Cats On The Fly

[Allan]

Yesterday a friend and I were going to go to any local stream that had not been blown out by the previous nights rainshowers. Our search found none. So we decided to visit his uncles pond and see what was there. Well, let me tell you, we found catfish, large sunnies and bass. The catsfish were not bullheads but the long sleek kind and many were in the 20 - 24 inch range. At times these cats were taking some flies on the surface, but more often below, and when the sun was highest, near the bottom. These big cats would run and then fight on the bottom. They also had a tendency to swim around cat tails and dock pillars which made some fights more interesting than others. Suffice to say that large cats on 4 weight rods, small flies and light leaders/tippets are fun. Catch several of these fish and you might well need some BenGay or other medication for the sore shoulder you're bound to have. I opted for 'flexeril''.

Now this is not something you'd want to make into a steady diet but, if every so often when your nearby waters make trout unavailable, you may want to consider fly fishing a nearby pond for cats as an alternative and think twice before saying 'no' or 'yuck'.

Allan

[Lotech]

Glad you had some fun Allan. The same things could be said about carp. But I wouldn't suggest using a 4 weight.

[Marco]

Allan,
Hopefully NOT a hijack. Are you the "same" Allan ( prolific poster herein) of a few years ago who vanished into the ether??

Mark

[Bluegill222]

Actually, I do make a steady diet of it in the summer time. Cat's are a whole lot of fun, the fish get big, and for those of us who don't live near the trouts and the spring fed streams, it, along with bluegills, crappie, bass, carp and gar, gives us a way to while away time we'd normally spend at home daydreaming about trouts

[LadyFisher]

Marco, the answer is yes on Allan.

[Uncle Jesse]

Anyone who thinks catfish on a flyrod is not fun, just has not been there. A formerly neighbor in Tupelo, MS caught what was a channel catfish state record for a week on a flyrod, it was either 24 lbs. 7 ozs. or 27 lbs 4 ozs. It was a huge catfish to land on a flyrod with a 6# tippet if I remember correctly. The next weekend a lady from the same area broke his record.

[EdD]

Uncle Jesse, I'm sure that it was 27 pounds, 4 ounces. This IS a fish story, after all...

Ed

[Fly Goddess]

I catch Cat on fly (haresear). I bet on a four weight it is a challenge, loose a lot of flies and tippet too I bet. I went for Grass Carp with 6lb fluoro and a 6 wt. rod. Landed a few but lost a bunch as well.
Right tool for the right job A 20" cat put a real nice bend in a 6 wt.

[Marco]

Thanks Deanna for the "answer". It would have been too much of a coincidence to not be so. Had Allan himself resonded, I would have stated that it's great to have him back since as I recall, he was no slouch as to posting good stuff.

Mark
PS: Having said THAT, Allan it IS good to see you back here. AND..............

[Allan]

marco,

Thank you. I did not answer because Ladyfisher beat me to it.

Hope I can post, as you say, "good stuff".

Allan