Catfish when trolling?

[Charlie P]

Anyone else pick up Cats when trolling? Got this one yesterday in Whitney Point.Lost another one a little smaller.Took a jr thunderstick off an inline board. Great fight on ten pound test.Caught a couple small ones on worm rigs.

[Charlie P]

Hopefully photo uploaded.

[justtracytrolling]

I get 6-10 a season on Otisco and its always a major let down! Especially if they are 10 plus pounds. If i used worm harnesses I'd catch a ton of em!

[Charlie P]

Yea first one thought it might be a big eye.Might head to Otisco next week or the week after never been but willing to give it a try. You just run hard baits up there?

Got friends that have a trailer in the campground might get one of the small cabins they have for rent.

[Kevin J Legg]

I catch some every year and agree that I always think I have a big walleye. Two Years ago we caught a couple trolling out of Kingston in 50 fow using deep divers off boards .

Edited May 21, 2015 by Kevin J Legg

[Lunchbox]

I have caught cats trolling WP for walleyed before, usually worm rigs. The T-stick does make sense though.

[Great Lakes Lure Maker]

We've caught cats on Cayuga and both the chemung and Susquehanna trolling lures.

[bosco]

Trolling sticks on the lower Genny by Seth Green Island as well.

[justtracytrolling]

I use deep divers in daytime and get cats suspended. I've caught em up to about 4 mph too!

[Fish Hunter]

Caught a 14-16 lber. out in front of North Sandy Pond one morning on a Michigan spoon.

110 fow or so, about 65 down.

Didn't really know what is was, thought maybe a laker.

Suprised to see it was a catfish up in the water that high.

[fatboyjack1]

 Why would catching a big cat while trolling be a "major let down" ??

 

 I enjoy walleye, and enjoy an occasional pan fried walleye dinner, but the difference in the fight isn't even comparable. The sporting fight of a big cat is way better than even the largest walleye. For a fight I would take a 2 pound cat over a 12 pound walleye.

 

 I do not mean any disrespect, but I always wonder how catching any fish could be a let down ? As long as I am catching something I am happy.

[Sk8man]

That whole family of fish is unpredictable. I once caught a lake bullhead on a Seth Green rig with a Sutton spoon over 280 ft of water on Seneca (mid lake north end) and estimate he was down about 80 ft. Thought it was a small laker until I got it up and then just scratched my head in disbelief

[BSmaster]

Catching a cat is a let down when you aren't fishing for them.  It is a let down because you get excited when you feel the power of the head shakes and realize you have a nice eye only to find out it is a cat.  I do not eat cats.  So while your point is valid that catching any fish should be enjoyed, It is the roller coaster of emotions that makes it a let down.  I catch bass, crappie, and perch a lot while fishing for them but it is not a let down because they do not fight like walleye, therefore, no surprise and no let down.

 

a 6lb walleye and a 6lb cat fight identically.  Throw a 6lb laker in to the mix for that matter.  Finding all three in the same location is rare.  But in the rivers I fish, the cats and eyes eat the same baits in the fall and been fooled more than once and yes it is a feeling of a let down even though the cats are impressive in their own right.

[fatboyjack1]

Catching a cat is a let down when you aren't fishing for them.  It is a let down because you get excited when you feel the power of the head shakes and realize you have a nice eye only to find out it is a cat.  I do not eat cats.  So while your point is valid that catching any fish should be enjoyed, It is the roller coaster of emotions that makes it a let down.  I catch bass, crappie, and perch a lot while fishing for them but it is not a let down because they do not fight like walleye, therefore, no surprise and no let down.

 

a 6lb walleye and a 6lb cat fight identically.  Throw a 6lb laker in to the mix for that matter.  Finding all three in the same location is rare.  But in the rivers I fish, the cats and eyes eat the same baits in the fall and been fooled more than once and yes it is a feeling of a let down even though the cats are impressive in their own right.

Thanks for the reply, I agree with the comments. I think cats are among the best sporting fish in the waters, but it would be a let down to think you had the big walleye on when in fact it was a cat. I like to eat them, but mostly the 2-3 pounders. I sometimes forget that people get to fish these waters a lot, unlike me. A good day on the water for me is getting the net wet, but if I were to target I would probably be a bit disappointed.

 

Mostly because they slime up everything !!!

[mostlymuskies]

We catch catfish at Chautauqua in early part of Muskie Season trolling Wiley 5 1/2" Jtd at 4 mph!

[old man]

I caught one on a big bucktail in clear fork reservoir.

Sent from my iPhone using Lake Ontario United