Racing up the winding river with eager clients on board one recent crisp morning.  I rounded a bend in the river, sunrise in my eyes I noticed a large number of Sea Gulls. They were feverishly working  the water just down stream from a small feeder creek.  I looked closer as I was surprised, yes those were Sea Gulls dive bombing.  Birds working like that usually means there must be something going on as I thought to myself.   The water was to off color for White Bass.  I held back the temptation to stop and take a closer look never letting off  the throttle on the Ranger boat.  I had a plan this morning and although I recognized the signs, I stayed with my game plan.  Clients had hired me for a day of White Bass Fishing and we were headed to a major creek ten miles upriver.  The creek pattern for Whites had been good and I could not afford  to get side tracked unless it was for something really good. I was confident and there was no reason to react.

 We caught Whites in the creek all day long and as the sun dropped in the west we headed in.  Backtracking our morning route I was amazed to see the Gulls working the same spot that they were in earlier this  morning. Herons also now lined the  river bank.   This time, as daylight faded I let off on the throttle to take a closer look.  “What is going on”?  Surprised clients questioned. “ Hang on just a minute,” I answered as I eased the bow of the boat into the mouth of the little creek.  “Shad!” I exclaimed,  there were thousands of them pouring out of the mouth of the creek.  The creek was only about 6 feet wide and  a foot deep.  There were so many shad you could literally scoop them up with your bare hands.  It was quite the site to see as we turned the boat around and headed in for the evening.

Recognize the signs, I pondered to my self later that evening.  The water there was just to turbid or off color for White Bass.  Shad, Sea Gulls,  Fresh  water coming out of a creek, I puzzled..  BLUE CATS!  A light came on in my brain.  I bet Blue Cats are stacked in there gorging  on all those shad I theorized to myself.

Two days later I was back at work guiding a White Bass trip.  Changing conditions on the river make staying on fish a challenge.  I started this day confident in putting clients on some Whites.  The creek bite was now off as water levels had dropped.  The river was now clearing so my game plan was to fish the river.  Unfortunately after four hours of fishing we were struggling.  Not even a single fish.  We had tried everything and had covered many miles of river.   “Lets head into Freedom Shores Marina and break for lunch,” I suggested.   I have got to come up with a different game plan for the afternoon or it was going to be a long day, I thought to myself.

We finished sandwiches and sodas and on of my  patient clients spoke up.  “Dave, we just want to catch some fish.  It doesn’t have to be White Bass.  Is there somewhere we can catch some catfish?” he asked.  Suddenly, A flush feeling came over me.  Memories of my observation in the river two days ago flooded back.  “Yes,” I answered, “there is a spot up the river where we might be able to catch some Blue cats,  however, it is a long way from here and I can not promise the bite will be good.”   Forty minutes later we rounded the bend in the river as we neared the spot where I had witnessed the birds and shad two days before.  I was relieved to see it!  Flocks of Sea Gulls were working the mouth of the little creek.   Herons and Cranes of all kinds now lined the bank looking for a easy meal.  A fish rolled as we nosed the boat up on the bank and tied off.  The shad were still there coming out of the creek and into the river just like I had witnessed two days ago.  I reached over and grabbed a couple of shad, “we got bait boys,” I said.  Now,  we settled into re- rigging.  I recommended the Carolina rig with a ¼ oz egg sinker riding above a barrel swivel with a 18inch leader and a small khale hook tied on to the end of the leader.  Hooks were baited  lines were cast and the wait began.  We didn’t have to wait long. “Fish on!”  Someone yelled and  a  fat 2lb. Blue Cat was fought to the boat.  Then another rod went down. The action was fast.  Blue Cats along with an occasional Gaspergou  bit every time a shad was cast.  I watched the action as the Sea Gulls continued there dance.

“We could have been doing this all day,” my client spoke. “ Now this is fun!” he exclaimed.   The action continued  right up to sunset and when the bite finely slowed,  I strung fish and took snapshots of  happy customers holding a stringer full of hard fighting, tasty eating Blue Cats.

We had struggled this morning chasing White Bass, then, changed our thoughts and got on the Blues to finish the day with a good trip.  “Dave, we just want to catch some fish,” my customer had mentioned at  lunch earlier in the day.

