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The only thing I would add to the above would be clouser minnows and crayfish patterns fished around riprap near deep water. Clousers also make a good spillway fly for cats. IN rivers, they act a bit trout-like in that they'll hold in current seams, eddies and under the edges of undercut banks. At night they will cruise the upper levels of the water column and can be taken on poppers and shallow running streamers fished much the same way you would for bass during the day.
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There is a pond where I used to work that has lots of channel cats. I had the most luck there with a muddler minnow. Like anything else, I think it depends more on what the local forage is. Other fish and dog food were the menu on this pond.
Kirk
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In my local lake channel cats have proven rather eager to take a fly. They take virtually any fly I happen to be using at the time, but I think they have a soft spot for big, buggy patterns. I haven't specifically targeted them, but I get them when they are about. They certainly put a bend in my 3-weight.
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I get on a small creek by my house. when I moved into the area several years ago I began fishing it for the SMB but the channel cats soon became very good sport and quite tasty from time to time.
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I target them all the time in the tailraces. My best flies are in two catagories. The first is anything that resembles shad. Next choices are crawfish, fathead minnows and Wooley Buggers.
The next catagory is simply a medium-sized Pom-Pom (available at Hobby Lobby) glued on a hook a la Glo-Bug style, soaked in 'catfish' flavored Smelly Jelly. I just cast upstream and let it drift. Red seems to be the best color. I have also put frozen chicken liver chunks wrapped in panty hose pieces on a hook (unweighted), and nightcrawlers, and casted upstream. They all work well.
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I have been tempted to try it at feeding time at our local lake. One of the rangers feeds the catfish. I thought something little and brown in with the food would do the trick. I have seen some 20+ lb fish come to eat!
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Waynep--
The cats usually hang pretty close to those feeding areas even between feedings. A small brown popper with the tail trimmed off can be deadly around feeders or any area they are used to getting fed regularly. You may have to slap the water with the fly a few times to get them to come up, but once you get their attention, hold on tight. You can also chum a little first, but there may be issues both legal and ethical to deal with depending on how the laws in your area read.
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I can tie up some pellet flies any time you want to try it, wayne...
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Wayne,
I'll be down to BV in a few weeks visiting my family over Easter. MAybe we can get together and harass a cat or two.
Kevin
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When I look back at it, the biggest cats I've caught were on poppers. Early AM dark or night time popper action.
But off of rocks or rip rap with streamers has been good also.