Loggy's Fat Cat!

[Loggy]

Well it aint no World Record but a nice 5 LB. Channel Catfish. Man, will those fillets be yummy!

Me & my Lund had a beautiful day out on the Lower Susquehanna and Upper reaches of Cheasapeake Bay. I caught a nice fat 5 LB Channel and 7 Stripers (Striper Season Opens 6/1). The Stripers were a ball to catch ( all were ave. 5-10 lbs Class) which seems the to be the norm for this years Susquehanna migration. All were minimally played & lightly hooked and was able to disengage hook with Striper hangin over side of boat & didnt need to touch that precious slime which when touched can harm those beautiful fish. I couldnt believe how hard those Stripers were nailin that cut Menhaden!! I will surely try it next week, plus live lining White Perch and casting Calcutta Flashfoil 1 3/8 oz. 5" Swim Shads. I cant wait. We can keep 2 Stripers 18"-26" or 1 18"-26" and one over 26". These Regulations have been in effect for several years now and seems to be really a factor in the successful comeback of the Striper in the Lower Susquehanna in MD. These Stripers come from the Atlantic Ocean up the Cheasapeke and and on up the Susquehanna River Tributary!

There is in an operating Fish Ladder at the Conowingo Hyroelectric Plant(First Dam fish encounter spawning up Susquehanna from Cheasapeake) to help in the American White Shad & Striper restoration. I was fishin mostly bout 5 miles below the Conowingo Dam. My hats off to the MD DNR & PECO for all their efforts in restoring such a precious fishery.

I saw alot of decent fish on my Sonar so its looks very promising for the Striper Season Opening next week!

My Supper tonite!! (His gut's damn near as Big as mine :lol: )

 

[Admin]

Nice cat Loggy! I prefer cat as they are the easiest to clean. Slice down the spine and then slice the skin off the fillet. Only a couple minutes per cat.

 

[Loggy]

Thanks Patrick. Thats exactly how I fillet those cats. With a cats tuff skin its a piece of cake removin the skin with the ole fillet knife.

Even Mrs. Loggy said i did good today bringin home Tonites Supper which is a rarity for sure!! :lol:

 

[Blue-Dot-37.5]

My grandfather showed me how to skin cats. All he'd do is nip off the sharp dorsal fin, and nip off the fins near the anus. Then he'd cut around the fish, right behind the head but behind the pectoral fins, just cutting thru the skin, not the meat. Take those same nippers and grab the skin, hold the cat with your other hand using the pectoral fins as handles and pull the skin off. Usually what happens is that the skin comes off in one piece. If not, grab the remaining skin with the nippers and pull it off too. You're left with a skinless fish. Then finish cleaning it as normal (slit the belly, remove guts, cut the head off and you're done. The "nipper" that he'd use looked something like a trim nail nipper that you would use to cut off a nail flush with the wood, or grab it and roll the head of the nipper against the wood and it would lever the nail out.

He'd fish with trotlines and power lines, using a 1" square piece of Ivory brand soap. It would float up off the bottom. The drop lines on the trot line were 18" long and spaced every 4' on the main line. I was just a little kid when he showed me how to do it, and he passed away in the late 60's. I can remember it like it was yesterday.

 

[Admin]

My grandfather showed me how to skin cats. All he'd do is nip off the sharp dorsal fin, and nip off the fins near the anus. Then he'd cut around the fish, right behind the head but behind the pectoral fins, just cutting thru the skin, not the meat. Take those same nippers and grab the skin, hold the cat with your other hand using the pectoral fins as handles and pull the skin off. Usually what happens is that the skin comes off in one piece. If not, grab the remaining skin with the nippers and pull it off too. You're left with a skinless fish. Then finish cleaning it as normal (slit the belly, remove guts, cut the head off and you're done. The "nipper" that he'd use looked something like a trim nail nipper that you would use to cut off a nail flush with the wood, or grab it and roll the head of the nipper against the wood and it would lever the nail out.

