Catfish on the Banks

[Greg Hunsicker]

Got a haircut at lunch and had 20 minutes to hit the SPGC entrance lake today to go after a few bluegill. As soon as I started fishing I noticed large splashes along the banks at the deeper 2/3rds of the lake. I mean ther was something of notible size going after something close to the shore like withing 2 feet of it. This was going on all the way around the lake. After watching for a while I decided that the active fish were channel cats starting at a couple pounds and some having tails that were six to eight inches tall.

Has anyone else seen this or know what was going on? I have a thought that maybe they were going after spawing bluegills or the eggs.

Greg

[Buddy Sanders]

I've seen similar activity from channel cats here in Arizona.

Usually seems to correspond to the bluegills spawning, but there are shad moving along the shorelines then too, so it may be that......

In any event, I've managed to catch more than a few of them on poppers and streamers during this 'activity'. Lots of fun on a light fly rod.

Buddy

[Greg Hunsicker]

I thought popper but I tried a small mylar minnow and a white Wooly Bugger with no takers. I'd love to get a catfish on my 2wt.

[Greg Hunsicker]

I thought popper but I tried a small mylar minnow and a white Wooly Bugger with no takers. I'd love to get a catfish on my 2wt.

[Big Bad Wulff]

I've caught catfish on chartrues wooley buggers. They seem to be about the only thing that hits that color.

[Greg Hunsicker]

I went back to the golf course entrance lake again for lunch today and the big splashes were still going on around the lake. The water was a little clearer and I could see smaller fish scatering like they were being chased. Tried a few flies without any luck. Chart. Wooly Bugger, Chart. Popper and a Worm Fly. Seem like the bigger fish are driving the smaller ones against the bank so maybe they are bass. Is that a logical assumtion?

Greg

[Wild One]

I've caught catfish on chartrues wooley buggers. They seem to be about the only thing that hits that color.

Chartreuse buggers are a BIG hit on crappie round central OH.

Greg,
If I were in your shoes, I'd tie up a couple clousers with small bead chain so they don't sink quite as fast and strip em around sporatically.

[Greg Hunsicker]

Wild One

Got the bead chain clausers and will give them a try tomorrow! I've been using my 6'6" 2 and 5 wt rods but I may bring a 7wt tomorrow! These fish are big!

Thanks

[Greg Hunsicker]

Went back to the lake again and what ever was feeding on the banks had stopped. Did manage to catch a pretty little bluegill on #10 Bead Chain Clouser. Fished it about 4' under afloat just past the drop off.

Greg

[Eight Thumbs]

I've seen a lot of similar activity in close to shore with major splashing and some really huge fish but it's been spawning carp that were responsible. I watched a bass fisherman casting a big minnow lure into this melee for almost half an hour. Needless to say, he had no takers. 8T