Catfishing the Nuese
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Countless nights I've sat on the Neuse with no bites with a moon full and bright in the sky.
Clouds roll in or the moon falls out of the sky and immediately start getting bites.
Now folks will start piping up about fish they have caught on a full moon. Before that gets started, I never said you couldn't catch a fish. Run a log book. I have. Full moons have been pitiful compared to.
Best cattin on the Neuse river is on a DARK night. Leave the lanterns in the truck and leave the campfires to the sissies. All you need is enough light to bait a hook and to get a hook out of a fishes mouth. That is the best cattin you'll ever do.
Clouds roll in or the moon falls out of the sky and immediately start getting bites.
Now folks will start piping up about fish they have caught on a full moon. Before that gets started, I never said you couldn't catch a fish. Run a log book. I have. Full moons have been pitiful compared to.
Best cattin on the Neuse river is on a DARK night. Leave the lanterns in the truck and leave the campfires to the sissies. All you need is enough light to bait a hook and to get a hook out of a fishes mouth. That is the best cattin you'll ever do.
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I've done some of my best bass fishing on a full moon, but this will be my first cat fishing trip. Totally new to it. I do know though the moon phase effects all fish. Don't know if it really helps with cats. What kind of rig setup would you suggest? Weight size, hook size, and rigging it?
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8/0 circle 3 or 4 oz weight. Carolina rig.
Get some large bass minnows. Throw a couple on the hook if it takes it. It don't matter if they are dead or alive.
I've caught by far most of my flatheads over 30 pounds on that setup between Raleigh and Smithfield. Cut you up some bream if you want to but I NEVER go without bass minnows.
If you over think that stretch of river you will lose. Keep it simple.
Milburnie would be the last place I'd go. Too much traffic. You want to get out and explore down towards Clayton. Don't fish at a bridge, that's been spot burned to death. You want to ease on down the bank aways until you can find a place to cast. I've walked miles to fish parts of that river. Floated it to fish it.
Now you have the bike trail better known as the Clayton rape trail to use as a tool. She hugs the river in places. Park somewhere, get on the trail and start scoping out some spots to fish. The goal is fish where nobody else does. I see signs of a place being used, I keep moving.
That's how you catch big flathead on the Neuse.
Get some large bass minnows. Throw a couple on the hook if it takes it. It don't matter if they are dead or alive.
I've caught by far most of my flatheads over 30 pounds on that setup between Raleigh and Smithfield. Cut you up some bream if you want to but I NEVER go without bass minnows.
If you over think that stretch of river you will lose. Keep it simple.
Milburnie would be the last place I'd go. Too much traffic. You want to get out and explore down towards Clayton. Don't fish at a bridge, that's been spot burned to death. You want to ease on down the bank aways until you can find a place to cast. I've walked miles to fish parts of that river. Floated it to fish it.
Now you have the bike trail better known as the Clayton rape trail to use as a tool. She hugs the river in places. Park somewhere, get on the trail and start scoping out some spots to fish. The goal is fish where nobody else does. I see signs of a place being used, I keep moving.
That's how you catch big flathead on the Neuse.
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Any suggestions around where in Clayton?
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I like a rig I got from infisherman years ago....it is just a Carolina rig . short leader with a bank sinker and you run the line through the hole in the bank sinker...bank sinkers are cheap, no roll flat sinkers are expensive. ..the bank sinker rolls less than a regular barrel weight or you can use it with a no roll sinker.
you can see the rig just above the red abu 7000 reel in this blog post. http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/catfishing-out-of-canoe.html
I like a 2 oz in the neuse but sometimes I do go heavier.
oh, aint no cats in the neuse
you can see the rig just above the red abu 7000 reel in this blog post. http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/catfishing-out-of-canoe.html
I like a 2 oz in the neuse but sometimes I do go heavier.
oh, aint no cats in the neuse
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Lol that's no what I've read! I'm sure you been to Milburnie. Good spot?I like a rig I got from infisherman years ago....it is just a Carolina rig . short leader with a bank sinker and you run the line through the hole in the bank sinker...bank sinkers are cheap, no roll flat sinkers are expensive. ..the bank sinker rolls less than a regular barrel weight or you can use it with a no roll sinker.
you can see the rig just above the red abu 7000 reel in this blog post. http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/catfishing-out-of-canoe.html
I like a 2 oz in the neuse but sometimes I do go heavier.
oh, aint no cats in the neuse
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Mack, I'm surprised you don't cast lead.
Come up with 20-30 pounds of lead and bring it over. I'll make you some no rolls.....and you can help!
Come up with 20-30 pounds of lead and bring it over. I'll make you some no rolls.....and you can help!
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Well had a great time last night, but was skunked. Lost three of them. Never had cat fished before and wasn't familiar with my surroundings. One went under a log....snapped my line. Another one got to the top of the water close to shore.....hung up in a tree and snapped my line. Third one got to the bank probably being close to 5lbs and splashing everywhere.......got wrapped in some small weeds and snapped my line All in all it was a fun night though. Think I may invest in a cast net. Lots of Bowfin out there! Buddy caught a nice size one and I'm assuming any big bites that left only a minnow head on my hook was a Bowfin. Not giving up on the Nuese, will be back to take another crack at it!
All in all it was a fun night though. Think I may invest in a cast net. Lots of Bowfin out there! Buddy caught a nice size one and I'm assuming any big bites that left only a minnow head on my hook was a Bowfin. Not giving up on the Nuese, will be back to take another crack at it!
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If you are losing a lot fish it's usually gar.
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Fish on the line.
Gar is one of those fish that pull decent enough you'll think you got a cat and then the line goes slack. The bone structure of the mouth is hard to penetrate with a hook.
If you target those, hang a 3 or 4 inch long piece of yellow polypropylene rope off the baited hook. Sometimes the rope strands get entangled in the teeth and you can get them in that way.
Gar is one of those fish that pull decent enough you'll think you got a cat and then the line goes slack. The bone structure of the mouth is hard to penetrate with a hook.
If you target those, hang a 3 or 4 inch long piece of yellow polypropylene rope off the baited hook. Sometimes the rope strands get entangled in the teeth and you can get them in that way.
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That's what I heard, but people were catching them last night. Someone down the way from me caught about a 7-8lb cat. nice size! Was my first time fishing for cats so I'll have to give it another shot
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Not a good idea. Mack clearly has already had his lifetime toxic exposure to lead several times over.
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I have 50 plus lbs of it and even found a mold at a flea market then purchased a little kettle but now I cant find the kettle but I just may take you up on that.....thanks Mack
If your after flatheads you might want to beef up your line. I mostly use 40lb. If a big flat is near structure, you really have to put it to them to keep them away from it. It takes alot time on the water trying to hunt down trophy flatheads. It's a passion for me and i love it. With the new moon coming at the end of the month, you know where I'll be.
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Good to know that will be a better time. Plan on trying again soon!
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Big Cats, Big line is right
Your exactly right about the line.... we caught this one last year around the mouth of the contentnea, and were using 30lb with 50 lb leader.... it ran right behing a stump, You have to have some heavy duty line, fighting these monsters!
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