I've been fishing a lighted dock lately and I can't seem to catch the cats very well. I see them swimming around the top of the water so I've been putting baits at varied depths under a cork. I've literally seen 3 hit the cork but not the bait. I've use a mix of Shad/liver/stink bait (preformed balls you get from walmart)

what would you do if you saw a bunch of cats around the surface?

Thanks

I'm new here but maybe I can help. when cats go to surface they are usually looking for a different type of insect. I've seen yellow grasshoppers used with out a weight and fish caught. I've even used june bugs. maybe it will work for you

Earthworms are deadly in those situations as well as a lively minnow.

Thanks, I'll try those and see how it works

I agree when you see them on top feeding their charter has changed in that they are looking for a certain type of food usually something like a minnow, grasshopper, or worm. Unless they are coming to a fish feeder or chum in that case they will hit just about anything including cheese and punch bait as a rule.

Also try a small free lined LIVE shad. Hold on to your rod!

when I have seen them slurping the top under lights, they were eating mayflies and ignored everything else.

One exception was already mentioned, if they are eating under a feeder then you can make small dough balls out of ground up dry dog food and flour (smells just like the pellets they eat out of the feeder) and you will slay them!

I have never had any luck with the preformed balls from walmart, waste of money in my opinion.

I agree with the tips here to try something natural, or a good punch bait like big marvs or sureshot.

maybe if you caught a bunch of mayflies and mashed them into some punch bait? might work if the mayflies are what they are after.

Also, I would only hang your bait a foot or less under the cork...

keep at them, at least you have found actively feeding cats, that is half the battle!

Well should of gone looking for bugs during the day because there don't seem to be any out here now lol. So far the worms haven't done any good but the locust we found caught us a nice one. A junebug was messed with by one then he left it and the perch destroyed him.

Next game plan is to catch bugs during the day and try to find Shad because we've seen them chasing little fish around.

Nice fish and a great picture,
Happy fishing

Welcome to TFF Motor Daddy!