flathead 5 lb 6oz - bream bait

After a very close Razorback football game I was not in mood to bait trotline despite fact I had several nice size bream that I figured were too big for my yoyo's (hand size bream trigger the yoyo's unless I put heavy weight and set yoyo depth to put weight on bottom)

During 10PM news I checked yoyo's with light - nothing on. Then after news watched end of another football game - about 30 minutes later before I checked yoyo - I had something running out all the line on the yoyo - but I figured it was a gar - so I didn't get in boat to go take it off yoyo (that is best / safe way)

I got my big net but it has a short handle so when I pulled the 5 lb 6oz flathead catfish up to the top I figured I was out of luck - I tried two times to get it in net - but it was too strong and net handle too short - so then I said the 'hell with it' and just lifted the fish up by the yoyo line and used the 'side of the net' to guide it over the rail on my fishing pier (I have kid safe wire on my pier so all fish have to come over the top of the rail) Bottom line I had to jerk and flop the catfish over the rail and I was lucky he was hooked extremely well.

So it was my lucky night (and the Arkansas Razorbacks got lucky) - so I now have a nice eating size flathead catfish in my fish pen - and I re baited 4 more 'nice size' bream in case another fish comes along :) :)

Now it's almost my bed time (11:30PM) but I'm wide awake - after getting excited when I had to lift and 'flop' the catfish over the rail
(note: to self - get Tommy busy making that long handle net as soon as he gets back home :)

Magic Bait

I stopped reporting all the small channel catfish I get on magic bait but the one last night was almost up to my 2 lb cleaning limit (probably was but I didn't weight it before I released it :) :)

AnyWho - I may make big magic bait for trotline tonight - since bream fishing is really slow this week and I haven't baited trotline very much (or very well - no good bait)

But one thing I'm beginning to prove (already knew it) - is that baiting the hooks every couple hours works best. I'm catching all these channel catfish after I re-bait just before I go to bed (usually around midnight) e.g. the turtles must be full or sleeping by midnight (or catfish have finally moved around more to find the bait) - in any case all trotline people know you should re-bait ever couple hours - after dark to improve your chance of getting a catfish and not loosing your bait but many (like me) are too lazy to keep going back to re-bait a trotline (read - I'm not so lazy I will not re-bait the yoyo's on my fishing pier - but do not re-bait the trotling :)

2 magic bait - 2 catfish

I baited 7 yoyo - 2 with shad - 2 with magic bait - 3 with bream - at 9PM - didn't check them until 11:30PM - had approx. 1 lb and 1.5lb channel catfish on the magic bait lines - had a turtle that was still eating a bream - I could tell he had the yoyo line pulled straight out e.g. he was not moving around - but moving straight out (what a turtle does - not a fish - shad was also gone (probably same turtle(s)

If I could stand the mosquito's I could sit out and catch small channel cats on rod n reel - just about ever night (based on all the ones I get on yoyo and I don't re bait very often :)

Must be a BUNCH of 1lb to 2 lb channel catfish around my brush pile - and every once in a while I get a bigger one (see older /archive post for one's bigger enough to clean :)

17.5 lb flathead

No - I didn't catch this one - the little girl down the street heard about my 16 lb (see video below) - so she made her daddy take her out trotlining - she made him wait until later in day (Sunday) to go run her line - and she had two catfish - an eater size channel and pretty flat head - it was 17.5 lbs and 36" long - and I hate to admit it but it was a pretty fish - mixed colors - looked better than mine (so I didn't make a video of her fish - it might show mine up (jk) :)

Addendum: I changed the post to add the photo cause her fish color was better than mine. BTW: to view large image click on the small photo.

catfish nightmare

I've been using treeble hooks for lines with magic bait - I'm getting more catfish but most are too small to clean (below my 2 lb limit) - but I may stop using treeble hooks even if I go back to missing more fish - cause when I get a small one (like just now - 11PM) - it takes me too long to get the hook out without hurting / killing the fish - I'm sleepy and it's was a nightmare saving the small (about 1 lb or little more)
end of rant :)

Three catfish

I keep catching small cats - not worth a blog entry - but last night I got my personal best on trotline (see video)




Here is caption from youtube:
Got 3 catfish last night - one at 4AM - about 1 lb channel on magic bait - let it go - re-baited. This morning I had about a 2 lb channel on another magic bait yoyo - was going to keep it - was going to net it from boat - after I ran trotline - but when ran trotline got a 16 lb 3 oz flathead.

Then I forgot to 'net the Channel catfish so when I picked up the yoyo from the fishing pier it got off i.e. I got lucky - I don't have to clean any fish - cause I gave the flathead to my neighbor's relatives visiting from Missouri (one's that helped catch bream)

In video I said flathead wrapped around trotline - but that was stupid (was still excited :) - I know why it's tail is all red - the trotline weight and line to it are very close to the end hook on the trotline - where I got this flathead i.e. he beat his tail up on the trotline weight and the line to the weight - the hooks are too far apart for him to get into the next hook and I have a lot of tension on the line.

estimating channel catfish weight

Last night I put out 6 yoyo's - 3 with breaam - 3 with magic bait.

Every time I checked before going to bed the magic bait was gone - and I knew it was mostly turtles because on one trip I bait a yoyo and as I moved to next yoyo - a turtle took a bite out of the one I just baited - I checked bite mark and it was a small turtle bite (dang them to h e double l )

So I haven't been taking time to bait during night - hate to keep feeding the turtles

This AM I checked at 5:30AM and one of the magic bait lines had been triggered but still had bait - since it was still dark I put it back underwater and went to read the paper until it was light enough to see.

I ended up catching a channel catfish and when I saw it - I guessed it was under a pound but it was a long skinny fish - so I decided to check weight before I released it - turns out it was 1 lb 6oz so I had underestimated it a little. I've probably been underestimating a lot of the fish I catch - since I don't like to clean them unless they are over 2 lbs - and really like them when they are over 3 lbs (already let one 2 lb 15oz one go :)

Anyway it's goes to show you - I should have been re-baiting in middle of night - might have picked up more and/or bigger fish while feeding the turtles :(

Lucky magic bait catfish

Got another potential keeper (about 2 lb) channel catfish on magic bait but it got off (with my help :)

Today I'm going to STOP using the stupid spring loaded (stink bait) treeble hooks I've been using - they are just too small. The hooks sometimes hook the fish but I can't pick them up without a net - the hook comes out. Yep I figure this would happen this AM and I could tell that I should be cleaning the catfish (but I wanted it to get off - lucky devil)

Just as it got off I re-estimated and this one was probably bigger than my 2 lb cleaning limit i.e. I really should have netted this one :(

Addendum: While reading paper and before I could get back to bed for my morning nap I had a catfish on a noodle that had a piece of bream head left by the turtles. This time I grabbed the net and landed it - but it was a polywog - but bigger than most polywogs I catch - it was about 1 lb or more - too big for bait (yep they can be bait now - started this year e.g. bullhead catfish are on bait fish list as of 2008)

BTW: I don't nap in PM - I nap in AM. I usually stay up until midnight or later - then wake up no later than daylight to run lines - then eat breakfast and take nap (usually only get only 7 hours total sleep in 24 hours)

Snakes - small catfish

Strange week - got another water snake today (see previous video) and most of the bait on trotline is not disturbed e.g. turtles and gar are not even biting lately.

I still pick up small (1 lb or less) catfish on magic bait but no keepers on yoyo's or trotline in almost a week.

One reason for left over bait is that I'm catching a lot of big bream - and they must be 'too tough' for the turtles / gar to catch :) I really should be cleaning some of the blue gills but too lazy - so I use some for cut bait.
(P.S. catching bream for bait is still fun especially using my fly rod and picking up these big blue gill.)

Water Snake vs Moccasin

I often catch other creatures on my yoyo's - sometimes I don't report (bullhead / polywog - turtles - etc) but this snake led to the development of a new web page to show difference in water snake and moccasin (see video) - then for more details visit the http://www.arkieprince.com/snake

Dead 6.5 lb Softshell turtle

Try again

I've been catching several softshell turtles on the trotline - most on magic bait (I think the small amount of magic bait on the hook - 'hides' the hook better than a bream which the turtles pulls off the hook. Couple days ago got 2 in one morning (estimated they were 5 lb or more) - then today - I had to bring this one to shore (couldn't get off hook) - so I checked weight = 6 lb 9oz

Also got a 1 lb 15oz channel catfish on magic bait off the side of my fishing pier - sad to say it died so I had to clean it before breakfast :(

