Yah, one could maybe catch more with live or stinky bait, but getting cats on lures is funner. !0 this morning on chartreuse shad color 3" Gulp Minnows on a 1/4 HU head. 3#, 5#, lots of 7#, 10#, 15+#.
With alewives present in shallow water near shore, cats are still around as the water might gotten too warm for wallys and wipers. Mostly 3-4# with the occasional chunky surprise 10 - 20#.
Recently learned how to weightless T-rig for bass in weeds and the method worked very well for cats in snaggy rock bottom shallows. Gulp chartreuse pepper 5" Sinking Minnows cut in half have been the ticket for cats at night - both head and tail segments get bit.
In a smaller bass pond where others I've talked to don't think holds any catfish I recently got two chunks daytime - (estimated) one under fifteen and one over twenty #. Guess what they bit ?
If anyone has a similarly successful jig for cats please do tell.