Great Consistent Catfish Bite

The catfish bite below Chickamauga Dam (in Chattanooga) has been amazingly consistent lately. Virtually EVERY guide trip I've done in the last three weeks has yielded between 20 and 25 quality catfish in a morning trip. One day the cats were especially hungry and we caught 43.... otherwise we're always around the two dozen mark.

All on light tackle using my standard, "go-to" bait - chicken breast. We've had several 20-25 lb. fish. On light tackle, that makes for a crazy, fun fight.


Here's a little video from yesterday when Tim and his Dad, Arnie (from Hawaii), paid a visit:

[youtube]by1pZdmeeFw[/youtube]

My wife is wanting to go "somewhere" on vacation this year.
We haven't done anything in like 3 years.
I am pushing hard for Chattanooga

der der der :twisted:

i always enjoy your articles, videos and pics and look forward to your next installment. i even caught an episode or 2 of you on the TN Wildside show.

BUT, do you think you could do a quick gear rundown if not too much trouble or trade secret? lol, i find myself rewinding the videos to see if that is braided or mono line, a medium or medium light(heavy), a 35 or 45 class spinning reel, etc.

thanks

WTM":139gj9v9 said:

BUT, do you think you could do a quick gear rundown if not too much trouble or trade secret? lol, i find myself rewinding the videos to see if that is braided or mono line, a medium or medium light(heavy), a 35 or 45 class spinning reel, etc.
thanks

Click to expand...

On our "light tackle bite, we use standard spinning gear. While I am a big believer (and on the Pro Staff) of B'n'M rods, I'm really not overly brand-specific. Besides B'n'M's, you'll find an wide assortment of name brand rods & reels in my boat. I am a big believer that, "The most important part of a rod & reel combo is the person who's holding it."

I am partial to 3/0 Eagle Claw Kahle hooks. I buy them in bulk. But I will occasionally use 5/0 Daiichi, wide gap circle hooks (D84Z)... especially with kids or other folks who may not be very good a setting a hook hard.

On the light tackle bite I used to always use standard 10 lb. test mono with a short 20 lb. shock leader. But in the last couple of years I've started using 20 lb. braid as my main line. But I still use a 20 lb. mono shock leader, only because it's easier to break off when you get hung.

I simply drift with the river current, giving my baits a "natural, dead-drift" presentation... not unlike a fly fisherman dead-drifting a nymph. I will admit that I do have one tiny trade secret that only paying clients learn about. (Don't anybody rat me out please).

If you read between the lines above, you might be able to figure it out. But, don't bother guessing... I won't tell you if you're right or not. It is really the one and only thing I play close to the vest. :mrgreen: