kayak & catfish

[txnative]

I have fished for all my favorite fish from a kayak, and now want to pursue some whiskered fish. Anyone know of an area i have a reasonable chance of tying into a decent sized cat that's accessible (and not too dangerous) for a kayaker. I have electronics, rod-holders, and tackle suitable for all but the biggest catfish, just no idea where to start and what to look for. Any advice will be welcomed, and an invitation for any kayakers wanting to join me is, of course, extended.


Chris

[Adough]

I'd follow the Harpeth close to the Cumberland. There are also some wildlife reserves around the area the two rivers meet. I would be pretty sure they would be good spots too.

[Fishmanjoe]

Most waters should hold some. What are of TN are you in?

[txnative]

Middle. I've fished oh and priest (lower end) for stripers, bass, crappie, etc. and catch a few cats occasionally, but nothing to brag about. I know channel/river/creek confluences are prime spots, but those spots can be a bit hazardous in summer because of boat traffic. I would head below oh dam if the release schedule backs way down, around 5500 cfs, but that seems like a ways off from happening.

I would prefer to be out at night so i don't fill my yak with my own sweat. I have lights and other safety gear onboard. I was figuring cut skippies would be primary bait, with shiners as a back-up.

I guess i should be asking more specific questions, like: what depths, structure, and which species will be at these locations ?


Chris

[Adough]

Couldn't help you on depth and structure, caught mine on a cicada while i was on the move. Water was 4-5ft at that point of the river.

[Travis C.]

The channel cats are always around the flats in Station Camp after spawn through summer. I don't go looking for them but catch then fishing for bass or crappie.

[bd-]

Define "decent sized" catfish. For fish 1 to 8 lbs., the Harpeth or the Stones River would be a good bet. I've even caught some channel cats 1-3 lbs out of the lower end of Smith Fork Creek in the slow, deep holes from Temperance Hall down to the Caney Fork.

If you're looking for big blue cats and flatheads in the 20 lb and up range, you're going to have to be on the big rivers or impoundments, probably at night, and I'm not sure that's really very well suited for a kayak.

bd

[txnative]

I'm after cats over 15 lbs. I fished the gallatin steam plant this winter, during day and night, even got towed by a 20+ lb striper, so dealing with large fish isn't a problem. Big rivers or reservoirs aren't the easiest to fish out of a layak, but certainly possible, as long as the kayaker takes necessary safety precautions. My biggest threat will be other boaters. Falling out of a sit-on-top kayak is more inconveniencing than dangerous (with a life-jacket on, not just in the boat). Everything i can't afford to lose is stored where it will remain dry and with the 'yak, and deep-water re-entry isn't hard. Getting plowed by Bubba the Go-Fast Boater is a different matter altogether.

I have an air-horn, USCG-approved flares, a stern light, flashlight, and reflecive stickers on-board for all nighttime excursions, so if you hit me, you were aiming.

Fishing-wise, i have a lowrance x135 depthfinder, horizontal and vertical rod-holders, anchor & anchor trolley, stakr-out pole, tackle-tray storage, livewells, aerators, and terminal tackle for everything from trout to the monster stripers that eat 'em. I am looking for a jumping-off point for large cats, i will figure out the rest on my own, like most fishermen. I am not asking for honey-holes or gps coordinates, just a description of what to look for on a body of water, as priest will fish differently than oh lake or the cumbie. Any pointers will be welcome, i'm open to trying any body of water.


Chris

[Fishmanjoe]

I have heard of some big fish coming out of midlake Percy Priest. There are some nice areas where the channel is deep and then comes up to a shallow flat. My son and I have had some pretty fast action fishing jugs just on the shallow side, nothing real big, but we were using small bait and only fishing for a few hours, not into the night. Try putting in around hurricane creek, shouldn't be too far for paddling. Access may be more of the problem. There are a few no wake zones in that area. (Four Courners Marina, Waterfowl Refuge)

[bd-]

I don't think you'd have any trouble handling a big blue catfish from a kayak. The problem is dealing with other boaters.

The Steam Plant in winter isn't so bad because you're in an area where people can't run up on you.

However, for big blue cats over 15 pounds, you're mostly going to be fishing main channel ledges and dropoffs. Areas coming into or going out of an outside bend in the river channel can be spots to start your search. Cut skipjack is going to be your best bait. The stretch of river around Clarksville is known for some giant catfish in the 20-80 lb. range. If you need someone to help cut down the "learning curve" on where to go, see if you can track down Joe Hall if he's still guiding up there. He knows where to find the big blue cats better than anyone else I know.

However, the problem is that if you're on the main river at night in a kayak, you're going to be right in the path of all sorts of people hauling butt down the river channel, and a lot of them aren't paying enough attention to see a kayak anchored down in front of them.

