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Slow catfish bite

catman529

catman529

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2010
Messages
29,472
Location
Franklin TN
The catfish bite has been slow the past few weeks whenever I've gone. Caught a few in the 6-12 pound range, but no good ones. Not complaining, just curious if anyone else here has been after cats and seen the same. Maybe I'm not fishin for em hard enough, I admit deer seasons approach has taken some of my attention. Still won't complain... 2 flatheads and this blue cat so far this evening.

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Saw a good size barge coming, repositioned and got my lines back out just as it passed. Caught this one right off the bat, they do like the wake of a barge

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The "Barge Bite" phenomenon.... weird stuff right there.

The Southern Belle Riverboat does cruises where I fish with loads of tourists aboard. It's amazing how often we catch a fish as the Southern Belle is passing by. My boat isn't wrapped or anything. But I often wish I was carrying a "Scenic City Fishing Charters" sign as they're passing by, watching a client fight a fish. :D
 
rsimms":3q9iezt0 said:
The "Barge Bite" phenomenon.... weird stuff right there.

The Southern Belle Riverboat does cruises where I fish with loads of tourists aboard. It's amazing how often we catch a fish as the Southern Belle is passing by. My boat isn't wrapped or anything. But I often wish I was carrying a "Scenic City Fishing Charters" sign as they're passing by, watching a client fight a fish. :D
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I caught one a couple weeks ago right as the general Jackson was turning around in downtown Nashville.


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TheLBLman":1crf4okh said:
Mike Belt":1crf4okh said:
In your opinions, just what "creates" this sudden bite as a barge passes by?
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Mainly, it stirs up any baitfish in the immediate area, as well as may stir up stuff on the bottom.
Makes "fish food" suddenly more vulnerable or available.
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yes that is also my thinking. Those tugs can really move some water when they're pushing a loaded down barge.


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It might be the "stirring stuff up from the bottom" theory... but I'm not so sure. Personally I think it's more about the sound and/or vibrations in water.

On a similar note... it is incredibly common that we'll drift a long, long distance without a bite. Then one person will get a bite and seconds later another person will get bit for a double. It happens a LOT.

In some cases it obviously might be that you just drifted into a good area where lots of fish are holding. But the same thing can happen when you're anchored as well.

Personally I think an excited fish taking a bait transmits sound or vibration in the water that excites other fish in the area, inspiring them to eat as well. It's a smaller version of the "feeding frenzy."

Professional bass guys talk all the time about "getting the school fired up." They know from the depth finder there is a school of bass there. They'll fish it for 20 minutes without a bite. Then suddenly one fish hits and for the next 10 casts it is "game on" because that one feeding fish fired off the school. I believe some barges or boats that make low frequency sounds sometimes "fires off the school."

We used to see the same thing fishing the east side of Nickajack Lake where train tracks run right alongside the lake. We'd be bass fishing the rip rap along the train track and when a train came by, we'd catch a fish. It happened too often for it to be a coincidence.

That's one reason I think there might actually be something to the HydroWave devices. They're not going to always work magic, especially if you overuse them. But in certain circumstances there might actually be something to the technology.
 
I've went a couple days but didn't stay that long. However, the bite has been slow with only one fish in two tries. I've been anchor fishing, I probably really should try and drift down the river.

In the main channel on Fort Loudon there are clouds of baitfish right now. They are stacked from top to bottom. I'm sure that is the prequel to the white bass going crazy soon.
 

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