Dead 6.5 lb Softshell turtle

I've been catching several softshell turtles on the trotline - most on magic bait (I think the small amount of magic bait on the hook - 'hides' the hook better than a bream which the turtles pulls off the hook. Couple days ago got 2 in one morning (estimated - they were 5 lb or more) - then today - I had to bring this one to shore (couldn't get off hook) - so I checked weight = 6 lb 9oz

Also got a 1 lb 15oz channel catfish on magic bait off the side of my fishing pier - sad to say it died so I had to clean it before breakfast :(

Harmless Water Snake vs Moccasin

BTW: More info on the new web page = Water Snake vs Moccasin

I sometimes catch snakes on my yoyo's - they swallow the bream bait / hook - then drown. I don't like to kill harmless water snakes but there are plenty of them around here - in fact most people think we have a lot of water moccasin around here when in fact they are harmless water snakes

This video explains / describes water snake vs water moccasin (more to follow when I get a moccasin on yoyo)

Shad too small

Got tired of waiting for the larger shad to show up - all near my fishing pier this year are small but I need to start stocking freezer for late in the fall (best time for shad seems to be when the live ones are dying in the lake - when temperature of water is down around 50.



Bottom line: Not many big shad this year so I've start putting some small ones in freezer (for future catfish :) I get a dozen nice size golden shiner most afternoon's - when I need them for bait (but not putting these in freezer - didn't have much luck with these - shad work better IMHO)

Lucky Catfish

Just before crawling in bed I used spot light to check yoyo's - and just my luck one was running wild

I put my clothes back on and went down expecting a little (1 lb) or so - which is what I sometimes get on that yoyo - using magic bait

I took my hand light and saw it was bigger - I was half asleep but I figured 1.5 lb so I decided not to go get the net - just my luck - cause when I started to pull it up - I saw it was bigger than I figured - I saw this just as I got it to the top and watched the little spring loaded treble hook (use for magic bait) come flying out toward me - oh well I'm going to guess it was only 2 lb and I wouldn't want to clean it (sidebar: It was probably closer to 3 lb and I should have used the net and cleaned the lucky devil)

Plenty of bream

Only good news is that the bait size (and some larger) bream have been biting good i.e. I've had plenty of bait of various size. (I've been catching a couple dozen a day - in just a couple hours (after it cools down :)

Sad to say - the turtles and gar keep getting to the bait before the 30 lb flathead catfish that I plan to catch :)

At least I'm 'removing some gar and turtles' from the lake :)

Magic bait yields 6.5 lb softshell and 2 lb channel catfish

The video says it all - summary - used 4 live bream - one bream head on yoyo's on fishing pier and got a 2 lb channel that died so I had to clean it

On trotline I used 7 magic bait - 11 cut bream - 4 live bream - all bait vanished and only thing I got was a 6.5 lb softshell turtle (which had died and I couldn't get it off hook cause it was in hard part of nose :(

Too tired (lazy) to clean catfish

First - for those that don't know me - I'm Mr. Organized. When I do things I keep everything organized (old habit from work). I use lime green drop lines on every other hook - plus on hooks number #6 - #8 on first half of line and hooks #5 - #7 on second half of line I use wax line for the drop i.e. I always keep up with what bait goes 'where'

For example, last night I put a small dead bream on first hook - then I put live bream on all other lime green drops - and I put magic bait on the alternate (white drop) lines. Then on the wax lines #6-#8 - I put the tail section of two big shad I cut in half - and on #5-#7 I put the head half of the two shad
Summary - I really am that organized (btw: That helped me survive layoffs at work since I was very organized which made it possible for me to get things done faster than most others)

Bottom line: I usually know what bait 'makes the catch' - and last night I figured the least likely to make the catch was the dead bream I threw on the first hook so I wouldn't get a bath when I first pick up the line (yep I try to Not catch fish on the first hook near the weight - it causes problems getting it off and staying dry at 6AM :(

Okay - so by now you know I'm going to say - 'guess which hook got the 2 lb 13oz Channel catfish last night. Give up ? Okay it was the first hook and when I felt the weight come up out of the mud I got a 'jerk' and then a shower

Sidebar:
Definition of a fisherman: A jerk on the end of a line waiting for a jerk on the other end.

