Pumped for another year of catfishing.

[bigredfishing]

Hey Hookset if I could convince you boys to leave the chicken livers at home go with the fresh cutbait (where legal) you boys will be nailing the monsters!!

I've been cat fishing the hudson for my entire life, caught hundreds of cats and my largest is only 30"(12.5 lbs)...i am gunning for a monster this year, and thanks to some VERY valuable tips from other MFF members & given a few warm nights in early may, i think its a good possiblility.  I've always used fresh cutbait from the river itself, it just seems i need to fish my key spots later in the night, and maybe try a few new spots. i also plan on putting some hours in with the aqua-vu to find some bigger fish.

[Stink Bait]

Cutbait is my favorite bait too. I didn't really start catching the real big boys until I started using cutbait.

[Trophy Hunter639]

Hey Hookset if I could convince you boys to leave the chicken livers at home go with the fresh cutbait (where legal) you boys will be nailing the monsters!!

  I've always used fresh cutbait from the river itself

That's the ticket right there BigRed!! It really makes a big difference and I also beleive go huge or go home!! I catch hundreds of channels over 34" every summer with some pushing 39" I have only one 41" and it was getting closer to fall when they were bulking up for winter. I can't wait for the cat season to start now.I mean perch fishing in the winter is fun because of pure numbers but it can't hold a candle to seeing a 10.6ft heavy action salmon rod bend in half and when you set the hook the beast tears out line and pulls you forward a step Man the bloods starting to flow!!! Don't forget to start lifting weights guys so you don't get the shakes too bad after catching the first couple of the year

[Reelmaster]

I cant wait as well there TH. I am now closer to the river and will be tring to find some new honey holes away from the dam. I miss reel ing in a huge beast.

[Trophy Hunter639]

Right on bud we saw last summer in the boat there are cats everywhere in that river I can't wait!!!!!

[TroutFishingBear]

Cutbait is my favorite bait too. I didn't really start catching the real big boys until I started using cutbait.

My biggest cat ever (a pathetic 8 lbs) came off cutbait. My brother caught a 20 lber (maybe 22 lber, I can't remember) on cuttbait as well. I am going on sunday down in westwater canyon on the colorado river. Hopefully I can get a few around the chubs. Our cats are nothing like TH's though, or even you hudson guys, ours average 1-4 lbs. I suck at catching cats so I'm gonna be a lurker on this forum more than a poster right now if that's okay with you guys.

[Mackdaddy21]

Yeah my first trip will be this weekend. Not the best time of year but I always catch some in March. I love sitting on the river bank and then seeing a heavy rod completely bend into an arc and then running over and hammering the hook home into a heavy fish in deep, swift current. I've hooked cats in the 30 - 40 lb range several times and have had them pull so hard I lose my footing and fall in the river. The Upper Colorado isn't the Red River of the North, but it's a similar sized river and does have plenty of 10 pound plus Channel Cats, though it takes probably 50 hours of catfishing to get one like that at least. Still can't beat an afternoon of 2 - 6 pound whiskered brawlers though.
Cut sucker or chub works really well and seems to catch bigger fish than Chicken Liver or Nightcrawlers. But Chicken Liver catches more fish than any other presentation, and nightcrawlers a fairly close second. Using that bait though, you have to wade through the icky roundtail chubs. I hate seeing the tap tap of a chub, I long for the rod to double over when a cat takes the bait and swims off. Usually they hammer it this way.

Tyler

[Hookset]

The only downside for me with the cut bait is the number of eels I hook instead of cats or bullheads.  Far fewer on liver, maybe because it is not indigenous forage.  If you have ever hooked one, and a good one in the 36-40 inch range, then you know that they are no fun to tangle with.  I am no sissy(at least I don't think I am, I guess that arguable), but toying with those creatures really blows.  Slimy, smelly, sloppy, nasty-wrapping-all-around-my-arm dirty thing.  Don't they have any natural predators?  Can't blame the fish, they're nasty, I wouldn't eat one.

[bigredfishing]

eels may fight great, but they get the hook every time...i refuse to touch the d**n things! ever had one wrap up your arm? it leaves something to be desired.

[camo_fish]

I tired the cut bait to liver and the liver landed 3 cats to my few little hits, so I changed back to liver myself. I would rather catch 15-25 little ones on liver instead of 1-5 big monsters. Don't get me wrong I like the big cats, but they still eat the liver. 


Here is a 30"er in the rain. 


Here is Deposit with a nice 30"er. 

What pigs. 
Can't wait should be about 2-3 weeks away. The river is going to be rock'in and roll'in with run off and the cats are going to be feasting. 

[Trophy Hunter639]

Cool cats bud! Hey Deposit looks kinda like Cheech in the last pic

[Pasquatch]

Nice fish Camo, surprised they bite that early in the year! They are beauties!

[camo_fish]

Nice fish Camo, surprised they bite that early in the year! They are beauties!

Yea got to wear the longjohns and bring the coveralls. Oh yea, I always seem to have days off that rain, so I hope you have a good rain suit if you want to hook up in the spring. 

[TroutFishingBear]

Oh yea, I always seem to have days off that rain

what are you a mailman? Lol...sorry just had to say that. Great fish camo!

[Stink Bait]

I used liver for many years and still do when I bank fish. I just don't like the mess in my boat. I Like to keep a medium rig out with nightcrawlers and a heavy out with cutbait. Nightcrawlers (or liver ) will catch more fish hands down everytime but why not though out a rig with cutbait and wait until it bends double while you are catching fish with crawlers or liver on another rig? I will say this, the really huge flatheads prefer the crawlers or anything that wiggle and they are the biggest cats in our waters. There was an 87 pounder (flathead) caught on a crawler in the lake behind the house 2 years ago.