# Feeding Channel Cats in the Shallow Edges of Ponds



## aholguin01 (Apr 30, 2014)

So I've been hitting the ponds in my neighborhood with my fly rod and catching some smaller channel cats with wooly buggers. Had a huge one bust off my leader on one cast. I've noticed that some of the bigger cats are rooting around the edges of the ponds to what I assume they are in a feeding behavior with their dorsal fins out of the water swishing around. I cast over to them with a wooly bugger and they refused the fly. I switched flies over to a bread pattern and the same, nothing!!! I have done this on several occasions. Has anybody had this happen to them? What gives?


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## southpaw (Feb 25, 2009)

Sounds like you need to fish something on the bottom. If they're "rooting around" then they're most likely eating something off of the bottom and not likely going to hit something that's stripped over their head.

I've experienced similar things with carp. They'll "tail" and suck stuff up off the bottom. If you strip a fly above their feeding zone, they'll either ignore it or spook. To catch them I have to throw a small weighted fly like this










that will sit on bottom and I have to cast it right in front of them or in the path that they're feeding. Maybe that'll work for you


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## Ish (Oct 30, 2008)

they're likely feeding on real small crawfish or tadpoles. tie something that looks like those, make sure it's on the bottom right in front of the fish, and barely strip it...like just tick the line...strip and inch at a time, and wait a second or two between ticks. d

that fly southpansy posted looks great. make something like that, except brown. or rust. or black. and not so big. and don't strip it too fast. when the fish gets close, make it look like a baby craw or tadpole trying to get away (they ain't real fast).



suerte.


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## aholguin01 (Apr 30, 2014)

Thanks for the great suggestions. I will try those techniques.


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