Maybe I should give up on bass...

[BoroBass]

and switch to catfishing!

Last two trips I seem to be much better at catching decent sized cats then I do bass. Both of these last two trips I've caught big channel cats on Senkos (1 weightless, 1 wacky). Thursday I caught a 4lb 8oz cat that was pretty much on top water on a weightless Senko and then today I caught a 6lb 5oz cat (one of the best fights of my life) on a wacky rigged black Senko. I've been fishing at this pond a couple times a week all summer and until Thursday I'd never caught a cat and I usually fish the same areas. I've never really heard of catfish swimming around 'suspended' in deep water (was in maybe 12-15ft both times) but I guess they do.

I did end up catching a 3lb and 2.5lb bass today so that made the trip a little better, compared to the 15-20 dinks over the 2 days.  ;D

[Lightninrod]

Man, I wouldn't complain!  You caught some fine fish.  I've never heard of catching catfish on a Senko.  I'd say you should pat yourself on your back 8-).

Dan

[George Welcome]

Your experience with the channel cats more than likely comes from their period of spawn. Cats are warm water spawners and what you are experiencing is their picking up the bait to move it away. It is also time for the pre-spawners to go overtime in eating which will cause them to be less selective in what they bite. Cats spawn in waters that generally range from 75 to 80 degrees which for most waters is May to July.

[Sam]

So what's the problem?

I caught 8 catfish in a row on spinnerbaits last month and had a blast fighting them.

Keep throwing your baits and experimenting with different baits, presentations and techniques.  

Scale down the bait sizes on ponds.

Fish your Senko wacky and you will get bit.  But not the larger size Senkos. Go with the 4 inchers or cut down a five or six incher to a four inch length.

Throw smaller white and chartruse spinnerbaits.

But most of all, get a map of your area and look for other ponds.  Fish other places (ponds, shore line of lakes or rivers) and keep on casting.

Catching fish other than bass is a part of fishing.  Just keep a written record of the bluegills, bream, catfish, pike, bass, crappie, bowfin, gar and malybe a carp so you can look back and see what they bit and the conditions. In fact, you may want to make it a contest to see how many different types of fish you can catch while fishing for bass.  I call it "fishing the circuit" and so far on one trip I have caught, bass, bluegills, bream, crappie and catfish.

Thats four different types of fish.  I never could catch that carp!

[JCrzy4Bass]

Maybe that explains why I pulled up a 2 and a half pound catfish on Lake Mercer two weeks ago with a white/red Strike King Spinnerbait.  I had been in a slump too and only caught a catfish, warmouth, and bluegill on spinners for almost two weeks at my local lakes.  Then I hooked up with two pbs, both 2lbs.  One at Occoquan and another at Fountainhead in the corner of a dock.  I know two pounds isn't much but I was happy with it.

Weird creatures those cats are.  Fun to catch nonetheless though.  Funny story man.  Good job on the fish though.

[YaHoo]

i saw like 20 catfish on the spaning ?beds? i guess a few weeks ago.

about 5 of them were the biggest fish ive ever seen swimming in the water.

2-4 feet of water.

it wasnt worth breaking my rod even trying to land one.

these were maybe "maybe" 20 pound cats