Recognize and react I thought as we headed in that evening.  Read the signs mother nature gives you and you will become a better fisherman. Follow the birds for example and they will take you to the fish.  Time spent on the water is the most valuable tool in successful fishing.  I was lucky on this trip with what I had recognized  two days before .  Although  I did not react immediately, however, I had put the signs in my memory bank and when I did react it paid off for me.

Three throws with a cast net as the amber glow of the morning sun appeared in the east and the bait bucket was filled with fresh shad. Now, bait on board there was no time to waste. My every move was focused.  The bite was early and I did not want to be late.

The next challenge of the morning was getting to the “hole”.   Water levels have continued to drop exposing dangerous stumps and shallow sand flats.  I hammered the throttle raised the jack plate on the outboard and steered down the lake. Low water High Fins I thought as I  was now anchoring on a giant sand flat. High Fin Blues that is.  The hard fighting, good eating  High Fin Blue Catfish .

The High Fin Blue is the predominant species of catfish in  East Texas’s Lake Livingston and is now easier than ever to catch.    Low water level here is concentrating the fish and giving them fewer places to roam.   Sounds simple, but this has been my theory since  hurricane Rita damaged the Lake Livingston Dam September 24^th, 2005 forcing the Trinity River Authority to lower the lake in order to make repairs to the dam caused by the storm. Fishing for Blue Cats has been good since the water levels dropped and as  water levels remain low  this spring and summer fishing for blue Cats here has been nothing less than phenomenal. You can now see  giant exposed  sand bars off the river channel in the main lake where as when the lake is at normal pool, all you see is miles of bulk headed shorelines

 Lake Livingston consist of 90,000  surface acres of water at normal pool with over 450 miles of shoreline.  The man made lake was created in in 1969 by damming the Trinity River in order to provide a water resource for the city of Houston.  Since the Lakes inception in 1969 it has been one of the premier Blue Cat fishing destinations in the South.

 The lake record Blue cat stands at 78 pounds caught on a trot line January 14^th 1981.  Popular methods of catching blue cats here include trotline, jug lining and rod and reel.  My favorite method is rod and reel.  There is nothing like battling a hard fighting Blue on light tackle rod and reel.

With a sustained water temperature over 72 degrees in early May thousands of spawning Blue Cats began congregating on the now exposed sand flats near the old Trinity River channel on Lake Livingston.   The fish have stacked up on these sand bars feeding on shad in four to eight feet of water.  The fish will probably remain here until the water temperature goes up forcing the fish deeper.  Anglers here have been catching  twenty five fish limits per person on a regular basis.  The hard fighting High Fin Blues have been mostly in the fifteen to eighteen inch class with a occasional four to six pound and larger fish being taken. The secret recently to getting your limit is to set up at the crack of dawn.

If you snooze you loose. Overcast days are better prolonging the bite.  Most summer mornings will find the lake calm and “slick as glass” at the crack of dawn.  As the sun  rises the typical south east breeze will kick up and by late morning  it is getting to rough to keep a anchor hold.

On  this particular morning , I was fishing by myself and had plans of contributing to our family 4^th of July fish fry.  I had pre-rigged three rods the night before all with a 3/8^th oz egg sinker sliding above a swivel and a 3 ft. leader with a small khale hook tied on the end of the leader.  The rig is for fishing on the bottom, there is no current here therefore no need for a heavy sinker.  You want just enough weight to get it on the bottom and hold there.  The three foot leader will allow the bait to ride enticingly off the bottom.  Make a long cast and let the bait settle down.  Reel your slack in just enough to keep your line tight so you can see your line and keep a good feel of your bait.  Some times High Fin Blues will “peck” at a bait and sometimes they will “slam” it.  I tend to be on the patient side, if I feel a “peck, peck” I will slowly raise the rod tip to feel for pressure.  Once constant pressure is confirmed then hammer a hard hook set. If a rod goes down hard with a slam, then give the fish a good hook set avoiding  slack in the line   Another way to get more bites is to slowly pull the bait along the bottom much the same as if you were fishing a plastic worm for Large Mouth Bass. Slowly raise your rod tip, stop and reel in your slack.  Repeat this until the bait gets back to the boat.  More than often , you will catch more fish than the angler keeping a bait in a constant position.  I originally used this technique fishing for Flounder on the Texas coast but later found it works good on High Fins.

