You never know what's going to bite.

[Nehunter88]

So yesterday I was bass fishing in my small 2 man bass boat, mainly throwing plastic worms because that seemed to be what the bass wanted. But it also seemed to be what the catfish wanted too. Odd part was the bass were hitting the worm deep, but both catfish hit the worm almost as soon as it hit the water. One went 6 pounds, the other 7 pounds.

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

So yesterday I was bass fishing in my small 2 man bass boat, mainly throwing plastic worms because that seemed to be what the bass wanted. But it also seemed to be what the catfish wanted too. Odd part was the bass were hitting the worm deep, but both catfish hit the worm almost as soon as it hit the water. One went 6 pounds, the other 7 pounds.View attachment 65635View attachment 65636

Fwiw, I've caught multiple flathead catfish in the 5-10 lb range while wade fishing with a floating Rapala for bass. Catfish are hunters, especially flatheads. I've also caught channel cats in streams using things as odd as a Mepps spinner or a Gitzit tube jig. Like you said, both times they smacked it as soon as it touched water.

 

[Nehunter88]

Fwiw, I've caught multiple flathead catfish in the 5-10 lb range while wade fishing with a floating Rapala for bass. Catfish are hunters, especially flatheads. I've also caught channel cats in streams using things as odd as a Mepps spinner or a Gitzit tube jig. Like you said, both times they smacked it as soon as it touched water.

Yeah, crankbaits, jigs, chatterbaits, or plastic worms, catfish will hit them all.

I've even caught catfish while using a small soft plastic normally used for crappie on a small hook, and fished with a flyrod.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

I want to see the buzz baits and hula popper catches next
Nice catch

 

[jikastew]

Weirdest one for me was a flathead on a Zara Spook in Lake Yankton.

Is Lake Yankton still good? Back in the early 90s, we used to tear it up there.

 

[HUSKER HOT SAUCE]

When I was a youngster, me and some friends used to use corn as bait. We'd put like 4 or 5 kernels on a hook and BOOM! Catfish on the line. The biggest catfish I personally ever caught was around 16 lbs. A good friend of mine caught a Strip Pit catfish that weighed almost 40lbs. Broke his pole, but he managed to get it up on shore, took a bunch of pictures then released it back in to the strip pit. Used to love fishing those old coal mine strip pits in Oklahoma.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

When I was a youngster, me and some friends used to use corn as bait. We'd put like 4 or 5 kernels on a hook and BOOM! Catfish on the line. The biggest catfish I personally ever caught was around 16 lbs. A good friend of mine caught a Strip Pit catfish that weighed almost 40lbs. Broke his pole, but he managed to get it up on shore, took a bunch of pictures then released it back in to the strip pit. Used to love fishing those old coal mine strip pits in Oklahoma.

Getting a little nerdy here, but strip pits and reservoirs are so high in nurtients, where clay and or sand hasnt covered them/their sources,it increases the aquatic critters numbers exponentially, and runs straight up the food chain.
Sweet spot is adult sized fish/age class after one opens, and they grow fast.
They eventually slow down because of eutrophication

 

[SemperHusker]

Years ago I used to fish for bass on the Potomac in Virginia/DC. Throwing a fire tiger crankbait it was hard to keep the cats off the line. Lots of fun but wouldn't eat anything coming out of there at the time.

 

[HUSKER HOT SAUCE]

Getting a little nerdy here, but strip pits and reservoirs are so high in nurtients, where clay and or sand hasnt covered them/their sources,it increases the aquatic critters numbers exponentially, and runs straight up the food chain.
Sweet spot is adult sized fish/age class after one opens, and they grow fast.
They eventually slow down because of eutrophication

Those strip pits had Crappy, Large Mouth Bass, Catfish, and all sorts of other critters including snakes and turtles. Man, thems were fun times.

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

I've even caught catfish while using a small soft plastic normally used for crappie on a small hook, and fished with a flyrod

I assume that you're referring to the Crappie Magnet? I mostly fly fish, and I love to hang either a beadhead leech pattern or a Micro Trout Magnet jig below a small Gurgler at this time of year. The bass nail the Gurgler, but the panfish nail the dropper. I have my kids fishing the same setup with Zebco 33s and an ice fishing bobber. Good times!

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

Weirdest one for me was a flathead on a Zara Spook in Lake Yankton.

Is Lake Yankton still good? Back in the early 90s, we used to tear it up there.

It was infested with Asian carp, so they drained it a few years back and started over. I haven't been there since. It used to be great fishing in the late 80s.

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

Getting a little nerdy here, but strip pits and reservoirs are so high in nurtients, where clay and or sand hasnt covered them/their sources,it increases the aquatic critters numbers exponentially, and runs straight up the food chain.
Sweet spot is adult sized fish/age class after one opens, and they grow fast.
They eventually slow down because of eutrophication

I think that I need to fish with you.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

I think that I need to fish with you.

Ive done my share.
Mostly Minnesota lakes, sand bottoms, structural.
Used to fish the Mississippi north of the cities, caught a lot of smallies ,bluegill, cats.
Always wanted to leadline for walleyes, I will, on the bucket list

Used to be a avid follower of Al Lindner, he brought the science into fishing.
My proudest moment was finding a mud line on an overfished lake north of the cities, caught 5 walleye,not a ton, but this was amongst many boats, especially when we started catching them.
They kep trolling right at us, but never saw that mud line on their depth finders.
It was all the same depth with small variations.

 

[Nehunter88]

I assume that you're referring to the Crappie Magnet? I mostly fly fish, and I love to hang either a beadhead leech pattern or a Micro Trout Magnet jig below a small Gurgler at this time of year. The bass nail the Gurgler, but the panfish nail the dropper. I have my kids fishing the same setup with Zebco 33s and an ice fishing bobber. Good times!

I use this on a small hook. But then I've been known to throw real small soft plastics on a flyrod for bass or bluegill.

 

[Boji Husker]

So yesterday I was bass fishing in my small 2 man bass boat, mainly throwing plastic worms because that seemed to be what the bass wanted. But it also seemed to be what the catfish wanted too. Odd part was the bass were hitting the worm deep, but both catfish hit the worm almost as soon as it hit the water. One went 6 pounds, the other 7 pounds.View attachment 65635View attachment 65636

Its what I love about fishing West Okoboji (NW Iowa). Could get bass, catfish, drum, muskie, northerns, walleye,even an aggressive bull bluegill or crappie if the lure isnt too big. Lots of fun