Catfish on a fly?

[Steve_A]

anyone have any methods / patterns that pick these guys up with any regularity?

I had an odd experience this weekend, where there were numerous moderate size cats appararently surface feeding in one of the heavily weeded waterways here in the houston vicinity.

I threw some of about everything at them (leaches, couple nymphs, couple wets, some foam bugs) and didn't get so much as a look.

there was a light hatch coming up most of the morning...perhaps i should carry some parachute adams with me from now on...'just in case'...didn't have the trout box with me, so couldn't 'match the hatch' too well.

any thoughts?

[dixieangler]

This link might be of interest . Take a look at Elmer's 27 inch catfish (top left photo) caught on the Clouser Minnow (6th photo left to right from top).
[url=http://www.warmwaterflyfisher.com/WWPhotos/photohome.htm:9c0db]http://www.warmwaterflyfisher.com/WWPhotos/photohome.htm[/url:9c0db]

A fellow fly fisher up in Orlando says he has caught them on a Crappie Candy and being similar to the Clouser, not surprising.

I have no experience with cats on the fly other than saltwater that I caught on a Dan Blanton Tropical Punch that is a crustacean imitation but also a Clouser type of fly.


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Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL

"Flip a fly"

[Canoeman1947]

Hard to beat a Wooly Bugger for channel catfish. I have caught them on other streamer type flies also, but channel cats like the Bugger just like trout, bass, and almost everything else that swims.
Larry Compton

[Marlin]

I like a wooly clouser. Won't give you a pattern because I don't want my exact secret for bass/catfish/sunfish out there, but you can figure it out.

Bright red is a good color, red sparkle for a bugger.

Because catfish have very poor vision, you need to take into account when tying that you need recognizable colors.

A glass rattle wouldn't hurt either.

[Harold Hattaway]

Steve_A

Welcome on board!!

I have a really nice 5 wt rod that goes freshwater fishing with me as a backup rod.
One day I was fishing this small pond in Alabama and I was fishing with a small purple foam fly. A little slurp and all of a sudden I had a fish on that was taking me into the backing, now being a salt water guy I would have never thought I would need much backing on a fresh water rig. But I am sure glad the guys on this board convienced me to put it on. Any way after a long and I admit tiring workout I bring to hand an 8 lb catfish (acording to the scale I had in the vest) I am sure glad they are hardy fish, it was like catching a small shark on my salt water stuff. Man was it fun. It also taught me a valuable lesson, catfish will hit anything. I have caught a bunch of cats on flies. Some on the wooly bugger and some on top water flies. Usually for me it is dark colors.
While they are not normal for me to catch I do catch enough of them to know that with light tackle they will give you a run for your money. I think Marlin might have something there with the rattle. I do remember catching one on a red worm while bass fishing a long time ago.
Have a great day

Harold



[This message has been edited by Harold Hattaway (edited 02 August 2005).]

[stephenjay]

Check out this link for the 32" channel cat I caught up on the Red in Manitoba.

[url=http://mbff.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=talk&action=display&thread=1118812 437:664fd]http://mbff.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=talk&action=display&thread=1118812 437[/url:664fd]

BTW: a 32" cat doesn't give you great bragging rights up here, even on a fly rod.

It also includes the fly I used, but we have much success with woolies with yellow maribou and hackle and a purple crystal chenille body. I always add bead chain eyes to my woolies for the Red.

I cant target catfish specifically, but I can catch them fairly regularly in a specific situation. I fish alot at night around docks that have lights, which attract baitfish. I almost regularly will catch at least 1 catfish everytime I go out to fish the docks, mainly on clousers. Seems that catfish are just as predatory as bass and other gamefish, and if you catch them in certain situations its easy to catch them. Then again, I have also found cats which are almost impossible to catch. I have often dangled flies in front of cats in clear water, and been rejected.

Now if you cast here I guarantee you'll get a cat:

[This message has been edited by ccabal (edited 03 August 2005).]

BTW... has anyone ever fished for cats using a fly at a catfish farm? I've seen some catfish farms out in the country where you can pay to fish, and I have always kinda wondered if those pellet-eating cats would even consider taking in a fly?!?

[bowmaker1]

I don't target catfish but do catch quite a few in ponds here in southern Iowa on bead heads like pheasant tails. This summer I stumbled onto using a beadhead pink squirrel and the cats really seem to like it. I experminted a little and came up with something a little better. Use a 10 or 12 hook and tie on bead chain eyes then tie a pheasant tail only with a pink antron thorax. Tie the tail fibers off in front of the beads and leave a short collar of the butt ends. I fish it under a float on about a 7 foot leader with 4lb tippet. Most of the takes come as it is falling and so far has taken bluegills, crappies, bass, catfish, and a grass carp. Lots of fun!

We have them in the stock ponds at the deer lease. I've had them hit just about anything I've thrown in front of them from hoppers to wooly buggers. I was using a small clouser last time I was down there, saw a good size cat surface 10 ft in front of me. I promptly roll-cast right on top of him and started stripping. He lazily came up, took a look, sucked it down and swam away. I was so shocked I didn't set the hook right away. He got about 15 ft before he realized something was up and took off like a shot. It was a small pond, but almost got me into my backing. I fought him for a while and got him right up to the shore - then he broke my tippet.

From sight, I would estimate him about 24" and fat. Good times on a 6 wt rod.



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- jason