When I got back to shore I saw that the almost 3 lb catfish was lucky and the hook just barely missed it's eye. I was very careful to take the hook out and didn't do much damage and when he/she rolled her 'now saved eye' - I felt sorry for him/her and decided to break my new rule

Old rule: If catfish is 1.5 lb or bigger - you must clean it - unless it's too hot to keep it alive very long.
New rule: If catfish is 2 lb or more - you MUST clean it - early in morning before it gets too hot to kill / spoil the fish

Today's policy - if catfish is lucky enough to save it's eyeball - (and I'm going back to bed for nap) - then it needs to be 3 lb or more for me to clean it in this heat - e.g. I'll look for this catfish with a scar next to it's eye next year when it's over 3 lb - then I'll have to clean it

Besides I let it go in my brush pile - maybe it'll stick around and grow some more

bye - nap time :)

Catalpa (catawba) worms on trotline

It's so hot and bream fishing was 'sorta' slow - so I only had 14 bream to feed the turtles last night - so I used them on my yoyo's (and even the turtles were not very hungry e.g. I had to let several bream / baits go this AM (lucky bait thieves)

I decided to stink up - the trotline area by using catalpa worms and magic bait (11 each) - still had several catalpa worms left on line this AM (magic bait melts in this hot water or I probably would have had some of that left)

Good news: The world is better place because two soft shell turtles went for the trotline bait - one on magic bait hook and other on catalpa worm. They both had drown so I was unable to save them (boo hoo :) I would guess that they both were around 5 lb each - too bad the water is so hot and they died - I don't know how to tell when the meat is spoiled :(

Trotline death :(

Yesterday morning when I checked the trotline I had a few bream (bait) left on the line.

Last night I got 14 new bream but needed 22 to bait all hooks on trotline so I decided to bait (and re-bait) 6 or 7 yoyo's on fishing pier - since that is where I've taken most catfish this year.

So I figured the turtles ate the bait on the trotline during the day (yesterday)- but big mistake - I goofed because this AM - I went to see if maybe a bait was left last night and I got a catfish over night.

But I found a 4 or 5 lb catfish dead on the line and the turtles were already eating the tail of the corpse :( From the (still slightly pink) color of the gills I'd guess the catfish was still alive around dark yesterday - sure wish now that I had bait the trotline - I wouldn't have lost / wasted a nice channel catfish :(
(I HATE TO LOSE MEAT - very unlikely for me to let it happen but the heat / hot water (low oxygen near bottom) must have caused the catfish to die sometime over night)

i.e I suspect that the catfish got on the line early yesterday - and finally died sometime last night (again still some pink in it's gills make me believe I would have been cleaning him last night if I had taken enough bait for the trotline.

BTW: The law in Arkansas says you have to check at least once a day - which I do - but you can sure bet I'll check ever 12 hours if there is any bait left in AM checks i.e. need to check line in evening even if not planning to bait it (dang hot water / head / low oxygen is a killer on trotline in summer time - and I know this lake oxygen level really gets low in weather like this :( )

John - kicking self in butt

YoYo setup on pier yields - 6 lb Channel Catfish

(Video theme: shows yo-yo setup for my fishing pier)
A rain shower moved thru yesterday and cooled things off - so I 'guessed' that it might get the fish to moving in the shallow water. Well I went bream fishing (late) and got about 10 for bait + a couple keepers - but I need 22 to bait the trotline so I got lazy and just set up the 5 yo-yo's and 3 noodles on my fishing pier (I vary amount I use) This heat makes me lazier every day :)

I baited 2 yo-yo's with magic bait - and three with bream - figured I'd re-bait a couple time during night after turtles got full. But when I checked a couple times the turtles were not very hungry - so when I woke up a couple times in middle of night - I didn't bother to go check yo-yo's (lazy as usual)


This morning when I went out to check I saw that something was tangled up in one of the yo-yo's and one noodle - I watched - expecting it to be a turtle - but they usually swim straight out - in a straight line - so I was happy when I saw the lines going around and really running the line off the yo-yo

I had to get in the boat to get this nice channel catfish off the yo-yo - it was running too much and it was tangled in noodle line. I knew my net handle was too short to get the fish from the fishing pier.

AnyWho - I got the fish and he's now vacuum sealed / packed in the freezer

The video shows some of my yo-yo setups - I was using the one with the 5' long pole - instead of the short poles. And the other yo-yo's were just hanging off the side on a string i.e. I have different methods for putting out yo-yo's - and I took the easy route on 4 of them e.g. hung them off side of pier. Then of course the yo-yo on the pole got the catfish

I had really big shad on the noodles - that may have kept the turtles busy and had magic bait on 2 of the yo-yo's

Here is video showing yo-yo setups: