Anyone been cat fishing on Murray lately?
Got a friend coming to town that wants to catfish, so we’ll be cut bait fishing Wed night and I haven’t fished for them in a long time.
Not looking for specific spots, but just a general idea of what depth to set up in?
I will get you a report Tim I do know the catfish bite is red hot right now. I have two friends that’s been targeting them.
Not sure how one of them was fishing but I know the other was drifting santee rigs. They were targeting blues. And did really well the other had a mess of nice 8-12# channels.
The boat drifting was targeting 30-40’ of water while driving cutbait. I will get the other report but if I had to guess I would say it would be the same water depth.
Drifting boat was above the big gap other was below. Will holler at ya later.
“All fisherman lie. And if they say otherwise, then they’re lying”
“Sea~N~Stripes”
21’ Hewes Craft Custom
140 Suzuki
someone showed me on FB where one of his friends wore the blues out but I don’t recall the name. I started to hit Murray this past weekend but went to the Hill instead. I’ve been catching the channel cats on Greenwood and Clark Hill trolling Santee Rigs in 10 - 20 FOW. Been using shrimp on Greenwood and Cut Herring on Clark Hill. Been having success in the creeks, just have to troll around. Not a whole lot of blues in Greenwood but I would love to get on a mess of blues.
Carolina Skiff 218 DLV
140 Suzuki
I caught 4 nice cats a few weeks back while fishing spoons for white perch. Those were near the elbow and 24’ to 28’ deep feeding with the perch and stripers. Biggest was a little over 11 lbs.
Thanks for the replies. I had heard of Santee rigs, but guess I always assumed it only worked with live bait.
I watched some youtube videos yesterday and went to the lake at 6 to do a dry run. Ran into very small schooling fish right away, so I threw a small fluke till dark and got 6. Nothing over 18", but fun on light tackle.
Right at dark I started dragging a shrimp and had my first ever Santee rig cat in about 10 min!
Picked up 2 more before calling it quits at 9. That’s much more fun than anchoring up and throwing out cut bait. Just fished one rod with mushy previously frozen shrimp, so I feel pretty good about being able to get some Wed with a second rod out and fresh bait.
Thanks again.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
quote:
Originally posted by striperskiffThanks for the replies. I had heard of Santee rigs, but guess I always assumed it only worked with live bait.
I watched some youtube videos yesterday and went to the lake at 6 to do a dry run. Ran into very small schooling fish right away, so I threw a small fluke till dark and got 6. Nothing over 18", but fun on light tackle.
Right at dark I started dragging a shrimp and had my first ever Santee rig cat in about 10 min!
Picked up 2 more before calling it quits at 9. That’s much more fun than anchoring up and throwing out cut bait. Just fished one rod with mushy previously frozen shrimp, so I feel pretty good about being able to get some Wed with a second rod out and fresh bait.
Thanks again.
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
That’s what I like to do in the warmer months. I even pull planer boards for catfish. When you run into them sometimes you can catch 10 in a hurry. one rod out each side straight out the back, then throw another rod on each side but don’t cast as far. Then put you some planer boards out. Cut herring, perch, or bream works great to. Cut herring works better on the Hill and Shrimp works well on Greenwood. Haven’t hit Murray yet but I want to bad.
Carolina Skiff 218 DLV
140 Suzuki
My Saturday striper trip turned into a very successful cat trip. We caught some short stripers on down rods, but couldn’t keep the big blues and better than average channels off the baits. Finally just went with the flow and enjoyed it. Made for a good fry Sat night with some grits and cole slaw. One of the best golfers I know goes to the range before his round. If the ball is flighting one way or another that’s the shot he plays that day. Guess fishing is the same.
quote:You must've been the person I saw on FB. :) My cousin showed me a pic when I got back from Clark Hill.
Originally posted by Pullin GuardMy Saturday striper trip turned into a very successful cat trip. We caught some short stripers on down rods, but couldn’t keep the big blues and better than average channels off the baits. Finally just went with the flow and enjoyed it. Made for a good fry Sat night with some grits and cole slaw. One of the best golfers I know goes to the range before his round. If the ball is flighting one way or another that’s the shot he plays that day. Guess fishing is the same.
Carolina Skiff 218 DLV
140 Suzuki
The elbow area is a good place to drift fish this time of year. I try to look for bait down deeper when the water is colder. Right now I’d try 25’-35’ and put out four drift rigs. One shorter and one longer on each side of the boat. My best luck has always been with cut herring since that’s the bait they are feeding on at depth in the winter. Drifting works all winter long too! In the spring time it will switch back to more of an anchored bite but for the next few months your biggest fish will generally be caught drifting. Catching fish over 20 pounds was very common a couple years ago. Last year it was not as good for us but maybe this year will be better again. Good luck!
Saw a guy on a pontoon killing the monster cats last fall while we were pulling boards in Bufolo creek. Saw him catch 3 over 20# in 15 min. anchored in about 20’
quote:
Originally posted by Upstate Piratequote:You must've been the person I saw on FB. :) My cousin showed me a pic when I got back from Clark Hill.
Originally posted by Pullin GuardMy Saturday striper trip turned into a very successful cat trip. We caught some short stripers on down rods, but couldn’t keep the big blues and better than average channels off the baits. Finally just went with the flow and enjoyed it. Made for a good fry Sat night with some grits and cole slaw. One of the best golfers I know goes to the range before his round. If the ball is flighting one way or another that’s the shot he plays that day. Guess fishing is the same.
Carolina Skiff 218 DLV
140 Suzuki
That may have been. They were on there.