Days and nights on the river (Misadventures in catfishing - Part 3)

 

The Great White Buffalo

In the summer of 2002, I started shopping for a new fishing rig. After being a landlubber for a quite a while, I missed the freedom afforded by having my own fishing boat. I wanted a boat with a trailer and hopefully a running outboard, as I had sold mine. I was checking for sale ads at work and several of the regional papers on-line. I saw one somewhat beat up boat near work, but decided to hold out for something that looked a little more seaworthy. 


 

A few weeks later, I found what appeared to be a great deal on a used boat. It was a '61 Smoker Craft with an old Chrysler motor. An electric motor and fishfinder were part of the package as well. Well equipped. And, the price was about what I wanted to spend. Sure, it was old. But the owner (a nice older fellow and veteran) assured me there wasn't a scratch on the hull. The only catch was that it was a long drive to pick it up. I packed up the family and we made a day (and a deal) of it. 

 
My boat became known as the Great White Buffalo (GWB for short) as its two-tone white/aluminum finish reminded me of my old car, that a friend always referred to as the Great White Buffalo. Over time I added some decking, rod holders, and  it made a great little cat-boat! I ended up selling the GWB in 2013, after many fun and memorable trips.    

 

 

Maiden Voyage

We took the GWB to a local river, in search of some catfish. The launch was in a very gravelly, shallow stretch of river. I ended up dragging my boat around with a rope in the rain all morning. It was rarely over knee deep anywhere in this section and I had no oars at the time. Remember the scene from "African Queen"? At least there were no leaches. Just when we started getting some good bites, it starts pouring. Chalk one up to experience.

Later that fall, another friend and I drove about two hours to fish on the Rock river at Dixon in some blustery 20 mph winds and heavy chop. We got launched then I proceeded to break the starter cord! Time for some quick "McGyvering." Luckily, the flywheel had a spool on the top (like old lawnmowers used to have). I was wrap some electric cord on the rotor to pull for easy starting. Now I know why I kept that wire in my toolbox! No fish, but at least it didn't rain. I also marked some great structure out there.
   
Over time, I got comfortable with the launching/trailer routine
and found good places to fish on the nearby Fox river. Maybe the best part of the boat/trailer setup is having some of the gear (motor, gas tank, battery) pre-loaded in the boat. No more
carrying an empty boat down to the water and then spending 20 minutes loading all the gear! After eleven years of active duty, I finally parted with the GWB. I even made a tribute video. What a fine old boat...and it never did leak either!

 

While I took the boat on some longer trips, like driving out to Prophetstown to fish the Rock river, most of my attention was focused on the nearby Fox river. I started fishing more for flathead catfish and the advice everyone gave me was to spend more time getting familiar with local places that held flatheads. So I tried to do just that, at least a few times every summer. As I gained experience over the years, certain trips became etched in my memory.

 

 

  

 

Flathead focus

Around 2002, I started a concerted effort to target flathead catfish in my catch and release trips. Like other catfish anglers, I was fascinated by their size, power, and dogged determination to avoid capture. The first few seasons I tried my hand at fishing for flathead catfish were a bust. Like many pursuits if you've never achieved something, it's a challenge getting that first one under your belt. I quickly learned that timing and confidence are key factors.


In July of 2004, I with the Fox with veteran catman Brent for a few hours of fun. With his boat on a new stretch of river, it was a great change of pace (and venue) for me. I arrived at the launch cranking Born Under A Bad Sign by Cream, ready for some action. Was I trying to tempt fate? I had almost forgot my camera that morning, I only remembered it when I ran back to the house to grab some rain gear just in case. 

We anchored in some deep water near some bridge footings around 9:00 am or so and started fishing. Bridge pilings can be a great, if obvious spot. There's often wood cover hung up on the piers and submerged structure too. I got a nice channel catfish to get things started...a bit later Brent landed the fish of the day - a nice flathead of maybe 15 pounds! My time had not yet come...





