i been fishing with punch bait for channels alot latley and doing well but the number of missed bites is huge!!!!using slip sinker rig on bottom and having the fish about pull the pole from my hand but when set hook nothing there,,, using #6 bare treble hook , anyone got any ideas??
What kind of bait are you using?
I tend to like the single hooks and if the road is limber enough maybe just wait until they load up in the holder?
Shawn
Todd, it’s the time of year when the “little” guys come out to play.
The only trouble you’re having is the channels are too small. At least in my experience.
Move to another location.
BTW I crimp down the barbs on the trebles for easier hook removal whether is a treble or a circle hook. As long as the line is tight it’s pretty hard to lose a fish. I do use barbed hooks with inexperienced fisher people because they have a tendency to get slack in the line.
If they are running with the bait get some octupus circles, #2-4 works pretty well for me for small cats. Otherwise #6 owner mosquito hooks will stick any small fish if they are nibbling.
My kids love “baby” fish so its usually what I’m after with em.
having the fish about pull the pole from my hand but when set hook nothing there
If your hooks were sharp i’d think a doubled over rod the hook would already be set in a soft mouthed fish like a channel cat.
A circle hook would help since it automatically sets the hook on a bent rod.
You may also be running into hard mouthed species like bowfin, Walleye, northern, or have fish pecking at it like perch and drum.
They have a tendency to hit and miss and make a cat angler mad.
Using punch bait pretty much eliminates a single hook and most other species except the pristine walleye. LOL!
Cutting a sponge, tube, straw, hose, shanking a section of ribworm on line, list goes on for single shank hook option.
What ya got to do is toss out your regular treble with punch, pick off the bigger ones, then another setup get the single small octupus or long shank with a bit of crawler dipped in punch. It gets washed off faster but will hold remnants just enough for the small kitties.
Got to remember the lil taps of juvenile kitties come from the fact they are pretty use to tearing up their food up to this point in their lives, to digest, and so they can run away with it before something else takes it.
Don’t get me wrong its more of a percentages game at this point BC they really are tapping it and mouthing it for the run, than putting it in their mouth well enough for a hookset.
But with any numbers game put the odds in your favor and it makes life a lil funner 
Using punch bait pretty much eliminates a single hook and most other species except the pristine walleye. LOL!
DIdn’t you have a very large northern eat some stink bait at the resort last year?
Personally i’ve never used stink bait, but i do know everything under the surface of the water will eat anything cut bait…occasionally at least.
LOL! Forgot about Andy’s stink bait pike…it’s more fun to remember the about bottom feeding walleyes. 
Channel cats do not like bright lights and are sometimes camera shy…
BK is right Todd, it is most likely small cat that can’t inhale the entire bait. If you want to prove it to yourself just downsize your hooks for a cast or 2. When this happens we move, I don’t go out to catch 1-2 lb cats. Also, switching to crawlers or cutbait on circle hooks will eliminate the human error of hooksets if you ever wanted to try a different style.
the pristine walleye.
Bout time you recognize! 
thanks for the tips everyone,kinda new to actualy going targetting channel cats , i havent learned how to pattern them yet or when little ones bite and big ones dont stuff like that, i was haveing alot of succsess then all the sudden cant catch a decent fish for nothing and miss every single bite almost , was starting to feel jinxed ,lol brian when do the little guys usauly let up and things get normal again?
I’m not real sure Todd. I switch over to sturgeon. We’re using cut bait/whole shad and only are bothered by mudpuppies in late Oct when they head start moving to spawn.
FYI we’ve been picking up a few 10 pound channels on crushed sucker heads as of late.
I was skunked on a recent catfishing Pool 2 outing in the vicinity of the 494 bridge and looking to change tactics. How about drifting down the main channel, dragging along some cutbait on or just above the bottom. Does the main channel hold many channel cats?
Thanks
I was skunked on a recent catfishing Pool 2 outing in the vicinity of the 494 bridge and looking to change tactics. How about drifting down the main channel, dragging along some cutbait on or just above the bottom. Does the main channel hold many channel cats?
Thanks
I got a 27″ and a 29″ vertical jigging the 16-20’transition of rip rap shoreline not to far north of there during the day. One was Leech, the other crawler.
Fun on walleye gear, the 29″ took no less than 10min to get in, chased it around everywhere, I forget how powerful they get in this warm water.
There’s a reason they are called “channel”cats. I just don’t recall what it was…
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