Now, with the 17ft. center console positioned over the sand bar and anchored securely in the front and back the moment of truth was finely here.    I grabbed a rod, reached in the bait bucket,  threaded a  three inch shad on the hook, made a long cast and set the rod down on the front deck of the boat.  Relaxing, I cut bait iced the shad and settled into baiting the second rod.  Just as I was about to cast the second rod a commotion on the front deck got my attention.  I turned just in time to my astonishment to see my first rod flying off the front deck of the boat. In a instant I turned and dove for the rod. What a mistake I thought  to my self, never leave a rod unattended!  Belly flopping onto the front deck of the boat cracking several ribs and with my outstretched right hand barely grabbed the rod just as it was going over board.  Now, with rod in hand I set the hook and did battle with the fish.  A few minutes later the fish tired and  I eased the net under him.  Was I ever lucky, I got the rod and the fish.   I dropped the beautiful 10 pound High Fin Blue Cat into the live well and returned to baiting rods. Cracked ribs and a jammed thumb I fished on.   I t was taking about four minutes for the fish to find the bait and strike.  I tried working three rods but I could not keep up.  Two rods keep me busy as bites cycled out.   When the fish are biting work at it and you will catch more fish.

I stayed busy catching fish and baiting hooks for next hour or so until the sun got high in the east and finely the bite slowed.  Pulling anchors I headed in, it was just mid morning and I had a good run at  adding to our 4^th of July fish fry.

Low Water High Fins, High fin Blues, the most sought after catfish on Lake Livingston had cooperated for me on this trip.  The low water level of Lake Livingston has made fishing  better here,  possibly concentrating fish and making them easier to pattern.  This could be true for other lakes in the south that are suffering from low water conditions.  Another good thing about the lower water levels is that the exposed lake bed is blossoming with vegetation that will flood when the lake fills back up and will provide cover and natural habitat for all fish.

Low Water this summer can be a good thing.  Especially if you like catching High Fin Blue Catfish.

“Mon Cher Laissez Les Bon Temps Roule!” (“ My friend let the good times roll!”) The party is on! The “pontoon party,” that is. Yes, there are many ways to fish for catfish but when you have a crowd, pile them into a pontoon boat and let the fun begin.

Many different type of boats can be used for successful cat fishing. From the simple 10’ john boat to a 20’ high performance bass boat, center consoles to house boats, all will work and each has its own advantages. I suspect that more catfish have been caught out of aluminum john boats than any other type rig. However, when it comes to putting a group of people together on a cat fishing trip a pontoon boat is hard to beat. Quite often, I get calls for family or corporate groups of four persons or more that would really like to fish together, preferably, out of the same boat. Splitting up into groups of 2-3 persons per boat is not nearly as fun. Fishing everyone on the same boat provides the opportunity for better fellowship for families, friends or business groups. When I get a large group of people that want to catch catfish and fish together, I call guide Kyle Braquet in Willis, Tx. Kyle runs a pontoon boat and guides catfish trips.

Most modern pontoon boats depending on individual size and coast guard ratings can handle groups of 4 to 8 persons in comfort. The stability of fishing out of pontoon boats is unsurpassed. It’s hard to “rock the boat”.

While pontoon boats are not race horses they will get you to the fishing hole without getting wet and beat around by bouncing off waves. The ride in a pontoon boat is smooth.

Today’s pontoon boats are rigged out with all the modern fishing equipment plus the luxury of comfortable couches and captains chairs.
Built in aerated live wells, ice boxes, rod holders, electronics, including fish finders, GPS navigation and cd players are all components of the modern pontoon boat. Given the stability of the pontoon boat many have fish fryers and bar-b-que grills built on board.

