| Method 2 | | | | electronics, but if you can find shad or |
| | | | baitfish with your locator as well as see the |
| The second method that works really well for | | | | big fish marks, that's all you need. |
| me is drift fishing. Lets start by explaining | | | | |
| how drifting works. It's really pretty | | | | Catchin' the Big Cats |
| simple: you cast out bait and drag it behind | | | | |
| or from the side of your boat while the wind | | | | The speed of your drift makes a huge |
| pushes you along. | | | | difference. A good rule to follow is 'the |
| | | | colder the water, the slower you should go.' |
| Where to Fish | | | | A big Blue Cat will not want to chase bait |
| | | | that's traveling fast in cold water, so when |
| The majority of Cat-men that I know all use | | | | you are dragging bait on the bottom you |
| the same rig, although their tackle will | | | | should use some kind of drift sock or sea |
| differ from one guy to the next. Whatever | | | | anchor. You might have to experiment with |
| tackle they use, they are all dragging some | | | | different sizes until you figure out what |
| kind of bait on the bottom. The big | | | | size slows your boat down. Manufacturers of |
| difference between most drifters and myself, | | | | drift socks will usually give you an estimate |
| however, is that I usually do not drift in | | | | of the size of sock compared to the size of |
| water any shallower than 30 feet deep while | | | | the boat you are using. |
| most others like to fish much shallower, such | | | | |
| as 10-20 feet deep. | | | | Furthermore, just because you are a |
| | | | Cat-fisherman, it doesn't mean you can't use |
| The shallow waters of most lakes contain a | | | | the tools other fishermen use. Experiment |
| few big fish and lots of little ones | | | | with different hooks, weights, line, rods and |
| resulting in lots of action, but not too many | | | | reels, but my advice would be to eventually |
| that will test your string. I have said | | | | work your way into having an exactly matched |
| before that Blue Cats can and will live and | | | | set of at least 4 rods and reels. When you |
| feed in deep water. My best day of drifting, | | | | learn what works for you, you will be much |
| as far as numbers of fish weighing between | | | | happier with a matching set of gear. Having |
| 3-20 lbs. goes, occurred last December. In | | | | your gear match might not sound like much, |
| one drift I caught and released 47 Blue Cats. | | | | but when you start catching Blue Cats over 20 |
| These fish all came off of a huge flat that | | | | lbs you'll know the limitations of your |
| runs parallel to the main river channel with | | | | tackle. Furthermore, you wont have to worry |
| an average depth of 45 ft. Its surface has a | | | | every time you set a hook about which rod the |
| few small humps and a couple of old ditches | | | | fish hit because they will all perform the |
| running across it. People drive by me and | | | | same. |
| look in disbelief when they see me drifting | | | | |
| in 30 to 50 ft of water, but when that fish | | | | Closing |
| locator shows big fish marks on the bottom at | | | | |
| those kind of depths I have a pretty good | | | | Get some good gear capable of handling big |
| idea of what's down there. | | | | fish. Get your tools so you can go out and |
| | | | learn your lake. Spend time learning your |
| Not all lakes are as easy to drift: some have | | | | water before you start to fish. If you can't |
| gobs of timber and some have tons of rock on | | | | or don't want to spend the amount of money |
| the bottom. The best lakes I have found have | | | | necessary to purchase all the equipment and |
| had some silting or massive mud flats that | | | | cover all the various expenses, don't be |
| were old fields at one time. Simple | | | | afraid to take guided trips. You'll have good |
| structures like old ditches that carve across | | | | company from someone who knows the lake well |
| mud flats give Blue Cats a place to ambush | | | | and can teach you a great deal, plus it takes |
| their prey and might give them a little | | | | A LOT of guided trips to add up to the cost |
| relief in the water column when the water is | | | | of equipping yourself. |
| at its coldest or warmest. Look at these | | | | |
| flats from different angles and ask yourself, | | | | Don't be afraid to experiment with new |
| "How does the bank look?" Could the surface | | | | tactics after you start fishing. Always |
| under the water look similar to the | | | | remember: Blue Cats are Blue Cats, they don't |
| structures above the water? Chances are that | | | | know what lake they're in or where they live. |
| it will be pretty close. | | | | They will behave the same where I fish or |
| | | | where you fish. If you'd like, I can actually |
| These ideas are not really new. Bass and | | | | travel to your lake to prove it, as well as |
| Walleye fishermen all over the U.S. use land | | | | show you what a professional guide would do |
| structures to locate their fish and when it | | | | on your lake or river. Always keep your eyes |
| comes to locating these structures, fish | | | | on your fish finder, and get out there and |
| locators are very valuable tools. My opinion | | | | try some non-typical Catfishing! |
| is that you get what you pay for with | | | | |