Horseshoe Chain Catfish?

Horseshoe Chain catfish areas, Need some help! Heading up there Thursday. Local baitshops with some info.

Corky’s Gas & Bait….in Rockville!!!!!!

Or Southside in Richmond!!!!!

Click the link below (Horseshoe cats) to a thread that has some recent video clips on a recent adventure to get some horseshoe cats.

Good luck

P.S. Be careful the ice can get real thin in some areas.

also don’t leave any fish behind. CO says its a $280 or there abouts fine for leaving fish behind.

Horseshoe Cats

I grew up in that area and in my expierence you can catch cats anywhere on that chain. We use to go and catch them early in the spring while the water was still very cold and they tasted awesome! We’d catch 20-30 a piece in one evening using chicken liver. Mike’s Bait in Eden Valley might have some info for you also. 320-453-2248. Good luck and let us know how you do!

We catch them suspended over 40-45 fow. Usually 10-20 feet off. Anywhere below and all you catch is rock bass. Use a regular jig head, lime green works the best for us, put a postage stamp sized hunk of cut sucker meat on the jig. I have also seen guys catch them on glow red spoons with fathead heads on them. Where we fish is right next to a methane spring. The water stays open all year, but when cold shrinks down to the size of a pie plate. Be careful, out there.

The area Dan is describing is the best place to fish Cats this time of year unless you know the River system well. There are plenty of great spots in the deep holes of the River between Richmond and Cold Spring. If you don’t know the area, you will get plenty on Horseshoe what people refer to as the Methane hole.

When I use to fish catfish I just used a Go Devil Jigging spoon and the head of a minnow. Catching them is not usually an issue.

Hey Larry, were you guys using cutbait or other offerings? With the foam bobbers, I’ll assume some type of livebait. Of course thatsjust an assumption. Thanks for the help!

We were using a quarter size chunk of cut shiners hanging under a float just off the bottom.

The ice was 6-7″ so please be careful if you decide to explore. We took the wheelers and sleds out but parked far apart and nowhere near where we set up, just to be safe.

There’s a real good chance at some action

Quote:

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We were using a quarter size chunk of cut shiners hanging under a float just off the bottom.

The ice was 6-7″ so please be careful if you decide to explore. We took the wheelers and sleds out but parked far apart and nowhere near where we set up, just to be safe.

There’s a real good chance at some action

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What he said!
Ice thickness varies alot. Up to 7 inches in a span of less than 100yds. If you see them suspended raise up we were getting some that way as well.

Thanks for the help everyone. Wow, great to know about the differing ice conditions & depth. Scott plans on bringing his 250 6×6, we will be certain to keep it parked away from our setup. Probably need to pound some holes to confirm ice thickness. Neither of us have ever catfished in the winter, but were sure looking forward to seeing Mr. Whiskers, its been too long!

Well, yesterday has come and gone, and so has our trip to the meth hole for Mr. Whiskers. I am ashamed to say that my friend Scott and I did not hook or land a kitty. Scott who jokingly and openly refers to walleyes as ‘gay fish’ managed to land just that- a 13incher on a white pimple w/minnow pcs. We tried two different spots on the downstream side of the hole 47’& 52′. jigging spoons with a chunk of shiner of fathead, fatheads under bobbers – SHUTOUT!