Recently, I had the opportunity to witness the fellowship and comfort of a pontoon party as I tagged along on a catfish trip with Kyle and party. Kyle was treating his grandmother, Memaw, his great aunt Thelma and my mother, Julia, to a morning of cat fishing.
I observed the action from near by in my boat as Kyle anchored his pontoon boat in position over a baited hole . Kyle’s son Blake and wife Belinda worked as deck hands cutting bait and helping with chores. The ladies were in great spirits as hooks were baited and lines spooled out. The boat rocked gently in the morning sun as Bob Seger tunes cranked out on the stereo. “I got one!” Julia exclaimed! Now, the action picked up and another fish was boated. I watched the show and took pictures as Kyle dropped fish in the live well and Blake re baited hooks. “PONTOON PARTY” I thought, as I took in the action. The morning passed quickly as more fat Channel Cats were boated. The Ladies were now whooping and hollering with excitement, mostly in a Cajun French dialect. The fun continued as Memaw caught another fat Channel Cat. Later, as the wind began to pick up and with bait running low, anchors were raised and we called it a day.

Back at the marina we took pictures of our happy ladies holding their fish. Finally, I had a chance to ask Kyle a few questions about guiding for catfish out of his pontoon boat.

1) “Kyle,” I asked, “why did you start guiding for catfish out of a pontoon boat?”
“The pontoon boat will accommodate more people comfortably and will hold them over the hole even in windy conditions,” he answered. The boat remains stable, more so than any other type of boat, allowing customers to walk around, fish standing up, relaxing on the couch or sitting on one of the captains chairs. There is also an awning on the boat to provide shade on those sunny hot days of summer. I can turn on the music and fire up the grill,” Kyle said.

2)“What are some more advantages of cat fishing out of a pontoon boat versus a standard rig?” I questioned. “First Dave, it depends on the type of fishing you are doing. Pontoon boats are excellent rigs for setting up over a baited hole. You sacrifice some mobility for stability,” Kyle emphasized.

3) “Is a pontoon boat any more trouble than a standard rig?” I asked. “Not at all!” Kyle explained. “Other than towing down the road, a pontoon boat is no different from a standard rig. It does take up the whole space in your driving lane, so you just need to take it easy when towing. As for launching and loading,” Kyle continued on, “If your boat is balanced to your trailer correctly it is as easy as any other rig.”

4) “How does your boat handle crossing open water wind and waves? ” I asked. “Excellent!” Kyle responded. “With two pontoons underneath you would have to mess up real bad to turn it over or sink it.”

5) “How many people can you comfortably fish out of your boat?” I asked Kyle. “Very comfortably four, although fishing six is fine,” Kyle answered.

6) “What is the most catfish that you have put in the boat on a pontoon party? ” I questioned Kyle. “A four person limit of 100 fish,” he spoke.

7) “Kyle, what do you supply on your guided catfish trips? ” I asked. “Everything you need for a day out on the water including, bait, ice, rods, reels, tackle and my secret chum. All you need to bring is your favorite drink and snacks. I often provide breakfast on board and can grill a hot lunch,” Kyle said.

8) “Speaking of secret chum,” I quizzed, “ just what is in that stuff? ” I asked. “ I can’t tell,” Kyle spoke. “Oh come on Kyle”, I prodded, “I promise that I will not tell a sole.”

KYLES SECRET CHUM RECIPE
(Do not tell Kyle I told you!)

50 LBS. HEN SCRATCH
ONE GALLON OF MILK
ONE QUART OF CATFISH DOE BAIT

FIRST SCOOP THE DOE BAIT INTO A ONE GALLON JAR AND MIX IN WARM WATER UNTIL IT DISSOLVES; THEN POUR MIXTURE INTO THE HEN SCRATCH; ADD MILK; MIX IN AND LET IT SET OVER NIGHT BEFORE FISHING. THE LONGER IT SETS THE BETTER IT GETS.

“Thanks Kyle for sharing your secret chum recipe.” “ Kyle, would you like to add anything else?” “Yes, I use fresh chicken livers for bait. You have to keep the livers fresh. I keep them on ice while we are fishing.” Kyle continued, “Also, one of the great advantages of fishing out of a pontoon boat is the boats ability to safely accommodate handicapped persons or elderly persons without the worry of accidental falls. After a days fishing in a pontoon boat, customers will not be as likely to suffer from strained backs and sore muscles.”

“Mon Cher Laissez Les Bon Temps Roule!” (“My friend let the good times roll.”) Yes, there are many ways to fish for catfish. When you have a crowd, pile them into a pontoon boat and let the party begin. A “pontoon party” that is.

