I would love to fish with you sometime, Lynn. You are a deep well of catfish knowledge. I've only been hunting yellow cats for going on two years now but I've been studying them pretty intensely since I started fishing for them as I believe they are an interesting enough species to be worthy of that kind of devotion.
I've learned way more about them from Jug fishing than I have R&R. In fact until I started jug fishing for them I couldn't even catch one the R&R.

so if u find one yella cat is there more in that same area

Generally, yes. But even if you catch the one that was there another will move in on the territory.

The "Trail" was good to us again...

I know the record holder on Lavon has some trails marked. He spent a lot of time looking for them. I need ot pic his brain some more and figure out how to find the trails. I really am not too sure you could find one using a graph but not sure, all depends on colorline.

Anyhow, if anyone has some pics of a graph showing this or more input on how to find the trails that would be much appreciated.

MR,
You know, the only reason I have any knowledge of catfish is from basically two things. One being that I would spend all night catching a few rinky dinks in my younger years. Second, is that others catching more & also larger ones, made me determined that I would excel, regardless if it took me the rest of my life.

From that, I learned to observe (& take written notes). Even Einstein could not remember everything. Once when asked what the speed of light was, he said he would have to look it up, as things like that clutter up the memory. And sometimes you find other information from sources you would not expect. When Ron shares something about his Crappie fishing & his finding, I ponder on it to see if it has Catfish implications. Oddly, some things definitely do.

I believe everybody who catfishes, has some sort of information which is important to everyone (as to catfishing), or least to one person. If you don't share, then we or that one person will never receive that juicy morsel of info we've been searching for.

I happen to not only like catfishin', but also research & finding interesting things. I like to study things & see what makes 'em tick. I am not afraid to take a bucket of water from the ocean & study it one bucket at a time. Seems overwhelming, but every journey begins with a step, then another & another.

I feel that by listening to all techniques, Rod-n-Reel, set lines, and such (yes, even some that are now illegal), many things can be learned. I realize no one way has all the answers. Would I like to catch Catfish by Rod-n-Reel? You betcha, as compared to some of those on the Forum here. Will it ever happen? Don't know. As to me & shad, they don't work for me. I'm hopin' one day, somebody will be the one that will instruct me to the point to where they will work. Meanwhile, I will pursue the catfish experience as best I can do from my relative position. From that point, I gladly share what I have observed. And I hope others do the same. Life is given in that we are teachers & learners. We must become both.

For instance, I had never thought of using a steel rod to tamp to determine YellowCat paths. I understand why a steel rod would be best. It is harder than wood. And the resonance could be not only felt, but possibly heard, in so that two methods as to findings could be much more helpful. As a sidenote to that, on the river, I used to use Loop stakes (3/8 Rebar about 30 to 36" long, twisted on one end to make a loop) to stick in the mud or clay on each side of my trotlines or on my throwlines. Even in tough clay, with a little effort, I could still stick it into the ground (bank). Usually just off the bank, underwater, I would leave just enough protrusion to find later. If the river rose, I could use my 12 foot gaff to grab my line, just off the shore aways, being careful not to yank the stake out & run the line while it was up. If the river was up & I planned to pull a trotline or throwlinwe, I would take my 12' gaff (10' of 1" Schedule 40 PVC pipe with a 30" piece of 3/8" rebar shapped like a check mark or "J" hook & is attached to the pipe by 3 hose clamps) and run it around where I thought the edge of the loop stake was. It would not only "feel" the metal to metal contact, but "hear" the metal to metal contact. Yes, you could hear the metallic sound. Plus the loop stakes are good for a temporary landing attachment for your boat.

Looks like Jeff G hit a good path.

Noted as being caught Yesterday. Perhaps when you ran the lines Saturday AM? Yes or No? As YC days were 28/29 (Thurs/Fri). The next YC days will be May 7th/8th (Sat/Sun).

MR,

Juglines are interesting, as they can be used as set lines or drifting lines, so they can be used in those modes of operation. Sounds like are keying in on the Yellows very well. And in 2 years, as well. My teachers taught me back in '79 & '80, so I've had a lot of time to research over the years, but life does not always allow to fish constantly (or at least in my case).

On the Trinity down in this area, I have heard of big Yellows eating rabbits as they come down to drink water. Now as to whether the rabbit was on the edge or just barely in the water, I could not say for sure. But either way, can you imagine one of these monsters just sucking down a rabbit in one big gulp? And the sheer speed & force of the lunge to catch the rabbit offguard?

MR,

Juglines are interesting, as they can be used as set lines or drifting lines, so they can be used in those modes of operation. Sounds like you are keying in on the Yellows very well. And in 2 years, as well. My teachers taught me back in '79 & '80, so I've had a lot of time to research over the years, but life does not always allow us to fish constantly (or at least in my case).

On the Trinity down in this area, I have heard of big Yellows eating rabbits as they come down to drink water. Now as to whether the rabbit was on the edge or just barely in the water, I could not say for sure. But either way, can you imagine one of these monsters just sucking down a rabbit in one big gulp? And the sheer speed & force of the lunge to catch the rabbit offguard?

Sounds like some day we may have to do that "research" trip together.

I believe yellow cat definitely follow paths. For many yrs, my uncle fished exclusively for opps on LL with trotlines. Result was almost always the same. Catch a good opp on a line and you'd catch a lot more within the same 4-5 hooks year after year. Areas where these lines were set did not have timber or rocks or other obstructions. The lines did not hang up even with a big fish on them. Several times, there would be two opps on the line next to each other. Best trip I remember was a 58# and 42# next to each other. After many experiments trying to determine how to intercept routes, his plan was to set a line down the middle of a cove or slightly across the middle of the cove. Lines running perpendicular to the center line of the cove never did very good. Also, he caught just as many opps on bare hooks as with bait. Lines weren't snag lines, just legal trotlines with 7/0 or 8/0 hooks. He finally got to the point, he would leave hooks at the intercept site (10) and take the other hooks off.

Ken,
Which lake are you using LL for?
Some use it for Lavon, some for Lewisville, and some might use it for Limestone. Just wondering.

I always note that the littler ones (say 30 pounders & down) can use the paths, but if you catch larger ones & it keeps occurring, then you found a path for sure. Littler ones tend to "stray" a little.

But if you keep catching a swarm like Jeff, then it is obvious that you found "a" path.

Lake Lewisville. Fished primarily in the Cottonwood area in the early 60s thru 70s.

In! I'm the same way once something takes ahold of my attention. I read everything I can find written on the subject. I talk to everybody who seems to know even the slightest about it. And I prusue it diligently.
I started out when I was about 5 years old bass fishing in ponds. I didn't have a dad so I was mostly self taught though I have learned a great deal from my father-in-law.
Back in the 90s I discovered saltwater fishing the TX bays and that was all that held my attention for a good long while. Just a little while back I discovered flatheads and the idea of a monstor apex preditor in my local waters captivated my mind. And then come to find out that preditor was one of the tastiest fishes in the water to boot... I was hooked.

Went through my watched post, and found this. Good interesting stuff !

Spiderman,

I pulled this thread up for you. We had an older thread that someone had posted a pic or illustration as to "hardened" trails due to Yellows constantly running them. As to using juglines to target Yellows, if they free float, they could drift over a Yellow's apartment or a trail, or one on a feeding run (I refer to it as a "roam-feed" circuit switched on). You might also breeze thru my past threads on My Catfish Calendar for more on Yellows. The one in 2010 has a 3 part story concerning the Catfish Calendar. Here are there links. ---
Previously ...
2010 <http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/5176857/1>
2011 <http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/5657988/1>
2012 <http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/7059981/1>
2013 <http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/8477517/1>
2014 <http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/9620277/1>
2015 <http://texasfishingforum.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/10541276/1>

If'n I have any spare time, I will look to see if I jotted down the one on Catfish "hardened" trails or to about when it was. Maybe I saved the pic, which would also give me a time slot to look for.