weekend - even had my boy on board for a float, and I flaked. Sadness.
Hope some of this indian summer hangs on for a bit!
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Better hurry I hear there's going to be snow by the end of the week.
Great job J. We didn't make it out there to hunt, hunted the more popular public places and paid the price, we were peppered 3 times and I don't mean just shot fall it was still horizontal. No more hunting on Bud Phelps openning day.
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Yote, I was going to give ya a call Saturday but I lost your number and it was kind of a last minute thing when I seen the pheasant hunters were behaving...
I don't dare say where over the forum it seems everytime I do the hoards roll in and ruin the spot by fishing there everyday and I never get to fish it any more because someone is always there... Kind of like your spot, that used to be good and fun, but so many people fish it all the time now, its really gone down hill. Too bad but somepeople don't know moderation and they fish the guts out of a good spot. Plus last time I said anything about location it resulted in a boat fishing off this spot about everyday for the last month so I don't think I want to ruin this one...
Anyway I was using a yellow salt & pepper grub 3" this trip, and I think I caught one on a different one, but I don't remember which one... I fish about 6 different colors, in fact I need to find that white one you were using last time... I like the look of that one. The cat took the jig this time, that's the first cat I've caught on plastic up here so I was glad to see that. I wish I could get them to hit a lure trolled like they do at Willard, but so far no luck trying that. (I did troll for half an hour but probably was making the goose hunters mad being out in the middle so I moved on..)
I sure can't find the crappie in any numbers this fall, guess we'll have to trade crappie secrets for walleye... It sure has been a nice fall, I hope we'll get another trip or two in but I think Rod is right winter is coming back this weekend... Catch ya again soon... J
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Rod, Don't think you missed too much for birds, I seen one group that had a few and talked to another boat that said they had done okay, but didn't see any so not sure what okay is. Also talked to multiple others that had done poorly this year so other than not many birds so I didn't get pelleted you didn't miss too much... Later J
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The guys were laughing at me for pulling out a white - seems like the green-yellow and a few other patterns are more popular with some.
I've oft heard the white/pearl are pretty favored by the eyes, so. . . it was what I caught my river-eye on. A[url "http://maniaccustomlures.com/zen/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=68_87"] Maniac minnow[/url] - had a curly tail, but a bit of finny-pattern to it.
They do some great Glow stuff too.
[inline "mm6 045w.jpg"]
But I hear ya about the reveals. Some maps I don't publish... plus taking fish-pix without exciting backdrops. . . weeds is everywheres!
I need to bring some garbage bags out! Too much trash building up.
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Thanks for the update. Looks like you had a good time. I will try and make it up there this week.
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Hey Yote that minnow looking thing is a lot like what I caught my last eye on except it was a Cabela version. I found some good stuff at Custom Sports tonight I can't wait to try them. Well catch ya later J
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Make it before it gets much colder they keep getting slower to hit but when things line up it's fun. It's fun to have such a mixed bag and once in a while there's a good one. Good luck and let us know how it goes. J
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Pearl white grubs and swimbaits are some of my go to baits for smallies and eyes in the river system. Good choice in my book. I've also done well fishing jerkbaits, both hard and soft in that color, up at Oneida for the smallies as well.
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Sounds like an outstanding day! Me and a friend if mine were up in benson area last spring and hauled in a 12 pound cat. wish like hell we woulda had a camera. thing i found most interesting were all the hooks he had stolen still in his mouth.
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Wow thats a nice cat sounds like a fun trip.
How long is a fish that big? Just wondering if it would have done well in the big catfish contest? Did you catch it with bait? I've been catching a few cats on jigs lately and I don't know if that is just a fall Clearwater thing or if they would take them year round. I like fishing the jig better than bait so I'll have to try it next spring and find out. Guess the two pole permit will let me try both. Good luck. J
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Wow thats a nice cat sounds like a fun trip.
How long is a fish that big? Just wondering if it would have done well in the big catfish contest? Did you catch it with bait? I've been catching a few cats on jigs lately and I don't know if that is just a fall Clearwater thing or if they would take them year round. I like fishing the jig better than bait so I'll have to try it next spring and find out. Guess the two pole permit will let me try both. Good luck. J
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If memory serves i think it was around 35" biggest one ive seen ever! like i said i wish i would have had a camera to make this not such a "fish story" but our plan of attack was we always got in the water around midnight 1/4 to 1/2 moon clear nights found the deep channels and fished bait right on the bottom. we learned quickly 8 or 12lb line wasnt going to cut it so we stepped it up i took med action 7' ugly sticks with 20 lb mono line (my wiper poles) and it was on! sometimes i would bring them to the boat... sometimes i would bring the boat to them. seemed like from 2 to 4 am were the best hours to hook em. dont know if this does anyone any good. but here are my cattin tactics for benson. and i gotta keep my locations to myself but i think the rest of the info will help some of you out.
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I'd have to check, but I think 35 would have been up to state record lengths? But I have my suspicions that there are some bigger cats caught than what's been recorded? Seen a 15lber this spring that was a HOG!
Haven't heard from ya for a while redneck. Messed with a few spots below the dam,but really need to try some more.
I won't ask where, but I would ask when. Springtime I've been finding them more in shallor zones, though I haven't really fished the wee hours that you and send others hit it. Had a fun run from CJ to the dam one night - would like to try that again, maybe grab the sleeping bag and just go for it.
So find any hammered gold blades with red/green spots on the edges? Maybe a red octopuses hook? I think I know that cat! Or almost anyway!
Thanks for chiming in. You should consider joining to catfish challenge challenge next year. I think those southern boyz will be coming out with a vengeance and we'll need all the help we can get!
(Sorry had to take a minute to clean up the soda I just laughed all over my keyboard!)
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My cuz used to catch nice ones at night but I don't get much sleep and kind of value those hours for shuteye. Guess I'll never be a real catfish guy. I do like their fight though, pretty good eating too at least I like them smoked. Anyway I do appreciate your tips and that was a heck of a fish. The 5 lber I just caught seemed like a hand full so I know one about three times it's size would be a blast. And like Yote says the north needs ya next year to help keep the title. Later J
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Count me in on the catfish! They are one of my favorites to fish. I even got a few 4 and 5 pounders out of willard last year. I generally stick to benson or the bear though for cats. also on a foot note some may believe this some may not but i HAMMERED walleye in the river last yr 24" being the biggest and my personal best. I have no problem sharing information with others that contribute but i dont really feel like sharing my knowledge with lurkers we all know it takes work to get this stuff figured out. PM me if you want. I need to get off my butt and head to the hospital I am about to become a dad!
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Congratulations on the new one, hope you land him/her okay, maybe need a net.
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