David Cox
Palmetto Guide Service

The sunken bridge rail came up on the Garmin Graph  and I  quickly pitched a buoy  marker over the side of the boat.  I had found what I was looking for, the old highway. 190 bridge. Making a u turn I found the old sunken bridge on the graph a second time and dropped another buoy marker.   With the bridge now located and well marked, I  reached for the “hook”.  Not a fishing hook but a bridge rail hook.  A custom made hook designed especially for  snagging old highway bridge rails.  I eased  the hook over the side of the boat and while letting out rope headed back to snag the old bridge.

The last car to drive across this bridge I thought had to be in 1969.  That was the year the Trinity River bottom was inundated, flooding 90,000 acres of land , covering miles of  road bed and three bridges.  Travelers of years past probably sang the blues as they negotiated the winding river bottom roads of  East Texas in rout to their destinations.   While it has been years since the last car drove over this highway,  the old bridge still stands  today and is  teaming with the blues.  BLUE CATS that is.

Who knows how many miles of flooded road beds there are in freshwater lakes across America.   I would guess there are thousands of  them from one end of the country to the other.  As  man made lakes are created for water resource, inevitably old highways have been flooded creating fish attracting structure. Road beds and especially the old bridges are well known for attracting all species of  freshwater game fish.

Since the mid 1980’s I have been targeting Blue Cats on the old submerged  bridges  in Lake Livingston.  After many trips over the years, success and failures,  I  have learned a few techniques to help put more cats in the boat.  What I have learned here on my home lake in East Texas should work on other lakes across the country.

So how do you get started fishing for highway Blues?

First, I have learned that structure fishing submerged bridges for cats is best in the summer.  The dog days of summer are the best for putting big numbers in the live well.   The hotter it is in the summer the better the bite. Catfish are attracted to old sunken bridges looking for bait fish, shade and cover for protection.   Surface water temperature here in the summer months range from 85 to 91 degrees.

Next, with a good fishing map of the lake, look for any old roads that were flooded   when the lake was impounded.   Most good fishing maps will list submerged roads in their index and also commonly list GPS coordinates of hot spots which often include road beds and bridges. This can be a invaluable resource for saving time.  Looking at your map  try to locate where an old road crossed a creek or river.  This is where a bridge may still be intact and the best fish attracting structure will be found.  Once your on the water and in the area of a bridge look for sudden changes in depth that indicate a creek or river.  For example, when you cross a road bed with your depth finder it will look more like a gradual hump.  If you go over a bridge, a creek or river you will notice radical changes in depth.   As you cross the bridge the concrete and metal will give you a solid reading on your depth finder and appear square or more structured than the surrounding bottom.  As you pass over the bridge there will be a sudden, straight,  distinct drop off showing on the depth finder reflecting  the depths of the creek or river bottom.   For example, one of the bridges I fish on Lake Livingston the normal depth reading will be at 20-25’.   When you pass over the bridge you will pick it up at  7-10’, then  it will drop back to 20-25’    The bigger cats will be holding on the outside edge of the bridge,  around the railing and on the drop off side.  This is where you want to fish in order to target the better fish. Remember, boat positioning, location and  presentation are the  most crucial factors in sunken bridge fishing.   Simply dropping anchor is not good enough .    You want to set up to drop your baits precisely  on to the edge of  the bridge.  The “sweet spot”.  This is where the “hook” comes in.  Specifically designed and fabricated for hooking underwater bridges.

The hook should be designed so, when dragged at the proper depth it grabs and hooks on to the bridge rail.   Also, it is important  that the hook is designed to turn loose easily  when  slack is given to the tie line. I have lost more than my share of bridge hooks.  I make my bridge rail hooks by first cutting two pieces of 1/4 inch concrete reinforcement steel into 5’ sections.. Bend  the  two pieces  about a foot from one end to form a hook or J shape.  Weld the two pieces together to form a double hook with both hooks facing the same direction with about 5” gap between the hooks.   Next, weld a one foot piece of chain to the shaft end of your hook so  you have something to tie a good rope to.  The chain also acts as sort of a swivel.   Make two sets of hooks as you will need on for the front of the boat and one for the back of the boat.

