Jigging for Catfish

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,224
Location
Ogallala, NE
Well, I've got a few with crappie and finesse size walleye zonker jigs but enuf to say that catfish can regularly be taken on jigs. Mostly average fun size 1-3# lb. channels but one around 6# and a couple around 10#. So far, I've got em on 1/32 #6, 1/16 #4, and 1/8 #2 tied ball jigs mostly on 4# mono, 1500 spinning reel, 5'3" L for a bit more beef than UL. All were caught along reservoir dam walls casting from shoreline on a Jigger John "Basher" zonker+flashabou pattern with color variations. Pic of his original Basher tie 1/16 #4 version below, I'd be interested what others have taken catfish on?

View attachment 9
 

Attachments

  • Basher.jpg
    Basher.jpg
    28.2 KB · Views: 78

jiggerjohn

Active member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
547
The "Basher" has taken nice channel cats off the stone piers of Lake Erie for me, but is even better in those rocky areas tied on one of Hawn jigs' lighter "Spoonie" heads. This model is also great for carp when tipped with a single kernal of corn,flash cut back a bit (carp don't like tinsel in their mouths!), and allowed to rest on bottom for several seconds between swimming movement(very gentle as carp are spooked by quick jumps!). On the other hand, in Hawn's light tin roundhead (about 1/25oz) and longer flash, this jig is a TROUT catching machine!!
 

AtticaFish

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
5,445
Location
Attica, OH
I have gotten a few cats (& 1 carp) on some smaller craw style tied jigs, but they were always accidental and not easily repeated.

In a river i fish, if i use an all black plastic jig with a clip-on style spinner i have days when the cats won't leave it alone when fished slow and as close to the bottom as i can go with out getting snags.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,224
Location
Ogallala, NE
"AF", can you post a pic of your spinner jig? My experience also indicates that shiny metal movement attached to a jig may indeed be an attractor and bite trigger for cats. "JJ2", I'll wait for you to post a "Boolie" pic since your original may work better than my untested clones.
 

AtticaFish

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 22, 2010
Messages
5,445
Location
Attica, OH
Hawn - Here is my set-up that the cats love on certain days. This is intended for smallmouth bass, but the cats seem to beat them to it. Switch out to a white or silver trailer, and it is back to mostly bass. Very simple...

View attachment 2

I like to use either a 1/8 or 1/16 head. The trailer i'm showing is a 4" ribbontail worm. My favorite trailer to use is a vennom super do, its a 3 or 4 inch thin-solid body tube. I'm out of em right now, hoping cabelas has them on my next trip there, or i will have to order them online. Black fuzzy grubs and regular twist tails work good though too.

Been messing with something else that may have the same result with the catfish, will post in the hybrid tackle.....
 

Attachments

  • 101_0996_e.jpg
    101_0996_e.jpg
    7.6 KB · Views: 106

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,224
Location
Ogallala, NE
Thanks, AF. I rarely fish plastics anymore since JJ2 introduced me to Basher ties, but I'll take your recommendation on black color and try it out. I've used Super-dos, good lure with all the wiggling tail-lets.

Does the spinner blade make a big difference in your catfish presentation?
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,224
Location
Ogallala, NE
Doc, "Basher" is a shortening of Bunny-Flash (Rabbit fur-Flashabou) coined by JiggerJohn & myself to name his jig tie which is now the basis of all my freshwater lures and lately most of saltwater. Pic of the original Basher above on 1st post.
 

Hawnjigs

KISS
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
4,224
Location
Ogallala, NE
Doc, the collars were for that little bit extra casting weight, but lately I prefer JJ2 Basher clone ties shank instead of collar tied. For larger species like catfish 1/8 no collar ball #2 hook weight feels better upsizing to 6# mono than 1/16 collared.
 

jiggerjohn

Active member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
547
Also the Basher without collar seems to swim better and functions more as a unit. I'm always looking to reduce head weight to enhance manipulations with a light outfit!
 
Back
Top