Chickamauga Blues 3-20-07

[EricM]

Sorry, no pix (35mm camera - have to have developed) but today yielded a bunch of 10-15 lb blues and I boated a 52 lb and a 45-11. Looks like they're moving into the springtime patterns. I'll be out more this week and will report. No catchable skipjack, not showing much surface activity right now. Lots of threadfin shad, though. I used frozen skipjack and redhorse sucker. Good fishing!

 

[hookem]

Good fishing Eric . That's some good cats. Do you use chunks of skipjack or strips?

 

[EricM]

When I'm looking for the big ones, I will use the head and 2-3" of the body, 3" steaks (cut across the fish through the backbone) from the middle, and maybe 5" of the tail with the fin cut off. These go on an 8/0 or larger circle hook. This eliminates most cats 10# or less, and you will miss a lot of them under 15# - they never get the hook into their mouths. If I am looking to have a bunch of fun with the smaller fish, 1" to 2"steaks on smaller hooks(even 2/0) and if the skipjack is large I'll split the steak into left and right sides (cutting along the spine). You will catch the big ones with small bait, but you'll have to wade through a bunch of smaller fish too. Hope this helps!