BFT Cat contestants all over UL today

[Tin-Can]

Randy, sounds like a good tactic if you want to be messing with a paper clip and tape. I try to hook my bait at least 2 times, with the hook exposed past the barb and only a very small amount hanging off the hook. At UL where there isn't a strong current like at the river, I don't even have a weight on the line (unless I'm using a flig). I cast out away from the boat, put the rod in a rod holder, and loosen up the drag with the bail closed so the slightest movement on the line (even just a little boat swing or drift on the anchor) causes the drag to "click". Since most of the time, especially when I have another angler on the boat, at least one of my poles is in a rod holder behind me. I rely on hearing the drag cuz I can't watch that pole. I never even touch the pole until the fish seems to be making a determined run. Then I usually just lift the pole slightly and start tightening up the drag slowly. Most of the time if the fish has a good bite on the bait, it sets the hook itself. That's when I know it's hooked up and I start reeling in and tightening drag at the same time. A good solid hook up usually notifies itself by head shake, head for the bottom, roll over, and sometimes a reverse course coming back toward me that makes me reel even faster. [cool]
I think Saturday most of our pop-run-drops may have been white bass hitting the bait but not getting the 6/0 hook in it's mouth.
The one cat I did catch had a perfect hook in the corner of it's mouth, just behind the jaw bone.

But that's why it's called "fishin" cuz Gambling was already take.........[laugh]
[signature]