carfish help

[crlail41]

been fishing Lake Hickory, on Catawba River in NC. Bank fishing for Cats. Problem is, not picking up but 1 fish every three trips.Usually can't stay but 2-3 hours.. Cought em morning, noon and night. using tfin shad for bait. How can I improve my ratio?

[NightTrain]

Hey crlail41:
Know where Lake Hickory(Catawba River)is...I THINK.I sn't that near the Yadkin River and Tuckertown Lake?If so,then, they say that below the dam on Tuckertown is a killa spot for flatheads.Threadfin shad are killer bait also.Do you cut them or fish 'em live?Bottom fishing or under a bobber?Flats,blues,or channels?With more info,might could help you,in general...never fished that particular lake,though.Welcome to the board.

[Hawkeye]

It's really hard to say how you can improve your catch ratio without knowing a lot more about the way you fish, the places you fish and the potential for catching fish where you are. Maybe you're tearing 'em up compared to what everyone else is doing. I have no way of knowing. I'd get a topo map and make sure you're covering the best water you can get to on land... start from there... as local guys how they fish and what kind of success they have....

[crlail41]

thanks guys. tuckertown is down east of here-abt 3 hrs drive. Been there twice with no luck.

Am after blues and channels since both frequent my fishing hole. Fishing a point that tapers down to about 12 ft, then falls off rapidly to about 35 ft. At the edge of the falloff, is a tremendously big brush pile. The point falls off about 6 ft. on each side. Directly across the cove-about 35 ft-is another point with riprap.

Using threadfin Shad both cut and live on either a Carolina rig or a Texas rig. Biggest so far is 8-1/2 lb blue. Smallest so far is 2-1/2 lb channel. Lake hickory is crowded with development. Access is very limited due to landowner problems with vandals. I cannot go but about twice a week for a couple of hours each time.

On the 29th, will be going to Santee-Cooper for the weekend. Any suggestions for catfishing there? Been 30 yrs since I have been there

[MUDHOLE KID]

We Went This Time Last Year And Had Our Hands Full For 3 Nights.we Fished In The Canal On The Upper In, Just As You Go In The Canal.blueback Herring(cut Or Whole) And Live Bream.we Had Crazy Weather,short Sleeves First 2 Nights Then It Got Cold And We Were In Gortex On The Third Night ,but The Fish Were Starving.

[NightTrain]

OK....that helps.My first thought on improvin' your hookup ratio was TOW(time on the water)...fish more,fish longer.:smile: But,you sound to have a killer spot there.Suggestions may vary,but,I would put a bait on or near the bottom,like you're doin',but,would cast a coupla cutbaits(DON'T BE AFRAID TO PUT 2-4 SMALL-MED.CRUSHED SHAD ON THE HOOK)under baseball bobbers(8/0 circle hooks)....maybe out in that deep water offa the riprap.If I had a coupla more rods,I'd be tempted to offer 'em a large live threadfin,fished the same way...under a bobber,hooked thru the cartilage in the nose.Maybe 10 ft. deep or so,out over the deep stuff.Also,if there is a brush pile there,be ready to put some drag to him...cause that's where he's gonna head to!

[NightTrain]

Santee....Moultrie,you can drift cut bluebacks(available for sale).There are some stickups,but, not like on Marion.It's basically flooded farmland.Marion is the one for flatheads....mark bottom(creek channels with broken off trees)till ya find the hidey-hole...anchor up....fish it an hour with live perch/bream(clip their tails a little)straight down...move to the next hole.I used to fish Marion out of Rock's Pond Campground and Marina(on the south shore)....Moutrie,I always stayed with a friend who used to guide,there.Good luck...wish I was goin'!

[crlail41]

went back this afternoon to my favorite cat hole. Caught a 3 Lb. blue and a 3-1/2 lb blue. plus a fiddler and a yellow perch. Lake quiet, only saw one boat in 2 hours. Cool and overcast, had to use frozen shad since live stuff wasn't showing itself! Pretty good i think for an amateur.

[NightTrain]

cool deal,man...keep a hook in the water,and you'll no doubt,get into 'em hard...btw,what's a fiddler?

[NightTrain]

Hey dude...be sure and give a report when ya get back from Santee-Cooper!!!:clover: GOOD LUCK:clover:

[mudd_catt]

Fiddler : small juvenile fish that uses it spines to great disadvantages to the angler when caught "fiddling" with the bait.

[NightTrain]

Fiddler(noun)see dink,bait,bankrunner,potato chip,baitstealer,#@*$@,and others......learned sumptin' new today...again.

[crlail41]

What's a fiddler?? A dang cat that is too small to fiddle with.Wasn't much bigger than the bait Leaving this morning for Santee. Wish me luck.

[mudd_catt]

Luck!