Now, on the water its time to hook up to the bridge.   The best method to get the first hook up on the bridge is to drag for it.  Most old bridges have a railing and this is what you want to snag.   Drop  the hook over the side letting out enough rope to get the hook to the proper depth.  Put the motor in gear and head for the bridge holding tightly to your hook rope.    Keep tension on the hook at all times feeling for the structure as you drag. When you feel the hook hitting the bridge quickly put the motor in neutral  pull in the slack until the hook grabs the structure.  It is imperative that you keep the rope tight all the while until  the hook grabs solid..   Pull the rope as tight as you can from the back of the boat  and tie it off  to a rear cleat.  Now with the back of the boat secured it is time to hook up the front of the boat.   Quickly grab your second hook and  by using your bow mounted trolling motor and  front mounted depth finder, position the bow of the boat over the edge of the bridge and throw the second hook towards the deep side of the bridge and pull up on the rope until the bridge rail is snagged again.   Keep the rope as tight as you can and tie off to a cleat in the front of the boat.  All of this may sound difficult, however with some practice you should be able to get set up in just a few minutes.   I do not  recommend hooking on to bridges under windy conditions.

 Now, with the boat is parallel parked  exactly on the edge of the bridge, there is no mistaking that when you drop a bait  straight down  it will be presented  into the prime spot for some major Blue Cat action.

 Remember, you want to fish on the deep side, keeping your bait on the edge of the bridge as much as possible.   The water on the railing side of the boat is always the  deepest.    Drop a bait all the way to the bottom on the deep side and slowly reel up until a fish grabs it.  Remember the depth  where you got bit and concentrate on that depth.    The strike zone is usually the outside edge of the bridge.  I believe some of the bigger cats will actually lie in ambush under the bridge, run out grab a bait and dart back into the safety of  bridge.

Heavy tackle, including  a good bait casting reel spooled with no less than 15 to 20lb test line  rigged on a  51/2 to 6ft. medium heavy or heavy action rod is mandatory for sunken  bridge fishing.   The action can be heart stopping  as fish grab and run for cover.  Get the fish headed your way fast or he will hang you up or cut your line on the edge of the bridge.

  On this day while dragging the “hook” behind the boat  my concentration was broken as  the bridge showed up on the graph.   Fish were stacked on the edge of the old highway bridge rail at 7’   In a few minutes we were set up and one of  my clients for the day, a young man about 13 years old dropped a bait down into the bridge.   Within a few seconds the young man hammered a solid hook set causing the rod to come completely out of his grip.    Now, I jumped  into the  middle of things  as we both struggled to regain control of the rod.  Finely, rod back in hand the young man played the Blue Cat down.   “That didn’t take long,” he said as he admired his first fish of the day.  “ Ok, lets get focused and put your game face on, we are on the fish,” I said excitedly   Later that morning we admired a mixed bag stringer of Blue Cats, Channel Cats and White Bass all of which came from the same sunken bridge on Lake Livingston in East Texas.

David Cox / Palmetto Guide Service

“That’s another hundred head,” Richard exclaimed! He was speaking about Blue Cats, not cattle. “I can count the times on one hand that we have taken less than a hundred head per trip in the past few months,” Richard continued. Richard Luce and Kenneth Owens are commercial fishermen, fishing a minimum of four to five days per week. I recently had the opportunity to spend a morning fishing with them and they have been kind enough to share their techniques and experience with our readers.

These guys are good!!! I mean really good at catching Blue Cats. On this particular morning they put out 125 floating jug lines. I observed as Richard and Kenneth tag teamed the chores with the precision of a choreographed dance group. Each man new his job and like a well tuned machine they went about their daily routine of putting another “hundred head” in the boat.

First, Richard and I met Kenneth at the boat launch about an hour before day light. Upon our arrival Kenneth was waiting, already dressed with rubber boots and a rubber apron for protection from water, fins and fish slime. Kenneth quickly got busy by helping launch the boat and stowing gear. We headed out as Richard drove the boat using a Q beam for light and Kenneth manned a 7’ cast net. Richard kept the boat over a creek channel and provided light with the Q beam as Kenneth filled the bait bucket with fresh shad.

