Tim and I set our dittypoles a couple weeks back when the water in a local creek was cooler then it is now. After a few days of catching just a few but enough to take home and eat, we got into another cold spell so we called it quits until it warmed up again which was just a few days ago. Out of the 10 dittypoles we had out we had one chewed off at ground level by a beaver, we still had two poles left and all the others were pulled out of the bank by decent sized catfish. We were baiting with shrimp and just letting the shrimp ride right on the surface, because the only place the catfish could go was down and this brings good hookups.
We got some new poles made out of willows and their in the boat ready to go right now. We set 2-7 hook trotlines and those are in the water right now baited with shrimp but the bite isn’t hot and furious yet but we figure another 5 degrees in water temps and that should make them go better then before or now. A 15 hook line with a full two arms stretch between the hooks is too long to go across the creek we fish so that’s why were using shorter lines.
I’m going to try another technique putting poles where I want them and thought about it last year but never did it. I’ve got a 20 volt cordless drill with a 10″ bit extension and I’m going to drill 1 1/4″ holes in logs in logjams, single logs laying on the bank and wherever I think it would be good to put a dittypole and drill a hole at the right angle and put the base of the dittypoles in the hole and even though I’ve never done it or heard about it, it should be killer on catfish laying or feeding on those single logs by themselves.
Some places look very good and you know theres catfish just laying there out of sight and feeding there but its an all rock bank and impossible to drive the butt end of a pole into the bank. But a lot of times theres a single log laying there, so drilling a hole and placing a dittypole in that hole should be killer. The hottest bite isn’t here yet but its close enough and were just waiting for another few degrees in the water temp.
Put a 10′ dittypole over a deep hole with a door spring or two tied to the dittypole and the line tied to that spring with a 6″ chub, bullhead of bluegill and get the Camera ready. Tim and I have been talking about fishing flatheads more this year then we have in the last few years, if we do, this way of fishing is going to be one of the ways were going to do it, all it takes is one hook to do the job. Its been a fair bite and the good bite were you catch dozens a day is just around the corner, you can tell by the amount of blood on the females eggs and their still halfway green yet. Good luck this year guys,,,