Catfishing in NE Kansas

[Midwest Outdoorsman]

Hey guys. Looking for some cat-fishing advice. I live in Lawrence so I am rather proximal to Milford, Tuttle-Creek, Clinton, Lonestar, Perry, and Shawnee. I have cat fished my whole life but never really looked into techniques and results have been mediocre. If I am shore fishing, what are the best rigs and bait to use? I'm trying to target 10+lb cats. Also guys that fish in this area. Where have you had luck? Rigs used? Etc. 

[Russ E]

I don't personally try to catch catfish very often, but I have caught a ton of channel cats and flatheads at Perry while bass fishing rocky shorelines with crankbaits.

using rotten grain as chum is very popular at Perry. I have seen huge channel cats caught by the chum fishermen.

[Bluebasser86]

I use a technique I call bass fishing for catfish. Basically it's a piece of fresh cut shad, bluegill, carp, on a 2/0 Kahle hook, fished on a M or MH spinning rod and 20lb braid. Cast it along weed edges, rip rap, where ever a catfish might be laying and let it settle to the bottom, then fish it back with slow hops like you would a plastic worm. Be ready because bites are often violent and they tend to take off really fast. I made a couple bad videos on the technique.

 

 

[Dorado]

@Bluebasser86 just subscribed to your channel. Good stuff

[Midwest Outdoorsman]

On 2/1/2018 at 8:42 PM, Weedwhacker said:

I don't personally try to catch catfish very often, but I have caught a ton of channel cats and flatheads at Perry while bass fishing rocky shorelines with crankbaits.

using rotten grain as chum is very popular at Perry. I have seen huge channel cats caught by the chum fishermen.

What time of the year have you seen this done? Rotten grain? Any idea how to obtain some of that?

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Midwest Outdoorsman said:

What time of the year have you seen this done? Rotten grain? Any idea how to obtain some of that?

It's usually done during the summer months. Buy some grain at a feed store and put it in a 5 gallon bucket with a lid. Fill it with enough water to cover the grain, make sure there's vent holes to let air escape, but small enough to keep flies out. Let it sit in the sun for a couple days and you'll be ready to go. A lot of work that is really not needed, but it is popular on lakes like Perry, Clinton, and Glen Elder. 

[Russ E]

if you want to take advantage of the chum fishermen. they often congregate just off shore of the rock creek campground at Perry in an area they call the hog trough. I have caught a lot of catfish around the area while bass fishing the rocky shoreline.

 

[conorsixtakc]

30lb big game mono main line, 1oz lead weight, big swivel, 12” 30lb leader, 6/0 gamakatsu octopus circle hook, cut or live bluegill or green sunfish. I prefer cut green sunfish, they’re more oily and have thicker shoulders. Have caught lots of 20lb+ blues and flatheads off the dock down at LOZ doing that. 

[Bluebasser86]

The blue cats are nuts at Wolf Creek right now. If a guy was really targeting them, could probably do some serious damage. 

[Midwest Outdoorsman]

11 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

The blue cats are nuts at Wolf Creek right now. If a guy was really targeting them, could probably do some serious damage. 

Have any advice on how and wear to target them, especially if I am shore fishing. If you have any shore fishing advice for catfish or suggestions on locations for shore fishing for catfish. Advice and suggestions would be appreciated.

[Bluebasser86]

11 hours ago, Midwest Outdoorsman said:

Have any advice on how and wear to target them, especially if I am shore fishing. If you have any shore fishing advice for catfish or suggestions on locations for shore fishing for catfish. Advice and suggestions would be appreciated.

If you mean to shore fish Wolf Creek, you only have one option and that's right around the boat ramp, not really a great option right now while it's cold out. Once it warms up a bit I'm sure you can catch plenty of channel cat around the feeder right there. A couple surf rods would allow you to get out a bit further (still realistically only 3-5 feet of cold water right now), but that's what I would do if I was going to try from the bank there right now. The outlet at La Cygne is an option from the bank. You have to deal with lots of other anglers and lots of small fish, but there's some bigger ones there, mainly flatheads and channels but I've caught a couple blues in the outlet. 

[drscholl14]

I'm not from your area but I do shorefish for catfish quite a bit.  I primarily only fish catfish at night and while you can catch them during the day they are much more active at night.  Get yourself some cheap rod holders that drive into the ground and then a set of clip on bells to clip to your rod as a strike indicator.  Then use @conorsixtakc's advice on bait a tackle.  Upgrade the weight of your sinker if the current is strong and cast out cut/live shad or bluegill (live for flathead/Cut for channels) and wait for a bite.  If you are going for flathead look for laydowns.  Can't help you with blues as we don't have them this far north unfortunately. Check out youtube also, there are some great catfish channels out there.

[Graytoms]

Hoping someone out there picks up on this message.  I gave a couple of hours to kill and one place I'm thinking of is the Outlet on La Cygne.  I'm on foot so I'm limited in options.   Not many videos around of the outlet from a bank perspective - I have seen one with everyone casting over a fence (not what i'm looking to do)  

 

KS outdoors  says :   

Good shoreline angler access is provided by the Linn County Park on the west side of the lake.

HOT WATER ACCESS. On the east side of the lake access to the hot water return, where a lot of fish are caught when its cold, is: at 69 HWY and Ks HWY 152, go east and drive across the dam on E.2200 Rd., turn north at Young Rd. and go West at E. 2400 Rd. to the parking lot.  Anglers walk from the parking lot west on the path to the hot water return area. But this is a great place to fish. 

 

a} Is there access around the outlet that's not obstructed by the fence that's worth fishing  and b} Would the water be warm enough to try some of the other bank accessible spots on the lake?      I don't mind the walk and I'm not expecting bags of fish.. just a chance and getting some.   

 

thanks in advance....   

[Russ E]

The fence is only at the outlet entrance, where the current is strongest.

There is decent bank access beyond the fence, but you may be competing with several other fishermen. Shad stack up just below the outlet. Predators are usually close by. If the catfish are not biting, there are plenty of white bass hanging out. 

The marina area usually has a few fish this time of year. Water is usually fairly warm there also.

La Cygne is loaded with catfish. Had my boat in the outlet last fall. There were so many baby catfish, I probably could have walked on them. 

I don't fish for them, but catch plenty while bass fishing. There are giant flatheads in that lake.

[Graytoms]

Thanks Russ.   

appreciate the response.   

You wouldn't happen to know the typical depth of the water around that spot?  

Is the lake bed typically rock /  gravel / timber strewn ??   Browsed a few maps but didn't yet find the answers I was looking for

 

Trying to figure my tackle bag....    ?   

[Bluebasser86]

On 2/2/2021 at 4:22 PM, Graytoms said:

Thanks Russ.   

appreciate the response.   

You wouldn't happen to know the typical depth of the water around that spot?  

Is the lake bed typically rock /  gravel / timber strewn ??   Browsed a few maps but didn't yet find the answers I was looking for

 

Trying to figure my tackle bag....    ?   

Past the fence, it depends how far down you walk. It's a typical washout hole, so you have deeper water up closer to the outlet, then it gets shallower as you get further away. It ends in a mud flat that is 2-3 feet deep. The main hole is 7-14 feet deep, mostly rock/gravel/sand/clay bottom as all the soft substrate has been washed away by current. There's plenty of snags, along with lots and lots of fishing line. If you're after catfish, the tiny channel cats will drive you crazy, and by tiny I mean 4-6 inch fish that attack in swarms. There's a few bigger channels, along with an occasional flathead or blue cat also.