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My Fish Finder Main => General Fishing Discussion => Topic started by: JWHORF on Sep 21, 2022, 07:56 PM

Title: Trolling for Catfish
Post by: JWHORF on Sep 21, 2022, 07:56 PM
Does anybody have any experience trolling / drifitng cut bait for catfish?
Looking to try something new in Radison Canoe.

Thanks
Title: Re: Trolling for Catfish
Post by: gotagetm on Sep 21, 2022, 09:13 PM
Two biggest catfish I ever got This year and 3 years ago were trolling both on leadcore suspended with walleyes I was targeting ! Holy fight ! They both went back in Erie ... eye's not so lucky!
Title: Re: Trolling for Catfish
Post by: rgfixit on Sep 22, 2022, 09:27 AM
I fish cats in the Erie Canal quite often. Best cut bait I’ve found is fall fish. I catch them from local streams on the fly rod and freeze them. White meat cut baits just don’t work. I’ve even had luck using chicken breast cubes cured in strawberry jello and garlic powder. I’ve got some punch bait too….although, you need a hazmat suit to handle that stuff. Talk about nasty…….

There’s a couple bypass overflows near me that I drift with a slip bobber rig. Used to target them on Irondequoit Bay with slip bobber rigs, deep, 20-40’. They’re a lot of fun. Caught some big ones out of the bay.  I’ve caught a lot trolling the canal for walleye. They like Wally Divers in my waters.

They can be very aggressive feeders.
Title: Re: Trolling for Catfish
Post by: JWHORF on Sep 22, 2022, 05:44 PM
Thanks.
I fish the southern basin of Lake Champlain.
They are a lot of fun, great fight.
Best luck for me has been on cut bait (perch, fallfish, sunfish), but I usually fish from shore.
Thinking of taking my canoe out while the weather is still decent.

Thanks again for the replies.

Tight lines!
Title: Re: Trolling for Catfish
Post by: rivereddy on Sep 23, 2022, 05:06 PM
I've done a fair amount of trolling out of the canoes I have owned. In mid June, after they spawn, we catch a number of decent
channels while trolling for white bass and crappies.  I fish a simple inline spinner behind a little dipsey diver type disc.  A 7 # channel can
be quite a handful on a light spinning rod.

How do you like your Radisson...

fish on,

rivereddy
Title: Re: Trolling for Catfish
Post by: JWHORF on Sep 27, 2022, 09:58 PM
Rivereddy,
I enjoy my raddison immensely, however any wind whatsoever and I get blown around like crazy.
This can lead to frustration but it is sturdy and extremely light.  Have put lots of fish in the canoe.

I think I am going to try drifting some chunk bait if we ever get a break from the rain here in the adirondacks.
We didn't get much rain all summer, now we are lucky if we get a break from the rain.

Thanks!