Second, we dumped the jugs out of their holding sacks and began baiting hooks. Still in the predawn hour we drove to the spot Richard had selected. “Bait the hook and hook it back to the rubber band on the bottom of the jug,” Kenneth explained to me. “This will keep the jugs from getting tangled up. When we get to the spot we will already have most of the jugs baited,” he continued. “Run the hook through the eye of the shad and back through the body, a two inch shad is the best.” Richard added.

Next, Richard made a pass through the selected area and turned the boat in to wind. “We want to drop our jugs so the wind will blow them through these stumps, that’s were you will catch most of your fish.” Richard said. Now, with the first hint of sunlight cracking in the east we began dropping jugs as Richard eased the boat along. With the last jug dropped, we spun around to see jugs standing on end. That didn’t take long. I thought to my self. If a jug is straight up and down there is a fish on someone said. Richard controlled the 40hp tiller with one hand and scooped up jugs in a net with the other hand never turning the motor off and only kicking it into neutral briefly while he netted a fish. He would then flip the fish to Kenneth who would quickly take the fish off drop it in the aerated live well, re-bait and pitch the jug back out. Every time a fish went into the aerated live well Richard clicked his counter.

As we continued to chase bobbing jugs we talked more about jug lining. You have got to have wind I was told. The fish just do not bite good on slick water. Look for windy spots, although too much wind can make it rough and dangerous. Also, I was told never fish the same spot two days in a row. The best time to go jug fishing, especially in the warmer months is early in the morning. “I’ve seen guys using all kinds of different jugs,” I spoke. “ Tell me about yours,” I asked? First I was told, in Texas you must have your name and address on each jug. You do not need to put the date on it as long as you do not leave it out. Also, commercial fishermen must have their jugs painted fluorescent orange and sport fishermen must have their jugs painted white I was told. Richard went on to say. “ A small plastic soda bottle is all you need. Through trial and error I have found a 30 inch leader to be the best. It is a deep enough drop and still short enough to be handled easily. I start with about 10 inches of nylon trot line cord tied around the neck of the bottle. The nylon wraps up better than the mono. Attach a barrel swivel to the nylon then add 20 inches of 50lb. Mono. Attach a ¼ oz. in-line weight about 4-5” above a 8/0 Mustad circle hook,” Richard said. Also, “we put the rubber band at the bottom of the jug to hold the hook in place when not in use to prevent all the lines from tangling together and causing a big mess,” Richard added. “Another thing,” Kenneth spoke, “when you spray paint your bottles paint the inside as well as the outside.”

“Eighty three,” Richard said as he punched the counter again. “Lets start picking up jugs, we should get our hundred head by the time we get all of the jugs picked up,” he said.

“That’s it! Another hundred head,” Richard exclaimed breaking a smile as he scooped the last fish of the day into the boat.

Back at Best Catch Fish & Seafood Market in Huntsville, Tx. by 11:00am. I thanked Richard and Kenneth for taking me along and sharing their knowledge with us. I learned a lot and was impressed with their equipment, attention to detail, technique and team work. These guys are real good at catching Blue Cats. If you ever get a chance, spend a morning with a commercial cat fishermen and you will learn a lot.

December is trophy month. No I am not talking about the rut, scrapes and trophy horns. I am talking about trophy fins. December is one of the best months of the year to hook up with a giant Flathead or Blue Cat in the Southern United States. Spring, Summer and Fall are all good for numbers and yes some big fish are taken throughout the year. However, In my experience your best chance at taking a giant Blue Cat or Flathead is in December. Living on the Trinity River for many years I see it happening year after year. Just this past December I lost count of the Blue Cats and Flatheads over 30lbs. that were brought into Freedom Shores Marina on Lake Livingston. Flatheads brought in 60lbs. and larger are not uncommon. Honestly, there is not a lot of fishermen targeting these big fish in December. Trophy hunting for fins is a very underutilized sport. While most outdoorsmen are deer hunting or waterfowl hunting a select handful of diehards here are braving the elements and weighing in magnum cats in the dead of winter. Fishing is just not the top draw until hunting season is over.
For the few dedicated anglers soaking baits in December they are often rewarded with a trophy cat.

