channel cats through the ice

I have read a couple of articles and watched a few videos on pulling cats through the ice. I have a couple ideas of how to catch them and where, but any other actual experience from others would be helpful. My baits were gonna vary from different size cut baits (sucker and shiner), live minnows, and what I think is gonna be the big ticket treble hook with two minnow heads and one live. Probably gonna deadstick and or tip up. I was thinkin some FIN stocked ponds and lakes to start out with. Any opinions or advice would be appreciated. IDO should look into an episode featuring this…. or maybe I will send you mine

It’s been a while since I’ve been on ice fishing for cats.

But it sounds like you’re on the right track.

Don’t just fish the bottom. Many of the channels I’ve caught were much higher, like 10+ feet of the bottom. Also I wouldn’t limit myself to just minnows.

Sudden Impact is a fiber bait and between the fibers and cold water it stays on the treble very well. Here’s a video I did a couple of years ago with water temps around 40 degrees if I recall.

Absolutely post your video here!

PS channels do not like bright lights!

We catch a lot of channels through the ice on Petenwell. I’ve caught them on blades, jigging raps, slip bobber and minnow, and jigging spoons. Brian is correct in not focusing solely on the bottom. Lots of the cats I’ve caught have been 5 or 6 feet off the bottom pretending to be suspended crappies.

Thanks guys, hopefully I’ll be eating some cold water Cajun catfish. Another question if anyone could answer is, night bite good for ice cats, I know I do pretty well during open water at night for cats, I assume the same during the winter.

It helps to put a location in your profile Dirty. We might give you better localized info.

Anytime you can locate channels there will be takers.

I caught my first channel through the ice on Saturday. I was fishing a river backwater and was on a few crappies when a mark came in about 8 ft below the hole. I reeled up my tungsten jig w/plastic and it ate it right away. Fun fight on an UL pole.

On Tichigan lake when I was a kid, we clobbered them with just a minnow head hanging from a #5 jig rap, nearly dead sticking

And for the kitty lovers out there