Hi everyone!! This is my first time dabbling in warm water fish. I am usually after trout on the other board!! But, I recently went fishing for catfish using something other than a flyrod and a buddy of mine caught one on a lure. I thought if they would take a lure, they might take a fly and whatta fight that would be!! So I decided to do some research and I guess they do take flies to my family’s surprise.
BTW…I am fishing with my brother and he is seriously angry being outfished by a girl and his sister no less!!
That being said, I need lots of help. I have never fished for anything but trout. I am fishing the Yellowstone, Big Horn and Musselshell rivers in Montana. The catfish I have been catching are between 8-10 lbs although someone did pull out a 15lb one the other day. What would be the optimal setup with regards to rod wt, leader wt and type, tippet. Now, restrict that to 7 wt rod…am I going in underpowered? I already have plenty info on flies. Sorry if I am sounding ignorant on this subject, but I am and Thank you guys and gals for any and all information!!
Teri:
I don’t think you’re undergunned for that size catfish with a 7 wgt. An 8 wgt might be a better choice, but you have to go with what you have. An intermediate or a full sinking line, and for cats that size I would use a straight 20 lb fluorocarbon leader, 6 feet long for streamers and 4 feet long for a floating fly. The heavier tippet will allow you to put more pressure on the fish with the rod and since this isn’t finesse fishing you don’t need a tapered leader.
This may be against your ethics, but we cater to a trout’s sense of sight, to a bass’s instinct for movement, so why not cater to a catfish’s sense of smell? I have consistently caught channel catfish on a #8 black nymph with a drop of crawfish scent added. My largest to date has been 16# on a 5wt.
P.P.S. If anyone doubts how hard catfish are to catch, ask Davy Wotton what he discovered while fishing Dave Whitlock’s catfish pond. Ask him what lengths he had to go to in order to catch fish after the first couple of days.
I always use scent on my flies if it is compatatable (ie:, crawfish, minnow, shad, shrimp or worm imitations). I usually use Smelly Jelly or Berkley Baitmate in the appropriate flavor.
Here’s an idea. What do you think about maybe using a large shrimp pattern with the appropriate scent? I have never used shrimp for catfish, but I’ve heard from others that it is very good bait.
I think I may give it a try next week behind the Tail-Waters.
your 7wt will be pushing the limits, but 10-15 lbs should do - just no horsing around.
As our trout are limited here - we chase channel cats all over. General set-up is minimum 8wt (9wt is avg), and whatever line you have. Floating, ty. III sinking, or sink tip are the common (doesn’t help I know). I’ve done a lot of research on Cats - although there are still arguements on what is their primary sense for food searching, due to the waters they inhabit - I tend to believe its their lateral line and sense of movement - then eyesight - then smell. All flies are as tied - no attractants / smells - but fill your boots if you must. Best fly is a DDH pattern drizzled up by a local. Catch the cats in their feeding troughs and have a blast.
I now have a great shopping list to get this afternoon. The 20# flourocarbon is a bit difficult to find. The best I have been able to find is 15# at a local outfitter here. I have a list of fly patterns to find now. Thank you! There were a few in my flybox but I need to get some more.
On bait rods, we were using 3/0 hooks w/ shrimp that we left out in the trunk for a couple of days, then chilled. There was a major stink factor but we caught the largest cats on that stuff usually after midnight. That being said, I will have to try to find some scents. I have never used them before. It’s amazing how limited the MT shops are for gear for going after catfish and the larger, chain stores like Big Bear are not much help either.
That book looks great…the reviews of it are great. I will have to order it. Thank you for the referral.
Catfish have been some of the funnest to catch…they are strong, they fight, they run and they jump. I have had several that have come 2’ out of the water…whatta blast!!!
I know I have posted this pic before, but as you can see this 23" channel cat was caught on a #5 Elkhorn rod and vintage level silk line while fishing for bluegill. It took a Black/Grey Wolly bugger, I think it was a #10. As mentioned above, you are better off with a 7 or 8 weight as the cat can take a long time to tire out with a light rod as did this one. In my opinion it is not fair for the fish or the fisherman. A cat can take a pretty good run and a reel with a drag is also a good idea (the O.C. in the photo has only a click/pawl). I have a #8 Albright with a Medalist 1495 that is a better set up for channel cats for me. As far as flies go, again the Wolly Buggers, dark and Clouser Crawdads are deadly too. You can order Clouse Crawdads from most fly suppler website. for cats, go for number 6 or 8. Be sure to have a landing net, those spines behind the gills are sharp as well as the one on the dorsel. Try lipping one of these lare a largemouth bass and you will find out the true meaning of pain. Enjoy…Jonezee
Jonzee … that’s the size of our juniors up here :shock: Our avg channel cat runs around 35" … yup - average size. A 5wt would do sufficely in other waters around here - one area has become a channel cat haven - slot limits etc - so the kitties know - and the kitties grow. Seen a couple 9wt rods go ka-fluey-snap trying to tame them.
Either way - irrelevant on the size of them - they are a fun bunch to chase …
I know what you mean about the lil’one Darrell, I don’t always have a camera and that day I did. I use a 3x tippet 7-1/2 ft and ususally cut it down to 5 1/2 ft because of vegitation and I know of a couple good sized channel cats that are sulking on the bottom with a Clouser crawdad or two in their lips. We have a pretty good 40 acre pond close by and a smaller pond ajoining the big one. It is in the “channell” between the two that the cats like to lurke.
flies in the lip … :lol: yeah … last week I wasn’t expecting a big one - but a good sized 'gator (aka pike) stole 2 of my flies.
Still haven’t figgured out if I like them surprising me or not … but she was a good size that’s for sure.
I’m not sure what’s with cats and channels - like you noted - but given an option, they will prefer a channel / stream over pond / stillwater. There is, however, the odd one that busts that rule …
Did I read your initial post correctly – there are 10-to-15 lb. channel cats living in the Yellowstone River? If so, that’s pretty cool; I never thought about the big western rivers having catfish.
So…by going after channel cats are you actually practicing for an Atlantic Salmon trip?
I never thought about the big western rivers having catfish.
There are some might fine channel cats inthe Willamete River in Oregon. The Willamete is the longest river in North America that flows true north. Blullhead, yellow cats abound in Oregon in riverrs and lakes. Big Sturgeion lake on sauvie Island in Oregon is full of catfish. We use to go out at night (when the island regulations let you fish at night0) build a fire on the beach, the cats would come up to the fire, you would catch them 3 feet from shore.
