Drifting Pool 2?

Just curious if anyone’s tried drift fishing for channels on Pool 2?

I am thinking the stretch from the Hwy 52 bridge to the refinery should almost all be good for drift fishing for big channels… but I haven’t tried it. If I can get a couple days in a row out on the boat I may actually decide to give it a whirl.

I think I am going to need a substantial drift sock (or a couple 5-gallon pails) for the pontoon boat, especially once I add the awning I am planning to make.

Anyone have any experience to add to the pot here?

Buy a 4′ sock. Or go when there is a 3mph breeze.

Cool, thanks Josh.

I honestly had no idea what size sock to pick up… that’s good info.

I guess I don’t understand the need to drift, other than to just say that you did it? If you put a bait like chicken liver or something in the area of the channel cats, they should come to you right?

Not so Mike. Drifting has been a very effective way to pick up channels and occasionally a flathead.

Keep in mind the sent trail is going down stream in a very narrow “channel”. Drifting will move the bait left and right along with up stream giving the angler a better chance of getting the bait and scent in front of Mr. Whiskers.

Using a walleye analogy: the difference between trolling and casting a stick bait while at anchor is? covering water with your bait in the strike zone. drifting is absolutely essential in catfishing for suspened fish especially in lakes and resevoirs. Here instead of drifting over the fish with a boat, I throw floats and let the current or wind drift the baits over the water I want hit.

After reading a report from Steve DeMars drifting a weightless rig for channel cats became my favorite way to fish for them I did have a few reports up in years past as did Steve.

And in a river, 90% of the dead food a cat eats is drifting downstream – they’re habituated to eating that way.

good stuff I’ll have to give it a try.

What kind of set up do you use to drift for cats? Do you use bottom bouncers?

Hook, 18″ of line, barrel swivel and then the main line. Typical cat rig, just with no added weight.

At least that’s the technique that Señor DeMars has schooled us all on.

Can’t wait to try it… very soon.

Use no weight if you have little to no current. Use an ounce if you have some current or are going against a very small current. Use 2 if you’re going against a stronger current. Just whatever it takes to get to the bottom.