You may be a little safer hunting for big flatheads, since this can be done a little closer to the bank where you've got some cover from morons running 60 mph in the dark in wakeboard boats.

One hard thing about the big flatheads out of a kayak is that you're going to need to fish live bait - big sucker minnows are probably the best, followed by live green sunfish or bluegill. Flatheads don't eat dead baits as readily as blues. You'll have to figure out a means of carrying a bait bucket for starters.

The best places to look for a big flathead are steep banks with cover where big creek channels hit the main river channel. There are lots of flatheads in the 15-45 lb. range on Old Hickory. Note that the guys fishing the night bass tournaments on Old Hickory catch occasional big flatheads fishing plastic worms around boathouses on steep banks at night. This is no accident.

The toughest thing about flatheads is that they never stray far from very heavy cover, and when hooked, they head right into the thick stuff. You will need heavy tackle and extremely strong braided line to winch a flathead out of whatever downed tree he calls his home. It's one thing to do this from a boat where you've got a solid platform - with a kayak, when you winch a really big fish away from a tree, he's going to just tow you right back. If you can get a big flathead into the open you'll have him whipped, but it may prove to be a challenge to keep them from snagging you.

A trophy flathead from a kayak is certainly worth a try, and it'll be a challenge for sure. Just be prepared to devote some time to it, because if I'm guessing, it's not going to be easy.

bd

[Travis C.]

All the flatheads I have ever caught in Old Hickory were on rock walls like the one out in front of Flippers along the main channel. IF it wasn't too bad traffic wise, you could drift that wall with live bait hanging vertically next to it and maybe pick up some.

I'd shoot Richard Simms a pm on here. rsimms is his board name

http://sceniccityfishing.com/

He might have some good insight on where to/how to. I haven't seen him on as much these days but he really knows his stuff.

The only other guy that I know of chasing big cats is Jim Moyer out of Clarksville, if he is still doing it.

What sort of Kayak are you fishing out of? I've been interested in getting into that.

[bd-]

The flatheads I have caught have been on 45 degree banks that transition into bluffs, usually around boathouses with trees down. I've usually caught themn night fishing with big plastic worms or lizards. If I were hunting one I'd look around where one of the major creeks (Drakes, Cedar, Spencer, or Station Camp) comes into the main lake. All of those creeks have spots like I'm describing near the main channel.

I was bass fishing with my dad one time on one of those areas like I'm describing and he hooked a massive flathead that eventually got into the trees and broke off - it had to have been a 40 or 50 lb. fish.

bd

[txnative]

R'shoes,
I have a 12' mainstream kingfish. It's a sit-on-top style 'yak. There is a molded recession behind the cockpit that will hold a 5 gal bucket or milk crate. There are 2 molded rod holders just aft of the seat, but i use on to hold my anchor and the other to hold my lip-grip landing tool. I have a milk crate that i've added 4 vertical rod holders and 2 holders for my fly rods, all are made with pvc and feature slots to accomodate spinning or baitcasting rods and have rod-keepers on them. I also mounted a stern-light to the rear of the crate.

I keep the crate on the yak with bungee cords hooked to riveted eyelets. The cords are run thru the crate to create pockets to hold various tools, scale, measuring board, pliers, etc. The crate comes off un seconds to ease transportation. I also have 2 adjustable rod holders to allow trolling or using downlines, they're mounted near the forward end of the cockpit so i can monitor my rods while trolling/drifting and are easy to reach when a fish strikes. My depthfinder is mounted at the forward end of the cockpit, dead center. The transducer is directly beneath it inside the yak and is marine gooped to the hull so it can shoot thru the hull. Battery is a small 12v sla battery, all cords are ran thru a small hole under the display screen.

Stripped down, only the rod holder mounts and depthfinder mounts are left, weight is only 44 lbs.


BD, TravisC,

Thanks for the info! I will put them into practice next weekend.


Chris

If you are brave enough to fish below the big river dams thats where the big cats are.The TN river seems to me to be a little better for catfish and the Cumberland seems to be better for big stripers.I have caught numerous big cats below Nickajack dam.The thing is the big cats start feeding good when the dam is generating and I dont know how you can fish the fast moving water in a yak.Maybe you can fish the slack water out of the main flow.If I'm fishing for big cats I go below one of the big river dams when the water is running but I wouldnt try it from a yak.Bedford lake is full of cats but most are 2-10 pounds but you can still get one bigger.The lake is a twra lake and has no gas motor rule.We fish the upper end and can fill a stringer in an afternoon.All good size eaters.I have used nightcrawlers,stinkbait,and raw shrimp with good luck.Big minnows are good to.The lake closes at dark and is over stocked with cats.