Wisconsin, Mississippi River, Rigging - Catfish Fishing Report at IDOfishing.com

After being heckled and down right called out a “Sally” by none other than the Cat king himself, BrianK, for targeting Bass, it was time for me to man up and get some Cat boogers wrapped up on some 10# Trilene mono leaders. Either that or, there has been a couple friends at work wanting to get out and try the drifting technique for the bottom dwellers and there was finally a Friday night open for buddy Mikehd and myself to get out and play after dark

I was second guessing the day the whole time while at work. The rain never seemed to stop and the wind kept picking up from the South. Here is a heads up…..Pool 8 for the most part can turn ugly in a hurry with a constant South wind

With Mike starting to now call me out it was time for me to hush up and hit the water while trying to put some kind of a game plan together for us along with friends neutron and TJ in tow.

After launching the 2 boats the search for bait began and let me tell you, for how tough the bite was for nursery fish to be used as cut bait, the hopes of a drift bite for channels kept slipping farther away in my mind. With 8 fish for each boat it was time to make the call. Mike and I had some discussion over were to go and decided we would make up are minds once we got to the main channel to look things over. With Southeast winds from 8-13mph and some gusting it didn’t take long to make a call, fishing the main channel was not going to happen on this evening

Wanting to put the two new comers on channel cats we agreed to make a run up river and get into a side chute that has produced some fish for us in the past.
Again a negative attitude had to be shook, on arrival it was evident the tubers were also looking for a place to play out of the wind and calm seas. Would this night ever take a turn for the better

The first drift along the North side of the cut produced some taps, raps and drops without any thing taking the baits seriously. Starting a second drift and taking a new line on the South side of the cut had the taps turning into thuds plus, the pleasure craft disappeared. Could it be? Was the night going to take a turn for the better? Then the words rang out from neutrons boat…….fish on

TJ was play tug-o-war with his first drifted whiskered critter

After a quick picture the drift started again and within yards TJ was hooked up again and at the same time my boat partner Mike was doubled over with a cat on himself

All of a sudden fishing in the rain wasn’t so bad after all and the witching hour had us off to a great start. 6-7.5 pond channels had the fun on its way.
The blood on the channel cat pictured here was not from Mike’s battle, but a battle before. It had a hook that was out of sight and 3 feet of line in tow.

Then it happened……I heard drag screaming from the back of the boat and Mike did his Scooby Doo call, Ruh Roh

The bend in the rod and the constant pulling of drag were all signs of a double digit platter on the end of Mike’s set up

After a long battle and Mike complaining of burning forearms the felon on the other end showed himself for the first time before heading back to bottom, it was oblivious Mike had himself a grey sided cat that would be pushing the teens. Fighting channel cats of this size on walleye gear can be compared to snagging cougars in the wild

so I would guess

This was the size cat that has taken many neglected rods out of a boat only to leave one wondering what the heck happened after hearing the gear splash overboard

With the grey ghost in the net there was a sigh of relief, Mike just boated his personal best Channel cat at 13.5 ponds.
Shortly after and just past midnight, a lightning show started flashing in the sky. It was time to head back down the main channel and get to the landing before the muddy became any more wild, what a night for the book

Grinding away at the beginning and then ending the night with a toad made the frustration at the beginning of the trip well worth it.
Congrats TJ on you cats and Mike on your personal best

Your welcome Mike for me keeping the little ones out of your way

Next time neutron it will be are turn

Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats

Re: Mississippi River Pool 8 Channel Cats