Can't figure out these cats...Mattawoman and vicinity

[WVKayakFisher]

When I find them, I find them in proliferation...catching them like bluegill. When I don't...I can't buy a bite. I know slack tides are bad, I know shallow water is incredibly productive...Do I set up in the edges of surface grass? In it? Today I had three fish in 10 minutes near peak high tide in the deeper water between two patches of lotus...Then nothing. A month ago I had 10 in an hour in the visible grass at an incoming tide...Next day same place same tide nothing for hours.

My mind says the outside (deep) edges of visible grass on incoming tide and maybe in it...but this hasn't been my experience.

I'm also having way, way better luck on beef liver than chicken breast but maybe I'm doing the chicken wrong if someone wants to talk me through that...

I'm in Smallwood through Sunday if anyone wants to join. All kayaks no big boats.


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[captmikestarrett]

Try chunk bluegill or white perch. Deep holes this time of year at high tide are your best choice for good eaters. The mid day bite will not be that good as the water warms even more. Try to find a high tide around dark or early morning and fish it.

You can dunk the chunk on your circle hook in Gulp juice..and bring them to you.

Capt Mike

[WVKayakFisher]

Try chunk bluegill or white perch. Deep holes this time of year at high tide are your best choice for good eaters. The mid day bite will not be that good as the water warms even more. Try to find a high tide around dark or early morning and fish it.

You can dunk the chunk on your circle hook in Gulp juice..and bring them to you.

Capt Mike

Thanks. I had sent missed a bunch of them last night including one that took a whole trout head. My mojo must be off. :/


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[Shady]

raw chicken breast

[D3NAL1]

i might be able to come up on sunday. would you be willing to launch somewhere else nearby?

[mchottie]

I'm also in for a Sunday shindig, open to any launch location LMK.

[Rockchaser]

In Mattawoman I have had good luck with just good old night crawlers. That being said raw chicken breast is my go to bait.

When you launch from the ramp go to the right about 50 yards, there is a nice trench just at the end of the fence line on land. You can anchor on either side and cast into the middle. There have been a lot of good eating size cats pulled out of there and MOC pulled a 34 - 36" carp out of it a few years back on night crawlers. Work it on an out going tide if possible but any moving water is good.

As far as using raw chicken breast, it doesn't have to be a huge piece of meat. A little bigger then a 50 cent piece on a fish finder rig will do.

[Rockchaser]

Thanks. I had sent missed a bunch of them last night including one that took a whole trout head. My mojo must be off. :/


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If you find they are picking up your bait and running with it then spitting it out, change up to J hooks and set the hook.. I see it more in very cold water but sometimes they just don't take the bait deep enough to get the circle hook stuck.

[RussellK]

Fished Mattawoman for cats once and pulled dozen of mixed cats with biggest one being 24" and 8lbs, others in 4lbs range. I had zero luck with cut fish or chicken breast all fish came from chicken liver.
I would be interested in joining someone in fishing Wilson bridge, we can organize small group and share results