I used to do cat like that a long time ago. I prefer fillets though as my favorite way to eat em is in a sandwich. Nice crispy cat with lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickles, and a big slice of onion on toasted bread. Mmmmm.

 

[Redclub]

I was out walleye fishing yesterday. We got 9 walleyes and 3 cat's We used a electric fillet knife to skin worked great. First time I ever saw that.
I usually just fillet like any other fish. The cats were good but a little soft compared to the walleye's.
Redclub

 

[peteo]

Good fish Loggy, I just got in from the lake. I went out for about 4 hours drifting cut shad and gut. I caught about 8 with the biggest at 4#. I had to quit to get home and load up for a cat tourney at Meredosia on the Illinois River at 7am on Sat. Were going to run up river 10 miles and fish the lock and dam. Hope my partner and I get lucky and pull one of those big blues out.

 

[Loggy]

Thanks Peteo. Sounds like you had some good action there.

Best of luck in the cat tourney! Look forward to your report.

 

[Grouse]

Very nice Loggy 8)

 

[Rifleman]

Loggy congrats on the catfish. I am really interested in how you caught the stripers on cut bait, as I have never done that. Can you tell me how to do that?

 

[Loggy]

Thanks RMan.

I was anchored over some decent rock structure on a drop.

I was rigged with a 3/0 Beak Style Baitholder hook fished with a 1/2 oz -1 Oz (pending how fast current was pullin) Dipsey style swivel sinker on Fish Finder rig. I put a diagram up below but I like the swivel bank style sinkers for heavy rock structure and I use 25 LB flurocarbon leader to Beak hook for Cats. Probably dont need the flurocarbon but I got so much of it tryin to use up.

I take manhaden and fillet straight along backbone to half fish, then cut strips bout 4-5 inched long. I leave as much of the guts etc. hangin on strip. I'm anchored and then just flip out down current and thats it.

We do chumming for Stripers(fishin cut bait) in the Mid Bay but Friday I wasnt chumming & they were coming in to the cut bait. Menhaden(aka bunker) has a very strong smell & very oily. I gonna put a rod out next week to try the cut bait plus one live lining White Perch plus one to cast artificial. I'll have it all covered! :lol:

 

[Loggy]

Another Fat Cat taken today. 22" and only 3 lbs but nice eatin. Threw back 3 undersized Stripers. I think they knew the Season opened. :lol: Was a circus today on opener with too many boats and think the big ole boys got spooked! Nevertheless, A great day on the water for sure!

Headin back out tomorrow.

This ones already in my Gut ...despite pic showin he is already there in that fat gut!

 

[Anonymous]

I wanna know about them boots....

 

[Loggy]

:lol: Chief, they are my Servus pair which today I filled with water & got a wet ass with the wind and low tide makin a tuff ramp pull out of the ole Lund. :lol: Thank God for that nice Dry pair of LaCrosse (WHITE) Boots serving as back-up for tomorrows adventure!! :lol:

 

[VENISONEATR]

Great post Loggy... congratulations!!! RMan I fish the same style rig as Loggy for my stripers but only I use a 7/0 circle hook. I leave the reel on clicker and free spool because alot of times the bass will just hold the bait in his mouth for a while. If they feel tension they will spit it out. Sometimes, when using whole surf clams they will literally suck the clam belly out of the clam and spit the rest. Other times they just hit it aggressively like a bluefish.

PS I got the same boots... Made in good ol' USA

 

[Loggy]

Thanks Jim. Had a couple run the click today. Man, I love that sound which sends chills down ur spine!!

Last years pic just to remind me that they do exist just before I hit the sack tonite and dream bout tomorrow.

 

[Doohan]

just watch the turtles loggy!

 

[Grouse]

Very nice Loggy. 8)

 

[JD]

looks like you had alot of fun. great pics.

 

[Rifleman]

I am gonna try that cutbait later this summer, sounds like a winner.