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Post by vadogdriver on Sept 18, 2008 22:26:31 GMT -5
I'm out here in lynchburg va now and the only place i can seem to find the catfish is the james river. Thing is its moving water and im not quite sure how to catch them without getting hung up every minute any advice on fishing moving rivers?
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Post by jcrosscatahoulas on Sept 18, 2008 22:35:20 GMT -5
How're ya fishing? Spinning reel or trot lines?
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Post by vadogdriver on Sept 18, 2008 23:23:35 GMT -5
spinnin reel but not to much luck
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Post by jcrosscatahoulas on Sept 19, 2008 10:04:20 GMT -5
The only way I've ever spinning reel fished in fast water is "tight lining" - fairly heavy weight (1/2 to 3/4 oz) about 2 to 3 inches up the line with no "cork" (bobber) It's a fun way to fish, but won't work too well with live bait probably. You can actually feel them pick it up and move off with it, set the hook and the fight's on similar to bass fishing....other than the "strike"...catfish pick it up a little more politely.
Maybe the tighter line will help ease over the snags and such you're getting tangled in. Hope it helps and GOOD FISHIN'!
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Post by Gunslinger on Sept 19, 2008 17:49:15 GMT -5
this is how I do it..Take your hook and tie it to your reel line..Then take a lighter line..Like if your spinning reel has 20 lb. test line use a 8 lb. test line for your weight.tie about 2 feet of the lighter line to your hook.where it hangs down below your hook..That way the weight line will break off easy..Most of the time its your weight that hangs you up.This way you want lose your hook every time.Keep 5 or 6, 2 foot pices of line with weight tied on one end..That way you only have to tie one end to your hook and you lose no reel line.I also use about a 2 ounce weight.
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Post by vadogdriver on Sept 20, 2008 10:18:41 GMT -5
Thanx a bunch for the tips fellas hopefully next time i go out i can hang up a nice one
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Post by bruingtonbeagles on Sept 20, 2008 19:56:34 GMT -5
vadogdriver,i fish the james a lot.i also fish the potomac,the mattaponi,and the pamunky rivers.we fish a lot of tournaments at these rivers.this is what i use,heavy action rod about 7foot,30#mono line,take about 3' of 60lb line tie one end of this to a #9gamakatsu circle hook.tie the other end to a heavy barrel swivel,now take your main line 30#test and slide a sinker slider up the line "asinker slide looks like a snap swivel with a piece of plastic with a hole through it to run your line through,the purpouse of this is to allow your main line to slide without the fish feeling the weight of the sinker.after installing the slide,add a small beed to the main line, this will prevent the sinker slide from getting stuck on the knot your about to tie to the end of the barrel swivell that was tied to the 60# leader.now you can add your weight to the snap on the slide,depending on the tide you should be using about a 5 to a 10 oz weight.now your ready to add the bait,depending on the time of year and water quality you can choose from eel,live bait or a cut bait remember your using big gear so dont skimp on the bait.i like to use a whole shad or herring when using live bait.we catch fish in the 50# to 80#range on most tripps,so best of luck to you and hope ya catch a big one
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Post by jcrosscatahoulas on Sept 20, 2008 23:49:02 GMT -5
aw heck, I musta been fishing for the BAIT  lol, we catch our big fish on trot lines, not sure what I'd do with it with a rod and reel, 10-12 lbs is the biggest I've managed with those...lol, hmmmmm I was playin' in the wrong park. Bet that'd be a heck of a ride, 50 lbs of catfish on a line....wooo hoooo what a fight! |
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ss
Full Member
Posts: 205
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Post by ss on Sept 21, 2008 22:39:36 GMT -5
aw heck, I musta been fishing for the BAIT lol, we catch our big fish on trot lines, not sure what I'd do with it with a rod and reel, 10-12 lbs is the biggest I've managed with those...lol, hmmmmm I was playin' in the wrong park. Bet that'd be a heck of a ride, 50 lbs of catfish on a line....wooo hoooo what a fight! don't fell bad because you sound like me i fell the same way now  .. |
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Post by bruingtonbeagles on Sept 25, 2008 20:10:41 GMT -5
I WISH I COULD FIGURE OUT HOW TO POST PICS ON THIS SITE,I'D SHOW YA'LL SOME REAL NICE CATS.BUT IM PRETTY COMPUTER ILLITERATE......
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ss
Full Member
Posts: 205
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Post by ss on Sept 26, 2008 7:18:59 GMT -5
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Post by vahunterinms on Sept 26, 2008 10:02:34 GMT -5
Vadogdriver, Bruingtonbeagles is right that is the way we fished the james below Richmond and we caught some nice cats in the same pound class as his. Now fishing the big rivers and the river your describing are a little different. I used to fish the area your talking about. We used to go the the James River State Park. We camped and caught some monsters. Because the upper James is shallower water and moves alot faster than the lower james this is the method I used fishing those waters. Same method applies as bruin described as far as rigs. Use a egg sinker rig it as a slip sinker, catfish will drop a bait real fast if they feel any resistance on the bait. As far as bait goes I ALWAYS used the local bait that was swimming in the water. We would wade the James during the daytime and catch suckers or shad. Fresh cut bait is always best. When using cut bait you will catch blues or channels. If you use live shad you can catch BIG FLATHEADS or Gar... When fishing the banks be sure you have a rod holder that you can stake to the ground. Cast your line tighten it up and loosen your drag if your using a spinning rig or Flip the swith on your bait caster. Sit back and enjoy the campfire.. When the cat picks up your bait do not set the hook allow the fish to move he will stop and swollow the bait then when he starts to move again letem have it!!! I never have had any luck catching cats on that portion of the James during the daytime. They will hold up under the rocks during the daytime and feed at night.. Right at dusk is when they start to feed.. Let me know if you don't know where the James River State Park is, I will try to give you directions and tell you where my honey hole is... I have caught some really big cats in that hole.... Here are direction from Lynchburg: From Lynchburg, travel east on 460 to Appomattox. Take the Rt. 26 exit (Business 460). Turn left at stop sign onto Rt. 26 (Oakville Rd.). Continue about 12 miles to stop sign at Rt. 60 and go straight across Rt. 60 onto Rt. 605 (Riverside Dr.). Continue 7 miles to the park entrance on left. Here is the info link to the park: www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/jam.shtmlLet me know before you go I will hook you up.. ;D ;D |
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Post by bruingtonbeagles on Sept 26, 2008 19:29:44 GMT -5
thats great advice vahunter,i fished the james mostly between deep bottom boat ramp and jimmy deans place,
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Post by vahunterinms on Sept 27, 2008 0:35:32 GMT -5
Try the state park.. Wade in the river and catch smallies and then sit by a campfire by the river in the evening fishing for Big cats nothing better....
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Post by vadogdriver on Oct 5, 2008 22:43:57 GMT -5
thanx for the tips i will try that park out.I went out this week to this little lake i found was doin some bass fishin and it didnt quite turn out like i wanted to i decided to go for some cats and man i didnt know what i was in for i had some 12 lb test and snapped every time so i went out the next night got some 20 and we layed em out i think we caught about 12 and a few still got away but it was a great time they love some raw chicken livers lol nasty things
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