Lures and lure fishing tactics for UK catfish?

[DaveGreenwood]

A spring or regular Dawg fished close to the bottom rigged with the treble on top, cant be that hard didnt the twonk catch one on a lure?

[pete webster]

A spring or regular Dawg fished close to the bottom rigged with the treble on top, cant be that hard didnt the twonk catch one on a lure?

Aye on tidal Terence i believe.

[Ratty46]

Like the question says I am going to have a proper go at catching some UK cats with lures this season coming. Water choice is going to be the key I think? Need to have somewhere with a high stock level, so, got that one sorted five times over So, I just wondered if anyone has any pointers based on experience they'd be willing to share on the actual lures/lure fishing aspect? I know Reps have served up some random captures of cats to a few people, albeit whilst pike fishing I suspect; of course, the BIG Sandra was actually designed as a lure for catfish, so, will probably go with those as a starter for ten. I also really think big surface lures will work well and I am sure other big soft plastics will do the job too. Tackle wise, I know my usual set-ups will be a pointless exercise (short rods and multis) as I'll be on the bank and cats fight proper hard and long, unlike pike which aren't even close on either score. Plus, I am most likely to be targeting fish from upper 20 to 50 pounds. So, going to use my 10ft daiwa 4lb cat rods + the 45 baitrunners and stay with that.

My target is just to first get one, by design. Then take it from there. How hard can it be? (Clarkson Face). I have in fact now had half a dozen cats to mid 40's reeling baits in; none of those captures was intentional. They just grabbed the bait (not a live bait I might add - one of 39 actually took two boilies on a snowman intended for carp!) as I was reeling in to re-cast or pack up! So use something designed for the job and it has to work?! I can't help thinking if I can crack it, I could be in for some very productive fishing! Thank you in-advance of any replies

Hey Mark

was using the search function and found this...

did you veer have a good go? and did you use your multis at all?

[Mark Phillips]

Like the question says I am going to have a proper go at catching some UK cats with lures this season coming. Water choice is going to be the key I think? Need to have somewhere with a high stock level, so, got that one sorted five times over So, I just wondered if anyone has any pointers based on experience they'd be willing to share on the actual lures/lure fishing aspect? I know Reps have served up some random captures of cats to a few people, albeit whilst pike fishing I suspect; of course, the BIG Sandra was actually designed as a lure for catfish, so, will probably go with those as a starter for ten. I also really think big surface lures will work well and I am sure other big soft plastics will do the job too. Tackle wise, I know my usual set-ups will be a pointless exercise (short rods and multis) as I'll be on the bank and cats fight proper hard and long, unlike pike which aren't even close on either score. Plus, I am most likely to be targeting fish from upper 20 to 50 pounds. So, going to use my 10ft daiwa 4lb cat rods + the 45 baitrunners and stay with that.

My target is just to first get one, by design. Then take it from there. How hard can it be? (Clarkson Face). I have in fact now had half a dozen cats to mid 40's reeling baits in; none of those captures was intentional. They just grabbed the bait (not a live bait I might add - one of 39 actually took two boilies on a snowman intended for carp!) as I was reeling in to re-cast or pack up! So use something designed for the job and it has to work?! I can't help thinking if I can crack it, I could be in for some very productive fishing! Thank you in-advance of any replies

Hey Mark

was using the search function and found this...

did you veer have a good go? and did you use your multis at all?

I did have some enquiries when I had a go, but no cigar. To be fair, I gave up after a couple of attempts, as my main issue was other anglers not taking to my lure fishing antics - it didn't take long for people to start phoning a bailiff to complain I was making a disturbance. Which did make me laugh, as most of these guys spend half the day chucking spombs around their swims. So, that was that. If I ever find a well stocked cat water with no other anglers, I will definitely give it another try. For now, there is one new water I have started to lure fish in the spring and then from the autumn for pike, that also has a small number of cats, so may be I'll fluke one on a lure fishing there. No way am I trying it again on the other venues I have access to, just too many people about, limiting how much water you can cover and like I said, it gets on people t*ts, well the carp anglers mainly. I sort of get it, as I am a carp angler during the summer months. I think it is still well worth trying if you can find the right water

[fenland piker]

I would think a leader is sensible as a large cat will mangle braid in short order. I have used coated braid in the past for bait fishing but hard fluorocarbon would make more sense for lures and also less likely to tangle.
Lures I would think as others have suggested, possibly noisy surface baits, prop baits or buzz baits, any large shads with a decent amount of vibration. There was recently a very large cat caught on the continent on a larger sixed Savage gear cannibal shad using baitcaster and a heavy lure rod.
A really heavy baitcaster setup is probably more robust than a fixed spool and longer rods will make lure fishing more difficult. I would think a large Okuma Kommodo and 8ft 200g+ Extra heavy lure rod with 80lb braid would handle most things living in the UK. The Yanks use Kommodos for saltwater big game fishing and i wouldnt want to try that with baitrunners.
Lastly I wouldn't bother with a landing net, glove and an unhooking mat is more practical for really big cats as long as you can get to water level to grab them by the jaw and glove them out.

