Catfish-easy as 1,2...

[fishbucket]

Made it out to the Grand yesterday and ended up doing pretty good. We fished cutbait for cats along with crawlers for everything else. The cat bite wasn't as hot as it has been the last few trips, but we still pulled up about 4 or 5 channels and a bonus 31" flathead. I have been using a whole gill on one pole (definetely liking the 3-rod rule :)), but haven't pulled up any big flatties on that yet. Set two tightlines with sliding sinkers for cats, and bounced a crawler around on bottom while waiting for the baitclicker to start singing :lol:. Crawlers produced 6 bass (all in the 13-14in range), a 21" sheephead, dozen gills and a slew of gobies. Threw everything back (except the gobies) for someone else to catch. Go get 'em!

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/1234.JPG

[UNCLE AL]

My grandson (22yrs old) has been fishing the ditches around quannicassee for cats, and has found that they have a taste for steak. We had t-bones the other night and he took the fat from the steaks, and sprinkled some garlic powder on them and used them for bait. He said the steak would hardly hit the water and the cats would hit. He brought home 5 the other night.

[Chad Smith]

steak
Was there a certain marinade used in this?:lol:

[UNCLE AL]

No marinade, straight garlic powder. But they may like a marinade, maybe some soy sauce mixed in with it. I'll pass it on to my GS.

[sea nympho]

Flatheads like cutbait just fine:


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/532/medium/100_0033.JPG


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/532/medium/18_Flathead_web_.jpg

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/532/medium/Master_Flat3_16-6_web_.jpg

[bobo21]

what are gobies???

[fishbucket]

Those are some nice flatties there sea nymph. I have always been told flatheads usually don't eat cutbait and prefer live bait, but I've only caught them on cutbait and spoons while casting for salmon :dizzy: . Like I said I've been using a whole gill for bait too with no luck. I think I had one hit my gill last time but no hook-ups. Clipped the tail of the gill but it still seemed to be kicking hard. Maybe thats the problem? Should I slice them up a little more?

Btw bobo, gobies are an invasive species which arent supposed to be returned to the water, dead or alive. Here is a pic of the smallest one I've caught.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/minigob.JPG

[sea nympho]

Should I slice them up a little more?

To be honest, I've only messed around w/ live bait for cats a couple times, I prefer cutbait. I found hooking the sunfish between the anal pore and caudal fin to work the best when fishing current. I live a ways from The Grand & cutbaits a lot easier to work with & store.