Trot lines baited with live bait probably take the greatest number of trophy fish in December. Set a line in a deep hole on the bottom near a cut bank. Make sure your trot line is well made using quality terminal tackle. Swivels are a must when trot lining for trophy cats. I rig a barrel swivel off the main staging by crimping a brad on both sides of it allowing it to move a couple of inches either way. With out a good swivel and a quality staging the fish will wrap up on the line and pull free.

Rod and reel fishing is my favorite method for going after giant cats in the winter. It is time consuming and often unrewarded. When a fish is hooked however it can come with real bragging rights. Heavy bait casting tackle is a must. I use the carolina rig with a 30 inch leader made with 40lb. Mono.
I use a egg sinker above the swivel and choose a weight according to current. The more current in the river the more weight you need to hold your bait in the spot. A hand sized live perch hooked through the tail with a circle hook will draw strikes from big cats.

With water temperatures often below 55 degrees in December, the fish become dormant and do not feed much. This is why a trot line works well as it presents a bait near the fish for long periods of time. When the fish do begin actively feeding, the bait will be there for the taking. I believe that the larger fish move more often than smaller fish in cold water conditions. The smaller fish become more dormant and actually hibernate for longer periods of time. I can attest to this theory simply due to the fact that for years I never catch a lot of numbers of fish when the water temperature drops below 50-55 degrees. However, I have caught lots of big fish under these conditions.

In the Southern United States where I live in East Texas, the winter weather is often a rollercoaster of rises and falls in ambient air temperature dominated by Canadian Cold fronts. It may be 80 degrees today and 30 degrees tomorrow. However you will generally have slow rises and falls in water temperature. It is what is referred to as a sustained water temperature. Once your water temperature drops to 55degrees for example it will take quite a few days of warming weather to get the water temperature to climb.
Even though it may be a comfortable 75 degrees outside, the water temperature may still be around 55degrees. What does this mean for fishing. Pay attention to water temperature in the winter, as it climbs just a few degrees it will promote fish activity. I am also a big believer in the effect that the barometric pressure has on big fish. As cold fronts cycle through the barometric pressure will fall, pre-front and will rise post-front.

Fishing for big cats is always better when you have a rising water temp. combined with a falling barometric pressure. A rising barometric pressure post- front can have a profound negative affect on the bite. In the winter and early spring I pay more attention to barometric pressure than I do water temperature.

Another observation I have made over the years is that big flatheads live in the same spots year after year. You can take a couple big fish out of the same hole this year as you did last year.

One recent December morning I was out guiding a duck hunt on the river. A cold front had blown through a couple days before and the temperature was in the 40’s at mid morning. My party shot a few ducks and as the cold crept into our bones we decided to spool up and head in for a fresh hot cup of coffee. As we made our run down the river channel I noticed a boat ahead in the distance through my watery eyes. Something doesn’t look right as we got nearer to the boat. It wasn’t duck hunters but a man and a young boy in a center console fishing boat. At first I thought they were having mechanical problems. I politely slowed down as we neared their rig. The boat was doing circles and going from one side of the river channel to the other. As I got my eyes focused I could now see that the boy was driving the boat and the man was holding a rod and reel that was doubled over. I eased closer into shouting distance and asked the man if he was hung up.

“NO” he exclaimed, “ I’m on a fish, been following him for 45 minutes,” he continued. “ Hooked it down there by the bluffs about a mile from here.

Must be a big Op. He took a live perch,” the man continued as he cranked hard on the bait casting reel while the boy turned the boat. “ I just want to get a look at him,” the man said. We drifted near by in my boat and watched the action as the fight continued. After about 20 more minutes the fish was tiring. The angler began to gain ground on the fish and he finely worked him into a net and the two of them heaved the fish into the boat. The man picked the fish up behind the gills and lifted him up for us to look at. It was a monster Flathead, I estimated the fish would go 65-75lbs.

Back at Freedom Shores Marina the big fish was the talk at breakfast. Duck hunting seemed to be forgotten for the moment as the story of the big flathead took center stage. Maybe we will let the Mallards rest in the morning and go fishing someone said.

David Cox
Owner / Palmetto Guide Service