Catfishing Wood Piles

I'm going to be kayaking a local river soon to fish the laydowns for some quality blues and channel cats. Have caught plenty doing similar fishing from the bank in creeks where there are smaller laydowns but this will be the first time fishing them vertically and putting bait right down in the middle of the piles. Is there any good way to make the hooks snagless so I don't loose 10 rigs in the big nasty of the wood? Obviously putting shad chunk on the hook point would not work well for hookup ratio so don't really know what else to do especially since I'll have pretty big hooks for big blue cats...

Eric

Not sure about making a circle hook snagless.

But I would suggest using heavy line and set your drag tight so you can get the fish in as quickly as possible. Where you might have the most trouble is after you set the hook and the fish runs into/around the brush.

Personally I would try and keep your bait just outside the brush, right on the edge and up close but not actually inside. But I guess that just depends on the exact spot.

In the local rivers I find carp and sunfish whole are king for blues and channels. I run 65lb. Suffix 832 with a Carolina steal leader.

I put a 1oz egg sinker on your choice of size octopus hook. No swivel or anything egg sinker banging the hook eye or put a bead but closer the weight to the hook the better I always use filets of bait I have avalible rig is called zero rig

Has worked for me a number of times or slipcork it

Cool deal, I'll try the sinker on the hook. Thanks!

Eric

spazm, he never said he was using circle hooks, but you're right. Circle hooks are snag resistant by design, especially if you use non-offset hooks.

Use a Paternoster rig. Most people call it a Kentucky rig. Put the weight at the bottom, then tie a dropper knot about three feet above. Much better for most types fising really.

Just fish a few feet upstream from the log jam. Current takes the scent of your bait into the log jam and the fish swim out to feed on the bait they smell. I’ve done this on every log jam I’ve every fished.

Eric,

One article in a catfish mag (between 2002 & 2012- I think in ACATS NOW or Catfish Gold), was shared by one who targeted Yellows below brush piles on the river. He shared the story of of one encounter, of over a 50 pounder. It is like dropping food in on the eating table for them. He said be ready, as they will strike qwik & if you don't get them away from the brush pile, they will get entangled. In the article, he shared that he could not get it away fast enough. So he kept the slack out, him & his fishing buddy got the boat as close as possible. He reached down into the pile to hopefully get the fish. His buddy held him by the belt loop (hopefully belt as well, as I have noted lately, the loops rip out easily). Anyway, it took a good few minutes to where he finally managed to pull it in & get it in the boat.

So, my two cents is, especially if you are in a Kayak, is be ready in case you encounter a 50+ pounder Yellow hanging out under the brush pile. Be sure & wear your Life Jacket.

So, my two cents is, especially if you are in a Kayak, is be ready in case you encounter a 50+ pounder Yellow hanging out under the brush pile. Be sure & wear your Life Jacket.[/quote]

+1 and watch how you approach the brush pile the current can look like nothing then wedge your kayak or roll it jus be double careful never go up to one broad side unless you know the current is slow enough an still prolly not a good idea

Thanks for the tips yall! Thankfully won't be doing the as hardcore stuff as that from the yak (other friend and I have a pelican pond hopper for that), just planning on using small cut bait for channels and blues, and this river is very slow most of the time (and when we'd be going...) so yes. Very much hope to soon tangle a monster river flathead but for sure will not do that from the kayak!!!

Eric