[Ratty46]

Like the question says I am going to have a proper go at catching some UK cats with lures this season coming. Water choice is going to be the key I think? Need to have somewhere with a high stock level, so, got that one sorted five times over So, I just wondered if anyone has any pointers based on experience they'd be willing to share on the actual lures/lure fishing aspect? I know Reps have served up some random captures of cats to a few people, albeit whilst pike fishing I suspect; of course, the BIG Sandra was actually designed as a lure for catfish, so, will probably go with those as a starter for ten. I also really think big surface lures will work well and I am sure other big soft plastics will do the job too. Tackle wise, I know my usual set-ups will be a pointless exercise (short rods and multis) as I'll be on the bank and cats fight proper hard and long, unlike pike which aren't even close on either score. Plus, I am most likely to be targeting fish from upper 20 to 50 pounds. So, going to use my 10ft daiwa 4lb cat rods + the 45 baitrunners and stay with that.

My target is just to first get one, by design. Then take it from there. How hard can it be? (Clarkson Face). I have in fact now had half a dozen cats to mid 40's reeling baits in; none of those captures was intentional. They just grabbed the bait (not a live bait I might add - one of 39 actually took two boilies on a snowman intended for carp!) as I was reeling in to re-cast or pack up! So use something designed for the job and it has to work?! I can't help thinking if I can crack it, I could be in for some very productive fishing! Thank you in-advance of any replies

Hey Mark

was using the search function and found this...

did you veer have a good go? and did you use your multis at all?

I did have some enquiries when I had a go, but no cigar. To be fair, I gave up after a couple of attempts, as my main issue was other anglers not taking to my lure fishing antics - it didn't take long for people to start phoning a bailiff to complain I was making a disturbance. Which did make me laugh, as most of these guys spend half the day chucking spombs around their swims. So, that was that. If I ever find a well stocked cat water with no other anglers, I will definitely give it another try. For now, there is one new water I have started to lure fish in the spring and then from the autumn for pike, that also has a small number of cats, so may be I'll fluke one on a lure fishing there. No way am I trying it again on the other venues I have access to, just too many people about, limiting how much water you can cover and like I said, it gets on people t*ts, well the carp anglers mainly. I sort of get it, as I am a carp angler during the summer months. I think it is still well worth trying if you can find the right water

ah its shame you never had one, i get carpers getting annoyed, i have had it myself when out with lures, even asking them where they have baits they still not happy about you casting lures, despite being no where near there baits! and..as ya say them using big old spombs flying out of every swim.
ideally i suppose less people see you do it, the better too..not everyone has the right gear to do it.
hopefully you bump into one spring/autumn!

[Ratty46]

I would think a leader is sensible as a large cat will mangle braid in short order. I have used coated braid in the past for bait fishing but hard fluorocarbon would make more sense for lures and also less likely to tangle.
Lures I would think as others have suggested, possibly noisy surface baits, prop baits or buzz baits, any large shads with a decent amount of vibration. There was recently a very large cat caught on the continent on a larger sixed Savage gear cannibal shad using baitcaster and a heavy lure rod.
A really heavy baitcaster setup is probably more robust than a fixed spool and longer rods will make lure fishing more difficult. I would think a large Okuma Kommodo and 8ft 200g+ Extra heavy lure rod with 80lb braid would handle most things living in the UK. The Yanks use Kommodos for saltwater big game fishing and i wouldnt want to try that with baitrunners.
Lastly I wouldn't bother with a landing net, glove and an unhooking mat is more practical for really big cats as long as you can get to water level to grab them by the jaw and glove them out.

on non pike water yes i'd be using fluro.
Good shout on the lures, i have same ideas!
set up wise maybe multi, i think a heavy FS set up be easier to play one on, the fights wont be a short affair, never are with cats.

[Hawg wobbler]

Hi mark,
Had a few cats years ago on big noisy surface lures while pike fishing. Caught them in the shallow areas of a pit on warmer day's. So it definitely works.

[Mark Phillips]

I would think a leader is sensible as a large cat will mangle braid in short order. I have used coated braid in the past for bait fishing but hard fluorocarbon would make more sense for lures and also less likely to tangle.
Lures I would think as others have suggested, possibly noisy surface baits, prop baits or buzz baits, any large shads with a decent amount of vibration. There was recently a very large cat caught on the continent on a larger sixed Savage gear cannibal shad using baitcaster and a heavy lure rod.
A really heavy baitcaster setup is probably more robust than a fixed spool and longer rods will make lure fishing more difficult. I would think a large Okuma Kommodo and 8ft 200g+ Extra heavy lure rod with 80lb braid would handle most things living in the UK. The Yanks use Kommodos for saltwater big game fishing and i wouldnt want to try that with baitrunners.
Lastly I wouldn't bother with a landing net, glove and an unhooking mat is more practical for really big cats as long as you can get to water level to grab them by the jaw and glove them out.

Thank you for those words of wisdom. Of course you'd use a leader; fluorocarbon is generally what everyone uses when lure fishing for them, but I'd still use wire if pike were present. The set-up you're describing is not going to be very good when fishing from the bank and totally OTT for UK cats, which generally don't run that big, most waters I fish they'll be up to 60lb. A normal heavy pike baitcasting set-up is just a fine. As to your comment on not using a landing net, good grief. This is the UK if you haven't noticed, not continental Europe, besides, if I started to hand land cats on the waters I fish, I'd get banned very quickly.

[Mark Phillips]

Hi mark,
Had a few cats years ago on big noisy surface lures while pike fishing. Caught them in the shallow areas of a pit on warmer day's. So it definitely works.

Well done, that's very cool I just need to find somewhere where I can actually lure fish without being public enemy number one! Pretty sure if I could get some time on higher stock waters it would be productive. In the past I've had the occasional cat follow lures into the bank when targeting pike, but those have been rare events, but I would say that was on a water that had a very low stock of cats. Food for thought isn't it? I know of a few caught from our rivers on lures, not by design of course.