Fishing Wednesday

[ronaultmtd]

I am launching around 8 am Wednesday morning from Mattawoman Creek (Slavins Launch- Mattingly Park) if anyone wants to join in...newbies welcome...don’t mind showing you the ropes and the tackle, rigs techniques I use to fish for catfish- main thing is bring an anchor...anchoring is a must for Mattawoman Creek...blue and flathead catfish get big but you don’t need heavy tackle to catch them. I recommend a bait casting outfit like you would use bass fishing- 30# braid and a medium heavy rod- pretty much the same outfit you might use trolling during the spring striper trophy season...you can use spinning tackle but it will take you a lot longer to land a 50# catfish (which is very possible here)- I use a 4/0 eagle claw lazer circle hook on spinning tackle and a 7/0 on bait casters...I make my own rigs using 40# mono to snell the hooks and barrel swivels ...my fish finder rigs use an in-line one oz. egg sinker on the braid tied to the barrel swivel. For bait, I prefer cut bait (Alwifes/menhaden) over chicken, although chicken works (as does other baits)...some swear by double rigs with floats in line to keep the bait up off the bottom, but I like a standard fish finder best. Landing a big fish is also a challenge in a kayak- I use a boga grip for really big fish, and slide the fish headfirst from the right side near my Fishfinder mount into the cockpit- otherwise I use the 40# leader in lieu of the boga grip and slide them in- my kayak (Outback) has a really nice cockpit that helps in landing big fish...releasing them (I never keep catfish over 30 inches) is just as easy...the slime is nasty...takes a good bristle brush and a bucket of soapy water cleaning to get the kayak clean after putting several big fish in the cockpit...small blue catfish (eaters) under 30 inches are really good- they are my favorite eating fish...and this time of year I replenish my freezer with bags of catfish filets...

[Redfish12]

If anyone out there is thinking about going, you really should take Ron up on his offer! It’s his backyard and he’s caught and forgotten more fish than you will ever remember. Pick his brain, talk about how things were, and think about how to make things better!

[Steve6902]

I would love to go but have a work thing. Maybe next time. Are you going out this Saturday by chance??

[Yakmac]

Ron,

I have been looking for an opportunity to fish with and learn from you for a while now and was sorry you couldn't make it when I fished last year with the SMOG (Big Mike). Can't make it on Wednesday but I hope to get out with you soon, I do have days off during the week. Please keep posting when you are getting out and I will make a special effort to join you.

[ronaultmtd]

No problem- we should have many opportunities coming up as the weather warms the waters. I turn 72 years old in a few days, so as long as I can, I am going to fish. Been a great ride so far...Like Redfish says- I have put a lot of miles in the rear view mirror and spent a lot of time on the water. What little I know about fishing (no one knows it all) someone showed me...so it is my turn to share what others shared with me.

[mjkeith13]

Ron - If you don't mind, I'd like to join you tomorrow morning. This is only my second year of kayak fishing so pretty much a newbie. I was all set to hit Slavins this weekend, rigged 4 spinning reels w/fish finders and DIY'd an anchor system, but my wife had other plans, ie. Annapolis Home Expo. I just need to figure out an excuse not to be here at work tomorrow. :-)
I have 2 oz no-roll sinkers on 2 of my rigs. Is that too heavy? Thanks!

mike

[mchottie]

Wednesday is shaping up to be the best weather this week (thus far)

Good Luck, wish I could join you...

[ronaultmtd]

Ron - If you don't mind, I'd like to join you tomorrow morning. This is only my second year of kayak fishing so pretty much a newbie. I was all set to hit Slavins this weekend, rigged 4 spinning reels w/fish finders and DIY'd an anchor system, but my wife had other plans, ie. Annapolis Home Expo. I just need to figure out an excuse not to be here at work tomorrow. :-)
I have 2 oz no-roll sinkers on 2 of my rigs. Is that too heavy? Thanks!


mike

Sure, come on down- we will meet up in the parking lot next to the ramp and I can go over a few tips before we launch...it isn’t a very long way from where we will be fishing so no hurry. And more weight isn’t a bad thing when you are bait fishing..

[ronaultmtd]

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Here is my spinning tackle Fishfinder rig I use for catfish at Mattawoman Creek- It caught the biggest fish my last trip on a 1 1/2 inch wide strip of cut Bunker...and the exact same rig I use in the Gulf with a live croaker fishing the wrecks...

[mjkeith13]

Thanks Ron! I shouldn't have any problem being there by 0800. I'm trying to score some frozen alewife after work this evening. If not, it will be chicken breast.

Your spinning tackle fishfinder rig looks very similar to what I put together, other than I Santeed a couple w/floats. I only have 20lb fluorocarbon leaders though and my circle hooks are a mix of 5/0 and 7/0. I can always re-snell to 5/0 if 7/0 is too big. I've caught eating size channel cats in TN with the 7/0 but not from a kayak.

Looking forward to tomorrow!! Thanks!
mike

[nhunter344]

Here is my spinning tackle Fishfinder rig I use for catfish at Mattawoman Creek

I use basically the same rig. I've found that adding one of these between the sinker and swivel makes the rig last a lot longer. I originally found them down under and had a heck of a time finding them in any tackle shops in the states (although I have seen them being stocked more around the FL gulf in the past couple years). Thank goodness for the internet.

A lot of people use the hard plastic beads, but I didn't see the difference between slamming your knot with lead or slamming it with a hard plastic bead. The soft ones I linked above act more like a bumper.

[ronaultmtd]

I use the glow beads on deep drop trips- got lots of them in my rigging box...since I only catfish for a month or so every year- I usually re-tie the rig after each trip...and if you use a monofilament leader to join braid (with an FG knot) and use the sliding egg sinker on the mono tied to the swivel on the FF rig it last several trips- I use the XT Trielene 20# mono for leader material on my spinning rods..it is very abrasive resistant...

[rkramer26]

Ron,
Hope you don’t mind if one more takes advantage of your generosity. See you tomorrow morning.

[ronaultmtd]

Come on down we have plenty of room...looking at the weather forecast, looks like today is going to be the best day of the week...windy weekend...

[Steve6902]

So how do y'all make out today??