 Not too long afterwards, I hooked up with my first flathead, which put up a good fight on my 14 pound test line. To say I was thrilled would be a huge understatement! I also caught a smaller flathead that weighed a few pounds. All the fish were released to fight another day…while it wasn't quite a highlight reel of fish, no mishaps or misadventures. No wonder...we hadn't taken my boat!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free pass

My Birthday occurs near Father's Day, so I usually try to use that to my advantage to get out for some holiday weekend catfishing. That's also my favorite time of the year, as I love those long summer nights! One memorable trip was on my 40th Birthday, when I launched early start and scored my first multiple flathead trip fishing solo! It was a fun morning where I anchored on a few different spots and had the river to myself. Good times.  

On an early morning Birthday jaunt in 2009 when I experienced some torrential rains and sudden lightning was way to close for comfort. I beached the boat for a while and with the rising water even tried launching in the shallow area where I was dragging the boat on its maiden voyage several years before. I called it quits early that day, which was probably best as I had to leave on a scout trip that weekend.

I do like to mix things up, so sometimes I'll fish in the morning, sometimes at night. I've never forget one morning I was fishing a spot near the bank and some guy on water skis starts getting a little too close for comfort. He even got me with some water spray. We had a few choice words after that and I ended up moving. That's one major disadvantage to fishing in a suburban area...the boat traffic. And people who think they own the river flying around in speedboats and jet-skis.

Maybe because the Fox tends to be a shallower river, the night time is often the right time for flatheads. Of course fishing in the dark complicates everything. Casting, knot tying, untangling lines. Everything is trickier in the boat at night. Especially after a beer or two, which is why I started a tradition several years back...waiting to crack open the first beverage to toast that first catfish in the boat. Prost!

 

 

 

 

 

Misadventures in EVERYTHING

Another June evening during another year, I hit a new launch on the river a little before dusk for some catfishing. Launching the boat, I managed to whack an already cracked trailer light on the pier. It happens. I fished some promising bridge structure and had few crush-and-kill hits, but had no typical flathead pick-ups. Later another boat nearly drifted into me and also got tangled in one of my lines. I decided to pack it up and finish fishing at another pool on some familiar water. I was in a hurry to take out, and ended up starting motor in some shallow water. I pushed out a little bit, but not far enough I guess, and bounced the bottom a few times, as I wheeled around to get my boat on the trailer to go.


I get to the other launch and after pushing the boat off the trailer managed to slip landing face down in the water at the launch. Miraculously, my cell phone remained dry. That first step was a little further than I thought... I headed up-stream, passing some other boats including angler Frank. On my way to the first spot, my motor started making a new sound. A metallic click, click, click. Never heard that before.

I set-up on the first spot, got positioned right where I wanted and my first bait gets hit. With rod in my hand, I felt the fish surge forward a few times, and I was just waiting for the rod to level and tighten up before attempting a hook-set. The fish stops moving. I waited a bit and tried slamming but the fish had either spit, or the bait popped out. Air-ball. 

I get a call from my friend Marty and picked him up back at the launch. Start the motor again, the sound  intensified somewhat, and now I'm concerned. Not concerned enough apparently, we fished a while then I tried to drive and first the motor hesitates, then we we're going nowhere. I lifted the motor to find I have no propeller. Never seen that happen before. I broke out the oars, and started rowing back to the launch. About halfway, Frank was kind enough to give us a tow, and I gave him my unused bait. What a night. About the only thing that didn't happen was launching the boat without the drain plug in. That was really the night when Misadventures in Catfishing became my running tagline. 

 

Around 2007-2008, Marty spearheaded an effort to organize a local group of catfish anglers which became the Fox Valley Flatheaders. We compared notes about our experiences, talked about fishing pressure on the Fox river, and discussed the importance of these fish as a valuable resource for future generations. Data was collected regarding hours fished and species caught. We ultimately partnered with some DNR biologists who completed the first studies of flathead catfish on the Fox river. Pretty cool stuff! We also planned a few outings, one of which was an overnight trip to the Mississippi river...

 

 

 

Back to the Mississippi

In the summer of 2009, I was excited at the prospect of an overnight trip to the Mississippi in the Quad Cities area. Since this was to an unfamiliar stretch of water, I spent a good deal of time research about that section of the Mississippi. I had also replaced my Chrysler outboard with a "new" vintage motor, a '57 Mercury Mark 10. Boy, could that thing could run up the river!

My first stop was to to launch near Rock Island and check out the upper section of pool 16. I anchored-up at a railroad bridge opposite of the shipping channel, having a bite of my packed lunch. Then, I decided to try just below the bridge pilings adjacent to the shipping channel. Guess I was a little bit too close, when an approaching barge blasts its horn to get out of the way. I cut my lines and fired up the motor. Even running away at full speed the wake behind the passing barge draws me in and the boat drops into the place where the water had been displaced by the passing ship. Luckily I was at a safe distance behind the barge by this time. Good time to pack up and head for the campground!

There was a nice launch at the campground situated on a running side channel off the main river. When I arrived in the early afternoon there was a good bull session going amongst the other other fisherman making the trip, including catfish guide Tim Scott. Since everyone wanted to do a bit of scouting before dinner, we drove over to the launch and then all headed off in different directions. I headed upstream, following Tim's suggestion to look for shoreline wood cover 10-15' deep with current.

At my first stop, I fished a bit and landed a small channel cat. Having avoided the dreaded skunk, I decided it was time to head upriver. Fished a second spot and had the pleasure of watching an eagle flying hunting for lunch. My other baits had no takers, so I high-tailed it upstream to scout some more. Found a perfectly awesome spot, two root balls bookending a ton of lumber, in deep water right off the shoreline. Filed that one under "fish tonight". Time to hurry, must keep scouting. Motoring even further upriver, it suddenly drops from 8' to 2' of water. Then WHACK. Solid rock. #%!~* Great, I've found the wing dam from those maps. Probably ruined the motor. Misadventures in catfishing.


I lifted the motor for an inspection. Actually, the lower unit seemed okay, although my prop was dinged up pretty good. I started back towards the launch very slowly, but something isn't right. The motor isn't pushing the boat the way it should and I'm going nowhere fast. Luckily, I managed a tow from a speedboat about halfway back. I learned later that I had what is known as a "spun prop". A rubber bushing inside the propeller transfers the torque from the motor. If you hit something and the motor is running at high speed, the bushing slips. In my case, the bushing was spent. It had become gooey rubber.

I attempted to repair the prop while I cooked some much needed dinner. Grilled burgers with sliced tomato from my garden. That was good. Spirits were elevated! I did the best repair I could and tried launching again around 8:30 pm. I'm motoring slowly across to about midstream. Then I notice the motor isn't really pushing at all. My repairs were ineffective. The moment of truth was at hand: head back and call it a night or start rowing to fish a few spots close to the launch. 

Of course, I decided to fish the spots. I didn't drive three hours with a boat and camping gear for nothing. I spent a while rowing the rest of the way out and got anchored up on a nice little spot with some wood cover. It wasn't too long before I my live bluegill brought some action. After losing a couple fish in the wood, I get another pick-up. I started burning the reel in the rod holer and hooked up with a catfish. At the end of the fight I reached down to hoist a nice healthy flathead, close to 15 pounds into the boat. It was a new personal best at the time and my first Mississippi river flathead. YES!!!

In between bites, it was such a peaceful, quiet night on the water. In the dark skies I saw all kinds of stars (the milky way was so visible I mistook it for clouds at one point!). One of the other anglers on the trip stopped once and offered me a tow. I actually declined, as I wanted to fish one more spot. It was getting late and Tim stopped by with his crew to see how I was making out. When he offered me a tow (guessing it was sometime after midnight), accepted since it was getting late anyhow.







The next morning I got up early making coffee and breakfast. I removed my outboard and the gas tank from the boat to lose some extra weight and get a bit more fishing in before heading home. I set out under oar power again, boated one small flathead catfish and missed a couple more pick-ups. I ended up heading for home around 11 am.
At some point during the proceedings, I also drifted into one of  the snags I was fishing and broke the transducer arm for my fishfinder (for about the third time in a few years). It happens. All things considered, it was a great trip.

 

 

Four!

