Texas Fishing Forum

Post your Catfish graph pictures here

Posted By: Dadsthatlove2fish

Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/23/16 06:49 PM

It would be nice to see different screen shots or pictures of what catfish look like on graphs here. I know it would help me a lot to see what catfish look like on down imaging and side imaging. In this post put graph pics, a brief explanation, and what kind of unit you are using would be helpful. Let's use these photos to better our fishing experience, they do this in the crappie section so why not in the Catfish section.
Let's try to help people identify and catch more Catfish.
Posted By: G Love

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/23/16 09:24 PM

I've always wondered why there wasn't one in this section. There isn't one in the Striper section either but they get posted often.
Posted By: mbsfish

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/24/16 01:23 PM

They used to have a thread in both sections as a sticky on top. A quick search for those threads, but could not find them.
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/24/16 03:41 PM

Gentlemen, it usually takes a crappie about 5 years to reach toad status and there is tons of em. It usually takes a bluecat or flathead about a decade and a half to 25 years or more to reach toad status and there is " not " a ton of em... It's a different world and a little bit harder to just cough em up Lol! , but anyways heres the deal. I have come to learn that you can send people some awesome images but it doesn't usually do the ones that are really struggling much good. For some reason they need to see and do at the same time and the best thing for them is a good guide trip or a trip with a buddy that's got it down. But heres another hickey. It's not gonna take one trip to seal the deal. It's gonna take several trips and then you need to put a ton of time on the water and do it yourself and watch it go down. You need to see the good times and the bad and even the times that are right in the middle. If your chasing monster-fish, you gotta dig down deep and truly understand that you are not going after fish that any regular person can simply locate and catch easily no matter if your trotling, jugging or using rod and reel. These fish are special and becoming more and more sacred every minute we breathe air. Now, with that being said, I want to tell you this. Looking and finding small fish on a fish finder is real easy to do but harder to dial in on the exact look or see perfect definition of the fish so to help determine what species you are looking at you have to learn and look for " traits of the group " or the way a certain species will generally look while moving or holding together. For instance, Tom Gravely once said " that groups of channel cat look like popcorn if I remember correctly ". Cracks me up too because they do. Lol! So does a group of small blue kitty. When you are looking for larger Trophy Fish, it is actually easier because you can get a bigger and better picture along with more definition. And here's the funny thing. When looking at large fish on a fishfinder they usually look exactly like they look when you are viewing them out of water with one exception. If you ever get a chance go to Cabelas and watch the Monster Bluecat swim around in the aquarium, you'll notice that as they swim they are moving around each other and obstacles in the tank so they have to juke and jive to get around things. They will angle nose up or nose down at times. They will roll to the left or roll to the right. They'll sweep sideways. They'll pull 180 and 360 spins. Anyways I guess what I am trying to say is that when looking at a group of large catfish on a fish-finder screen you have to understand that they can all be at a different angle at the time your fish-finders signal transmits so what you are looking for is that one good signal of at least one of the fish that will really define him or her and tell you what it is. When looking for large fish in deepwater, you can locate fish with side image and down image but when you get on top of em use " sonar definition to verify ". When in shallow water, you can use side image to locate fish and use " shadow definition to verify ". If you do not " verify " you will very rarely catch the fish you are after and you need to do it on your own fish-finder. So for the ones that feel they truly struggle, start doing a lot less fishing and a lot more looking and try to capture as many images as you can by yourself on your own machine. Until you do that, you will never be comfortable and you will also never really truly cherish the fish you catch. smile Also, If you hang around the forum long enough every now and then one of us or somebody will feel fruity that day and release a dang good image or images... smile
Posted By: big10

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/25/16 03:55 AM

Well said Rick!

"A large school of catfish looks like popcorn." I heard the exact same words from a very good guide when I was just getting into this great sport.
Posted By: G Love

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/27/16 01:42 PM

Originally Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME
Gentlemen, it usually takes a crappie about 5 years to reach toad status and there is tons of em. It usually takes a bluecat or flathead about a decade and a half to 25 years or more to reach toad status and there is " not " a ton of em... It's a different world and a little bit harder to just cough em up Lol! , but anyways heres the deal. I have come to learn that you can send people some awesome images but it doesn't usually do the ones that are really struggling much good. For some reason they need to see and do at the same time and the best thing for them is a good guide trip or a trip with a buddy that's got it down. But heres another hickey. It's not gonna take one trip to seal the deal. It's gonna take several trips and then you need to put a ton of time on the water and do it yourself and watch it go down. You need to see the good times and the bad and even the times that are right in the middle. If your chasing monster-fish, you gotta dig down deep and truly understand that you are not going after fish that any regular person can simply locate and catch easily no matter if your trotling, jugging or using rod and reel. These fish are special and becoming more and more sacred every minute we breathe air. Now, with that being said, I want to tell you this. Looking and finding small fish on a fish finder is real easy to do but harder to dial in on the exact look or see perfect definition of the fish so to help determine what species you are looking at you have to learn and look for " traits of the group " or the way a certain species will generally look while moving or holding together. For instance, Tom Gravely once said " that groups of channel cat look like popcorn if I remember correctly ". Cracks me up too because they do. Lol! So does a group of small blue kitty. When you are looking for larger Trophy Fish, it is actually easier because you can get a bigger and better picture along with more definition. And here's the funny thing. When looking at large fish on a fishfinder they usually look exactly like they look when you are viewing them out of water with one exception. If you ever get a chance go to Cabelas and watch the Monster Bluecat swim around in the aquarium, you'll notice that as they swim they are moving around each other and obstacles in the tank so they have to juke and jive to get around things. They will angle nose up or nose down at times. They will roll to the left or roll to the right. They'll sweep sideways. They'll pull 180 and 360 spins. Anyways I guess what I am trying to say is that when looking at a group of large catfish on a fish-finder screen you have to understand that they can all be at a different angle at the time your fish-finders signal transmits so what you are looking for is that one good signal of at least one of the fish that will really define him or her and tell you what it is. When looking for large fish in deepwater, you can locate fish with side image and down image but when you get on top of em use " sonar definition to verify ". When in shallow water, you can use side image to locate fish and use " shadow definition to verify ". If you do not " verify " you will very rarely catch the fish you are after and you need to do it on your own fish-finder. So for the ones that feel they truly struggle, start doing a lot less fishing and a lot more looking and try to capture as many images as you can by yourself on your own machine. Until you do that, you will never be comfortable and you will also never really truly cherish the fish you catch. smile Also, If you hang around the forum long enough every now and then one of us or somebody will feel fruity that day and release a dang good image or images... smile


thumb
Posted By: BigPoppa007

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/27/16 08:22 PM

I'm still trying to figure out my New Helix7 Si............
Posted By: Muzzlebrake

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/27/16 11:02 PM

Originally Posted By: big10
Well said Rick!

"A large school of catfish looks like popcorn." I heard the exact same words from a very good guide when I was just getting into this great sport.


Now we know why all the channel cats ended up in the cast net. Funniest looking gizzard shad I ever saw.
Posted By: Fish Killer

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/28/16 01:15 AM

Anyone got a graph pic of this popcorn?
Posted By: Wayne P.

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/28/16 01:38 PM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa1-igWNC6c
Posted By: Big Zee

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/28/16 02:29 PM

I love looking at my down scan and seeing the fish and structure. But to be honest, I use my chart plotter and sonar much more to find catfish. Find structure, drop offs, curves in the rivers and so on. Contour is what I look for, not fish. Like I said, I love my down scan, but it is my 3rd string team player. Find the right contour to match the structure, you got fish.

They do look like popcorn.

Posted By: big_whiskers

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/28/16 04:06 PM

A lot of good info,but the man just wanted pictures,yall answered like a politician. Lmao
Posted By: J Lowe

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/28/16 04:42 PM

Originally Posted By: big_whiskers
A lot of good info,but the man just wanted pictures,yall answered like a politician. Lmao

Lol! Kinda what I was thinking. Probably should change the title now.. roflmao
Posted By: Fish Killer

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/28/16 06:02 PM

Originally Posted By: Wayne P.


I need to get my unit dialed in as good as his is.
Posted By: BigPoppa007

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/30/16 06:41 AM

I million pissant minnows ..........

Posted By: Capt. Michael Littlejohn

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/30/16 11:05 AM

Originally Posted By: Fish Killer
Originally Posted By: Wayne P.


I need to get my unit dialed in as good as his is.


I have seen this video a few times… And never really have made a comment about it. In my experience, most of the fish we are seeing in this video are not catfish. They are Gar and carp.

Personally I would have not stopped and fished them.
Posted By: TCK73

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 06/30/16 01:35 PM

Originally Posted By: Salsa®
Originally Posted By: Fish Killer
Originally Posted By: Wayne P.


I need to get my unit dialed in as good as his is.


I have seen this video a few times… And never really have made a comment about it. In my experience, most of the fish we are seeing in this video are not catfish. They are Gar and carp.

Personally I would have stopped and fished them.


Could you elaborate on why you think that is for those of us that could use a little insight?
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/01/16 01:17 AM

It sure is quiet around here gentlemen... yawn roflmao roflmao
Posted By: mjmetro0719

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/01/16 02:47 AM

Always cool to find stuff like this
Posted By: Txmedic033

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/01/16 03:45 AM

I have some sand bass and crappie screen shots, but no recent cats.
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/01/16 04:28 PM

Originally Posted By: mjmetro0719
Always cool to find stuff like this



It sure is Mike! cheers
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/01/16 04:28 PM

Originally Posted By: Txmedic033
I have some sand bass and crappie screen shots, but no recent cats.


cheers
Posted By: TroyKing

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/05/16 02:00 PM

Originally Posted By: big10
Well said Rick!

"A large school of catfish looks like popcorn." I heard the exact same words from a very good guide when I was just getting into this great sport.
...pardon my ignorance fellows, but this popcorn you speak of, would it be like individual little white dots or more like a bunch of white with a fluffy looking top...I have an elite 5 and I am learning to trust the downscan pretty good...I can tell crappie and sand bass pretty well but my kids want to catfish so that's what we are doing more of right now.
Posted By: Big Sam

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/06/16 07:57 PM

well its the only screen shot ive taken in a while....its a rock pile in the middle of the Arkansas river
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 01:45 AM

Originally Posted By: Big Sam
well its the only screen shot ive taken in a while....its a rock pile in the middle of the Arkansas river


Nuttin like a good ole rockpile Sam! cheers
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 01:46 AM

popcorn
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 01:50 AM

Originally Posted By: TroyKing
Originally Posted By: big10
Well said Rick!

"A large school of catfish looks like popcorn." I heard the exact same words from a very good guide when I was just getting into this great sport.
...pardon my ignorance fellows, but this popcorn you speak of, would it be like individual little white dots or more like a bunch of white with a fluffy looking top...I have an elite 5 and I am learning to trust the downscan pretty good...I can tell crappie and sand bass pretty well but my kids want to catfish so that's what we are doing more of right now.


Troy buddy, I usually don't take pictures of the little bait thiefs but next time I see the corn I'll snap ya a pic. cheers
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 01:50 AM

popcorn
Posted By: Big Sam

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 08:57 PM


Well Prime someone asked for pictures!!!LMAO roflmao noidea So its all I had!!! Nice rock pile though...


Originally Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME
popcorn
Posted By: mjmetro0719

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 09:40 PM

First off I want to apologize for the dirty and smeared screen, I throw my cast net from the back of the boat most of the time and it gets my console pretty dirty and it's the only picture that I had saved. if you are able to enlarge the picture and zoom in you can get a better clarity of the fish. This was taken right at the end winter when we had temps in the 70's, on the left side of the screen you can see some big gar but there are some nice bluecat that are mixed in, on the right side of the screen there are a few gar but several nice bluecats, I ended up anchoring on this spot and caught several nice ones, anyone that would like to give input or opinions on what you see are much appreciated, I've got a good understanding on my sonar but I'm still no pro and you may see something that I missed or interpret differently

Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 11:11 PM

Originally Posted By: Big Sam

Well Prime someone asked for pictures!!!LMAO roflmao noidea So its all I had!!! Nice rock pile though...


Originally Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME
popcorn


roflmao roflmao roflmao roflmao cheers
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/07/16 11:14 PM

Originally Posted By: mjmetro0719
First off I want to apologize for the dirty and smeared screen, I throw my cast net from the back of the boat most of the time and it gets my console pretty dirty and it's the only picture that I had saved. if you are able to enlarge the picture and zoom in you can get a better clarity of the fish. This was taken right at the end winter when we had temps in the 70's, on the left side of the screen you can see some big gar but there are some nice bluecat that are mixed in, on the right side of the screen there are a few gar but several nice bluecats, I ended up anchoring on this spot and caught several nice ones, anyone that would like to give input or opinions on what you see are much appreciated, I've got a good understanding on my sonar but I'm still no pro and you may see something that I missed or interpret differently



My 2 cents... Mike buddy, I would have made some quick tweeks to your unit for a little better clarity, but I'm not seeing any gar!!! Them are catfish and the ones on the left side are pretty darn good toads pardner!!! flag cheers
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/08/16 12:47 AM

Here ya go buddy... Lol!!! grin
Posted By: mjmetro0719

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/08/16 01:31 PM

Thanks Rick! I think you and I need to get together someday and just cruise around and let's share ideas and tweek that unit a bit. I still need to collect on that cup of coffee anyway. thumb
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/08/16 02:54 PM

Originally Posted By: mjmetro0719
Thanks Rick! I think you and I need to get together someday and just cruise around and let's share ideas and tweek that unit a bit. I still need to collect on that cup of coffee anyway. thumb


roflmao roflmao roflmao You got it Mike!!! No Problem and congrats on your hardwork and find! Your a fishin sonovagun!!! cheers Is it wintertime yet?!?!?! cry Lol!!!

http://youtu.be/urHCYBOdNGg
Posted By: TroyKing

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/09/16 02:04 AM

Originally Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME
Originally Posted By: TroyKing
Originally Posted By: big10
Well said Rick!

"A large school of catfish looks like popcorn." I heard the exact same words from a very good guide when I was just getting into this great sport.
...pardon my ignorance fellows, but this popcorn you speak of, would it be like individual little white dots or more like a bunch of white with a fluffy looking top...I have an elite 5 and I am learning to trust the downscan pretty good...I can tell crappie and sand bass pretty well but my kids want to catfish so that's what we are doing more of right now.


Troy buddy, I usually don't take pictures of the little bait thiefs but next time I see the corn I'll snap ya a pic. cheers
...thanks, I'll be here.
Posted By: JB in Ft Worth

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/09/16 03:02 AM

Nothing worse than getting tiny catfish tangled up in your cast net. They can sure get stuck good.
Posted By: pelican

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/10/16 02:07 AM


Here's a couple of shots of mostly 3-6 lb Channel Cats with a few same size blues mixed in.





Posted By: Big Sam

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/11/16 02:26 PM

Come on Prime what happened to the GPS location?? stir and that black sharpe pen.... helpsign LMAO!!
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/11/16 03:48 PM

Originally Posted By: Big Sam
Come on Prime what happened to the GPS location?? stir and that black sharpe pen.... helpsign LMAO!!


roflmao roflmao roflmao roflmao breakdance
Posted By: Big Sam

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/12/16 02:36 PM

oops roflmao hmmmLOL
Posted By: OPTIMUS PRIME

Re: Post your Catfish graph pictures here - 07/12/16 04:47 PM

Originally Posted By: Big Sam
oops roflmao hmmmLOL


roflmao roflmao It's all good pardner!!! Lol!! cheers fish
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