Posted this in the bank fishing section, figured maybe I could get some specialized help here:

It's spring break for some of the young folk/school employees. I have another coaching buddy and two more buddies still in school who are coming in tomorrow for the rest of the week. They all want to do some fishing and I am about 5 minutes from Grapevine.

With their gear and mine, we can set up for Catfish. Problem is my john boat is a 3 hour drive away and my buddies pontoon is at Lake Travis. So, we are land bound.

I have been experimenting at Denton Creek of late and haven't been out to Grapevine since last summer. And even then, I didn't have much success. So, all that said:

1.) What parks, and what trails in those parks would you recommend?
2.) What setup, bait, and presentation would you go with for Catfish?
3.) What would your strategy be if the ultimate goal was quantity (bearing in mind I will be at the lake, not the creeks, and on the bank)

If you have secrets to keep, no problem, but any advice/info/suggestions would be much appreciated.

I would try to catch some shad near shore or a boat ramp early in the morning. Can catch them from shore with a net early in the morning especially since it has been warm the last few days. As for the rig, use a santee cooper rig (slip weight, about a 2 foot leader and a 2inch cork about 6 inches from the cork) and use a heavier weight to get it out there. Try a 4-6 ouncer. Cut shad is the best, or maybe try to catch a few carp/buffalo for bait and cut it up. Since you are near grapevine, try to get some secret 7 or big marv's and try it also. Thats all I can do since I have no knowledge of Grapevine. Good luck and let us know.

Thanks for the advice. I have some DK, is Secret 7 and/or Big Marv's a significant improvement. And, if so, where can I get it? BPS? Also, I am not familiar with the "santee cooper" rig. I have only catfished with a Carolina rig, and just bobber fishing.

So I guess same question for the rig. Is it a significant improvement, since I am not familiar with it, to research it and use it instead?

Again, thanks for the quick response and advice.

Santee Cooper rig is just like the traditional catfish rig but put a bobber near the hook. Blue cat, especially big blues have a little trouble picking bait up off the bottom plus it puts the bait up out of the mud and muck! Keeps it "clean" and easier for them to let go. I have used DK in the past, good bait I personally prefer and have better luck with Secret 7. Alot of people on here make a livin on big marv's and secret 7. But everyone has their opinion. As for picking it up around grapevine, someone chim in here.

Would something like this work:
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores...010000_100-10-4

Or just a regular old bobber. I have some of the floats I linked too but I've only use them to make worms top waters at our bass stock tank. Never to float catfish bait...though I probably should have done that by now. Also, I'm thinking of getting some chicken livers, should I soak those in anything or just let the blood do it's work. Sorry to keep asking so many questions. It's just the only catfishing I ever do is at our other stock tank that has tons of blue gill and catfish in there. My uncle has kept it on a management plan so the little ones are almost always guaranteed a fish. Those cats hit DK like nobody's business, but they are also on timed feeders so I could probably just reach in and grab one.

I hear folks catch a bunch around twin coves. It's cool looking over there, not sure how the cats will be tho.
If I remember right Twin Coves is a Corps of Engineers park. If so you can buy a Corps of Engineers pass good till Feb of next year and get in to fish or launch a boat at any Corps park in the U.S. The pass is $30, it's plastic coated & you hang it on your rear view mirror . Joe Pool & LL has a Corps park I use to launch all the time.Many lakes in texas have Corps parks. I spent $10 about 6 times at LL in a month and decided to find the boat ramp at the south side of Old Dallas dam because it was protected from south winds and it was a Corps park. Got my pass there. Wish I had knew about that before blowing $60.

I caught a couple at twin coves out of a boat on 3-14. they were still kind of deep about 15 foot. secret 7 and hot dogs.

Looks like twin coves is the best place to try. I checked out Silver Lake and Murrell Park today. Is there a fee for Twin Coves?

I'll just have to check Google Earth to try and find a good spot. Thanks for the help.

When I was younger we used to go to meadowmere park and fish from the point, when you go through the guard shack it's to the right. With some cut shad you might even pick up some sandbass. We used to use a seine to catch some ghost minnows and we would wear the sandbass out on those things, fished on the bottom tight lining a crappie rig. I don't even know if you can still fish from there but it would be worth looking at.

you can still fish meadowmere but you might need a rocket launcher to get your line in water over a couple of foot deep right now.