Hey guys! I want to start learning how to catch catfish out of my yak. Let me say first off that I am a largemouth bass fisherman, and thats pretty much all I've ever done. Wanting to start going after other species this year. I wanna start with cats. I went today with a couple of poles and some Danny King punch bait with absolutely no success. Seems like all I did was make a mess. I'd like to learn about rigging styles, bait choices, drifiting, the whole nine yards. I plan on doing some research on my own, but I was gonna pick the brains of some actual kayak catfishermen. Thanks guys!!!

CALLING CHRISTIAN MYRIC......calling Christian Myrick. Please report for duty.

I could give you tips, but Christan is definitely the cat guy.

To start off leave the store bought baits at the store, stick with live or freash cut bait for best results. The store bought works best over chum and or moving water, and then the odds off hooking up something big are slim pickings. Personally I prefer the Santa cooper rig with about a 30 inch leader using from a 2-0 to 9-0 hooks, no-rolls have really worked out well and or pencil bottom walkers. As far as finding them is pretty easy, just find the bait fish, old creek beds, road beds, rocky areas, drops, flats, stick ups, or that sweet spot under the water. The best advice is to keep a ear to the ground and listen for a invite from Christian, he's the dude! One day I might get good at catching a fish or three

Basic stuff. cast net, fish grips ,circle hooks and a reel than can hold decent amount of line. I fish close to the botom with 3 way rig with a slip bober 5- 9 hook size. ( with fresh shad )

Palestine is a good cat lake. Should be easy enough to pick up the knack for catching cats on.
Study this page some: http://www.learntocatchcatfish.com/santee-cooper-rig/

Use that rig with a couple of rods out with some fresh cut shad and drift from the boat ramp at Flat Creek out across the main lake or up across the other side of the cut. Use a GPS to make sure your speed is 0.5 mph or less. You have to drift slow slow slow.

I like to use a circle hook tied on to my leader with a snell knot. If you are using a circle hook make sure you don't set the hook, just let the rod load up and then reel down on it.

Shad is going to be your best bait most of the time. Cut perch and cut carp and be killers at the right times too but shad is pretty much the go to bait.

You can catch fish on prepared bait but you kinda have to know where the fish are going to be and set up a feeding freenzy. But by and large you will catch more fish on a regular basis drifting with cut bait.

If you are drifting and you get into a good bite anchor up and fish the spot until the bite dies off. Drifting is really just a means of locating fish.

But the absolute one thing I cannot stress enough is you have to know how fast you are moving so you can make sure you are moving slow enough. Use drag anchors or drift socks to slow down your drift speed with too much wind.

I use a couple diffrent rigs. Three way rigs, mine i like the weight section of leader about two ft and the hook section about 1ft. Santee cooper rig, i like the leader about 12-18inches. The float on both rigs is imo very important. I like mine about 3-4inches up from hook. I anchor and drift. Anchoring is pretty self explainitory just spider web your rods out. Drifting i fish 3 rods, two far and one close. The close seperating the two far. For bait i always use shad unless its impossible.to get then carp or perch. I fish my drags just short of locked down. Some like to leave it loose but not me. I think tight drag helps a ton with hook ups. My mainline is 20# mono and hook sizes from 5/0-13/0 depending on location and bait size. At strike most cats will hit hard, just reel down, dont set hook...with circle hooks. I never use j hooks. Just pref. Once the fish is hooked up loosen drag so if the fish wants to run they can but under tension. Once they get close to yak i loosen my drag almost all the way and use my thumb to control line and spool. Be carefull...i have gotten burned but for a big fish it worth it...to me. Once the fish is tired you can get them close enough to net or grab the bottom jaw. In the spring and fall i fish as shallow as 6" of water. The rest of the time im following creek channels or ledges etc. Dont be afraid to use big bait. That said...dougy caught a monster on a pc the size of a quarter. I hope.it helps. Great luck and smoke them drag washers!

I never use a sliding weight. Barley hook bait also. You dont want to miss the hook up because hook was covered. Cats dont care about seeing the hook.

Great info guys!

You can also find where the water turkeys are roosting and load up on catfish. I haven't done it in forever but all you need is some shad. Fish it weightless and pitch it to the tree and let it fall. Usually a barrel swivel and 18" leader and hook is all the tackle you need on your heavy bass rod. It's finesse cat fishing and sure is fun. Palestine is one of the best lakes for this. Just be real sneaky and quiet like you are bass fishing and you can get some big ones if they don't wrap up in the tree.

Thanks guys ! How well does previously caught frozen shad work?

I have learned so much in the last few months about catching big cats from Christian and Jose.
And don't let Jason fool you he can slaughter some cats too!!!

From my limited experience it works slightly better than nothing

since the bite has gone down for whites and hybrids, anyone interested in a open invite for cats next saturday. i am ok at drifting for cats, but would love to pick up some tips from a pro. also, i have no idea where to catch shad. i'm will to help catch shad the night before.

maybe twok or lavon.

also if Christian is able to make it, i wanna check out the santa cruz.

Where and how can I catch some shad ? I have a Castnet but I hardly ever get anything with it. Do u guys throw them from the yak?