Some years are busier than others. Such was the case in 2011. It took a little more time than usual to get everything ready to go for a first trip of the year. I had a new tow vehicle. Trailer lights and wiring had to be fixed and the motor needed a little tweaking.  Finally I had everything ready to go. All I needed were some fresh, lively baits. June is a great time to fish the Fox!

You know it's going to be a good night when you get a fish on the first cast on the first anchor. I've experienced that a number of times, generally a great sign. Actually, that night was a night of firsts. In addition getting a flathead on my first bait/first anchor, it was also the first night I boated four flatheads! Happy Birthday to me. Didn't I mention it...it was also my Birthday!


I had even missed a couple that night...one missed fish was trying to take the rod down in the holder and when I went for the rod it spit my the bait. I should have just started cranking the reel. Same thing happened with the last fish and THAT time I cranked down to get the fish on before taking the rod. I had a new baitfeeder combo that year, it was good to see it get tested a little. That first fish had put up a strong fight!

I got another good season out of that motor, but there were ongoing issues. One misty July evening when I had the motor running I took fellow flathead angler Kevin on the Fox. For my part, I managed a skunk, complete with the scent of actual skunk on the way back to the launch. I did have one good hit that didn't commit. I was fishing tight to cover and had nearly every bait tangled in some kind of branches. After that we went further upriver and Kevin managed to land the biggest flathead I've ever handled. 37x24". Quite impressive. 

Later that night (early in the morning), I was trying to start the motor to head back and then my recoil spring stops working. We were pretty far from the launch, and I took out some old rope, started wrapping it in the teeth on top of the rotor and cranking while trying to get my idle readjusted. Maybe 25 minutes later of CONTINUOUS cranking, I finally got it humming. And to think I was just about to place a 1:00 am rescue call for a tow!

With ongoing outboard issues, I was heading out with just the electric trolling motor on the last several trips before I ultimately sold the GWB. Even with limited mobility, I managed to get on flatheads fairly consistently and even had a no-skunk streak lasting several trips over a two year span. My own personal best flathead (33x24") came during this time on another multiple fish night when I had quietly set out under electric power.

   

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

The latest chapter begins with a new boat

Last spring (April 2015), I decided it was time to get another boat. A great deal was found on Craigslist and another purchase was made, where I became the owner of this '93 Sea Nymph powered by a '61 Mercury. It was christened the She Nymph and even I managed to boat a nice flathead on the first trip out. 
 

It wasn't long before I started planning another Mississippi trip. It was time to go back to Savanna for a long day of fishing with Peter, my old fishing pal from those first two Mississippi trips in the early nineties. We went all over that section of river as I took photos along the way while we fished some amazing looking spots. Sadly, the closest we came to boating a fish was one large northern pike that broke my line boatside trying to land it. 

Maybe we were jinxed because I suspended the rule about getting that first catfish in the boat before toasting. Sometimes it's hard to know what you were doing wrong, especially when you're fishing such great and fishy looking habitat. Maybe next time I fish the Mississippi I'll get back to that side channel area near Rock Island. If I do, I think it will be another overnight trip. Anyhow, the weather was awesome and the scenery, God's country. At least I got some great pictures!

 
I've compiled a lot of pictures on my outdoor excursions over the years. Thinking back to some of the trips from my younger days, I wish I had taken more pictures. I guess that's the only regret that I've ever really had as far as outdoor adventures - I didn't always bring a camera. Of course, maybe I'm glad that all of our escapades weren't documented on film too... 

Making the day successful

Making the day successful

If you’re busy like me, you don’t have endless hours to spend fishing. Between work and family time, I have to get out when I can. So when it’s time to catfish, make the most out of your time on the water. Through fishing smarter and using better time management, you can maximize your catch throughout the day and have more fun fishing trips.    

First of all, a vital element in fishing smarter is flexibility. You need to “listen to the fish”, as Tim Scott likes to say. You should adapt your fishing tactics to the activity level of the fish, and the specific fishing situation that day. Catfish aren’t always in a feeding mode, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t catch-able. When the bite gets tough, and it will, tailor your approach to that day’s conditions. Paying close attention to the details will also help you improve your trips. Another vital factor in all this is time management. Spend less time on unproductive spots, put more baits in front of more fish, and you’re getting bit!   

Opening moves  

Before I get out for a day or night of fishing, I like to have some form of game plan. I often visit the same stretch of river, so I’ll have a few primary spots in mind and a few back-up ones too. On many trips, I try to fish a new spot or two, but this depends on how the day is going. Having a strategy is good, but don’t get dogmatically locked-in to it. River conditions may dictate heading to a different launch point, or boat traffic may limit which spots you can visit. An important part of strategy is being willing to make adjustments “on the fly.” An idea to try early in the season, is hitting the river for a scouting trip. Looking for new spots to try in the summer, watching the depth-finder for submerged cover and drop-offs, finding new deadfalls, “de-winterizing” the motor, these scouting trips are a great way to get revved up for the upcoming fishing season. Plus, it can help you spend more time with baits in the water when it counts.

While we’re on the subject of changing conditions, an important element of catfishing is that fish go

through distinct periods of different activity levels throughout the day. As Tim Scott explains, "Fishing pre-spawn we might get 15 bites in one spot, and when they're active you might catch every one of them. When they're not active, for example if the water level drops a bit, you may start missing them. Fish may start short biting and you're baits are come with little scrapes or the guts eaten out.” This is a great time to downsize your bait and hook to convince those less active fish to fully commit to the bait, making for an improved hook-up rate. A factor that can affect catfish behavior is a slight change in water level during your day. Fishing larger rivers, if the output from a dam is slightly reduced the catfish often become less aggressive. Conversely, a small increase may cause cats to become more active. Stable, steady water levels are preferred as catfish often settle into predictable locations. Fish located in shallower water are often actively seeking out food. Fish that are tight to cover can often be tentative or inactive. Bait placement in this situation becomes key, since fish may not want to leave their hangouts to chase baits.  

Time management

Catfish guide Tim Scott offers some guidance on making the best use of fishing time; “First, I’ll

expect the expected. Then, I’ll look for the unexpected.” Especially when targeting flatheads, he prefers to target cover areas first. Only after the cover areas aren’t producing will Tim fish areas such as ledges, basins, and deep water “roller coaster” spots (also referred to as humps or “saddles”). These areas can be good for prespawn fish, but once you get to summer period larger channel cats and flatheads are going to relate to some type of cover.

Another suggestion is to fish your best spots first, and then look to new areas or alternative plans. Matt Jones believes it’s important to get on those first fish, and get your hands dirty. The more action you get early, the better your confidence and timing will be throughout the day. You’ll also fish your spots better and more thoroughly. Tim Scott agrees, and suggests getting fish on those first few anchors tells him everything. Fish location, attitude, and activity level. On the flip side, those days where it takes several anchors to get on the fish, you’re still trying to figure out the location and mood of the fish.

Anglers are frequently confronted with the deciding when to move; should I stay, or should I go? Running and gunning, getting bit early and often is great when fish are active. No doubt about it. But, there are situations where you may want to spend more time on spots. Some structures like multiple bridge pilings in deep water just take longer to thoroughly fish. If you’re rushed, and you didn’t cover all of the area you may have missed out on some great action. If you’re fishing a spot that’s proven time after time to hold the biggest fish in the area, there a risk-reward proposition involved. Investing a lot of time in one area when the fish are in a negative mood, could lead to the dreaded skunk. But, that’s a risk you should be willing to take occasionally when you’re targeting big fish, or learning how to fish a new spot.

Time savers

An obvious suggestion, but a good one none the less, is to be sure your tackle and boat are organized before you hit the water. Especially if you’re fishing at night. Another good practice for many anglers is to pre-tie hooks and swivels if you’re fishing Carolina rigs. This way, when you break off your rig, you can quickly re-tie and get your baits back in the water. But, don’t be afraid leave that bait out there. You may get hung-up on some debris, but often a fish will find you’re bait and “presto” – you’re no longer snagged.  

You want everything in a convenient spot so you don’t waste time searching for gear in the dark. If I want to get a real early start, I hook-up my trailer and have everything ready the night before an early morning trip.

 Flathead Focus:eliminating unproductive water

Another way to make your trips more successful is by eliminating the less productive areas, and focusing your attention where more fish are. Sounds easy enough, but where to begin? One suggestion is to avoid long featureless river sections. This is especially true when targeting summer flatheads. As an ambush predator, flatheads relate heavily to cover and areas near cover. Procats staff member Matt Jones also feels cover is also important to flatheads because of their territorial nature. He advocates targeting cover areas regardless of the time of day, and suggests “Don’t be afraid to get in the cover; cast as close as you can.”

In fact, Radio tagging studies conducted by Iowa DNR lend support to theories about flathead territoriality. As Greg Gelwicks from Iowa DNR explains, “During mid-summer, the fish really associated with big drift piles.” Another trend he observed was that summertime flatheads tend to have a specific home range or territory - they generally settle in to a specific river section and stay throughout the summer. Anyone who has spent time fishing for flats may have observed these characteristics, but it’s cool to see how science reinforces what we’re seeing on the water fishing.

In general, if there’s a river stretch that has more structural elements like rip-rap, neck downs, drop offs, and such it should support a larger population of all gamefish. The same goes for cover; the more good cover you can find, the more gamefish will utilize it. But, is all cover the same? Definitely not. I’ve found “the older the better” to be a good rule for me when it comes to evaluating wood cover. Wood which extends across current, and into deeper water can be very good. Matt Jones feels submerged cover and cover well anchored to the bottom seems to provide better flathead hangouts, possibly because these are better areas to set-up and ambush prey.  

One last thought on flatheads and cover… if you’re fishing good cover near deep water, and you’re

not getting bit, it doesn’t mean there’s no fish there. The fish could be inactive, or not interested in feeding enough to move to a bait. Often, if you keep moving your bait around your cover until it hits the right spot, you can trigger a strike based on that territorial nature we discussed earlier. Whether it’s anger or a defense mechanism, if a live bait gets too close it’s lunch.

 

Spot specific approach 

If you’re spending a lot of time in one area, keep moving those baits a foot or so every ten or fifteen minutes, especially if you’re targeting fish away from cover. Your bait can just sit a long time a few feet from an inactive fish, but if you keep poking and prodding the depths with your baits and hit the strike zone, you’ll often trigger an aggressive strike because of the territorial nature of the fish.  

The myth of peak fishing hours

In the past, catfishing articles often referred to peak fishing times. Fish early morning, and at night.  

We’ve all heard this a million times. And, sure, we’ve all experienced good luck fishing nighttime or early morning. These are good times to be on the water. Less boat traffic and pesky PWCs generating wakes to bump you out of position. But are there truly predictable hours of peak activity? I say just get out and fish when you can. Or, to borrow Catmatt’s tagline, “Go Catfish!” If it’s mid-day when you can go, GO! In my opinion, time of day is an overrated factor when it comes to fishing success. Whether you’re targeting blue, channel, or flathead cats, current, depth, cover, bait placement, and bait quality are all more important that the time of day. In fact, many flathead anglers, including myself, do just about as well day or night. The bottom line here is by limiting the times you hit the water you could be missing out on a good daytime bite, especially in the spring and fall.

Avoiding the crowds

Another factor facing many of us is boat traffic. Like other suburban anglers, many of my main fishing spots have a lot of boat traffic, especially on the weekends. Because of this, my two favorite times to strike out are just before daylight break, and around dusk. I’ll launch in the dark if I need to. But what makes these times work for me is the fact that there’s almost nobody else out on the river. Without speedboats and personal watercraft stirring things up, it’s just easier to fish and hold anchor.

Time to go!!!

At the end of the day, most of us feel that any time out on the river is time well spent. Maybe the biggest thing that I do the maximize activity is to predominantly fish during the most active months of the year, especially for flatheads. Generally, I'll start catfishing as early as April (depending on water temperatures) and concentrate my activities during the months of May through September. Traditionally, you can expect the most action during those months. Enough talk, who's ready to go catfish?!?

Another article I wrote for Procats eMag, don't know if it was ever published because it was a bit of a work in progress. Think it was around 2007 I was working on this one. 

---