I ordered some Secret Seven and 'fuzzy things' a few weeks ago (great service by the way) and took the kids out yesterday for our first catfish trip without shad. I was really looking forward to it, as I thinking it has to be easier than dragging the kids out to the lake before sunrise to catch shad. Well, we did get to sleep in, but I'm not sure it was any easier.

I must be doing something wrong! Most of the fish were 'gut hooked' and I mean deep, which meant retying a leader each time. We boated 22 and 12 were hooked that way. I was fishing with 2/0 circle hooks with a 'fuzzy thing' to hold the S7. We were fishing tight lines in 2-3 feet water without the clickers. I fish the same way for blues and rarely have a deep hook, it's almost always in the jaw.

Here's a picture of the 12 we had to keep. We usually catch and release, but these couldn't be released with hooks in the gut.



Not sure I'm quite ready to give up the shad.

Any thoughts on what I could do different?


One more question:

I was thinking about trying the soured wheat and went to a feed store in McKinney on Saturday...no wheat and no milo. They had hen scratch, which I think some of you use. I wasn't sure if y'all are souring that or using as is...? Also, they had 50# bags of catfish feed. Could that be but in a burlap sack like the wheat...?

Thanks!

Flatten the barb down make um barbless

5/0 circles should help or #6 trebles

I have used the chicken scratch but it needs to be soured-it has several grains in the mixture. Catfish food normally floats but it comes apart after a while in the water. If you don't want to sour grain just buy some 20% protein range cubes at the feed store. I like using them in shallow water because you can throw them to likely looking spots around the boat.

Looks to me like you did everything right! I cant remember the last time I caught 22 cats in a day!

Thanks Tgravely. I wondered about a larger hook but didn't know if that would hinder the bite since the channels have smaller mouths. I usually use 4/0 for blues and switched to these specifically for this trip.

A gut hook is a sign that he's confident about the bait. That tells me he isn't going to be turned off by a larger hook.

I'm certainly no catfish expert but I've seen plenty of small cats hooked by 6/0 or bigger hooks. IMO if they think it's a good meal, there isn't much that will make em loose their appetite.

I use a #4 with punch bait. Very rarely have one swallowed. With Secret 7 they will swallow the tubes with the single hooks on a regular basis. They hit it hard!

Good looking family by the way! Hope they enjoyed the fresh fish.

Congrats on a nice catch. I don't do much catch and release when using Secret 7. The fish hit that bait hard and swallow it just about every time. You can even hold rod and set the hook as soon as you feel the bite and it's often all the way down. The good thing is it makes it easier for my customers to catch fish. Setting the hook is optional. By the time they get to the rod to set the hook, the fish has likely already stuck itself. There usually isn't any pecking type bites either. They hit it and hit it hard.

I use the Team Catfish dip tubes cut in half with a No. 6 trebble hook or a 3/0 double action circle hook. The circle hook will usually get them in the corner, but they will swallow that one deep at times as well.

i had a 3/4 lb channel swallow a shad saturday on a 8/0 circle hook, couldnt get it out

Wow, I think I may try this stuff!

Welcome to the forum.
I would go with a #4 or #6 Treble for eaters.
I believe it's easier to remove a gut-hooked with trebles compared to a circle. The circles can be swallowed pretty deep and you can still catch a BIG Channel on those #4 and #6 trebles.
G/L.
Tight Lines and Bent Poles!!!

OK, been hearing about Secret 7 on here for weeks now (as long as I've been a TFF member). I'm pretty new to catfishing, but I've placed my order for some S7 and Dead Red.

Can't wait to get my shipment and try this stuff out.

Here kitty kitty....

I'm glad you posted this, as I have had the exact experience. About 40-50% of my fish using 3/0 circle hooks, dip tubes and secret 7 are gut hooked. Just glad to know I'm not the only one.

Well i just bought my first tub of S7 yesterday going to try it out tomorrow hope i do as good as ev1 hear never had any luck on dip/punch bait b4 always used shad or cut bait