Willow Cats

Just a question for those that use willow cats.Do you feel that they work this time of year or not.I’ll let you my opinion after a few responses.

FallingRock,

my winter and early Spring fishing on the river is almost non-existent this year. (which I feel just terrible about). but when I do go when It is cold, I usually just jig with plastics of different types, with never any meat on it, one I know I don’t need it. and two, my hands stay warmer longer if they are not constantly in the minny bucket. I really do not know of anyone who uses willow cats, but if they are really great baits, the word my just not be out yet. what are your thoughts, FR ??? Jack..

Like I said I’ll post later on that.I have used them in this cold water and————

I have never been able to find them at this time of year, if I could I would certainly give them a try. I use them just as soon as I can get them, great bait for me. Len do you have them now?–John

The earliest I have been able to find them and use them is mid april. I mainly use them summer through fall but the walleye’s really hammered them early in the year. As soon as you can get your hands on any you can catch fish on them.

We have 3 doz now but we can get more

I have never used them this early, but would surely give it a try in April or May. I have used them in June and July when I can get them.

I am kinda new to the willow cats. Are they like a small bullhead. I have no idea, I have never seen them. And whare do you fish with them on the river wingdams? You use a jig, or a spinner like a little jo. I have no idea and I would like to learn more is someone could give me some info.
thanks steve

I dont know if I could afford to buy them I have heard great things from some tourny guys that get them but are the really that good??

Eye Getter, I sent you a PM that should help answer some of your questions about willow cats.

One interesting thing I found when I moved to southern Iowa is that after years of fishing Pools 5a through 8, where willow cats are a favorite walleye bait, no one around Pools 16 and 17 seems to use them, at least not that I have seen or heard of.

Willow cats work great during warm water conditions when fished on a three way rig or split shot in front of a wing dam, or in the pool just behind the tip of the dam. Walleye and sauger really hammer them. Like other people have said, I have never used them this early, but only because I’ve never been able to find them.

Not sure where that line is drawn, but there are no willow cats natural to pool 18. No habitat for them. Vegitation is needed. Will investigate further.

I’ve heard that the willow cats are usually found in slack shallow water under moss and such. The way walleyes and bass hit them they must be nest egg robbers. They don’t look like they taste good. You do not hear of them much below Pool 12 as I have found.

Never used this early probably because I do OK on minnows and plastics. Beginning in mid-spring through the summer they are just great.

I used them on Pools 16 and 17 last Sept. and did very well with them. They are not indigenous to this area and are not avalible here in the bait shops.
I am lucky to have a friend up north that brought them down for me . One thing he didn’t tell me about them……..they really sting bad. Thanks Jarrad.

Thanks Tony. I just figuired they wouldn’t work this far south since they aren’t found down here and they wouldn’t be considered a natural food source.

I’ve thought about trying them down on 16 and 17, but never had any left from my trips up to 5a and 6 to bring back.

Even though the different willow cat species (there are several) aren’t found around Muscatine, channel cat, flathead, and bullheads definitely are. So it doesn’t surprise me that willow cats would work down here, since the walleye and sauger no doubt eat their share of young catfish of other types.

The willow cat sting is notorious–I think you owe your buddy some payback for not telling you about it.

How bad it is varies from person to person. For me, it is not as bad as a bee sting. It stings like hell for a few minutes, and then gets better. Other guys have their hands swell up and turn numb, and they can’t use them for the rest of the day. I always wear kevlar or leather gloves when I handle the little beasts.

Hey VikeFan,
I plan of getting back at him. I have something very special planned for him in Bull Shoals next week.

Well one of us was smart enough to buy a sissy scoop, (not the real name but this is a family forum) It,s a little scoop that holds them so you don’t get stuck, You can get both the scoop and the willow cats ( in season) from Lee at the bait shop in Alma, Tony and I brought some back last year and I also had good luck with them here on pool 16.

Thanks Tony, I have not seen one of those scoops for Willow Cats in years. The willow cats do work well even in areas where we do not find them sold. Like Northern IL. inland lakes.

Umm afaik willow cats are illegal for MN residents to use as bait, accorind to to “willowgate” last year, do a search, they are not legal bait for mn residents anymore. IIRC otherwise correct me if I’m wrong.

I thought the Mn regs has to do with the body of water where the bait fish is caught and it has to be used in the same area.. Because of Tiger Mussels being transfered to inland waters??

Actually, the Minnesota DNR, or rather some official with too much time on his hands and a stick too far up somewhere else, decided that since willow cats weren’t minnows, Minnesota baitshops could not trap them, buy them, or sell them as bait. On the Mississippi, Minnesota anglers may still purchase willow cats in Wisconsin, and use them as bait on the river.

I heard that the legislature is moving to amend this stupid ruling, so baitshops in Minnesota may soon be able to start selling them again.

Willow Cats back on sale in MN?

Here is an article published in the Winona Daily News last February–I haven’t heard any updates on the story.

A game and fish bill proposed in the Legislature would add willow cats to the list of minnows that Minnesota bait shops can collect and sell. Advertisement

Advertise Info. Directory
If the measure survives the session and the governor signs the bill, it would reverse a ban on the bait that was reinforced last May by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Willow cats are a local favorite of walleye anglers on the Mississippi River, from Red Wing, Minn., south to the Iowa border.

The DNR stopped willow cat collection and sale after it discovered existing state law does not allow dealers to collect these fish as bait from inland waters. Because the minnow definition was embedded within statutes, only legislators and the governor can change the law.

Ed Boggess, DNR fish and wildlife policy chief, said the willow cat allowance would take effect immediately upon bill signing, expected by the third week in May or shortly after.

“I think it will get done one way or another,” he said. “This bill would classify them as minnows, and with this willow cats can be taken from those inland waters and be used as bait in the river.”

Bob Veglahn, owner of Tri-State Bait in La Crescent, Minn., was pleased to hear of the coming change.

He said enactment in May should be in time for demand. Walleye anglers tend to use other baits through spring. Once spawning is over in May, they begin to use willow cats as bait through summer, Veglahn said.

Senate and House versions of game and fish modifications include numerous provisions besides willow cats. Boggess expects the willow cat provision to survive.

The bills, HF 0847 and SF789, have to pass the House and Senate and come together for the governor’s approval for enactment, he said. The language in each is identical pertaining to willow cats and includes prior law and the new addition.

Current state law also bans collection of willow cats or any other bait from Minnesota border waters south of Taylors Falls on the St. Croix River, because these waters are infested with invasive species and bait collection could spread those species. This includes all of the Mississippi River on Minnesota’s border.

This law will not change, Boggess said.

Willow cats are more widely known as tadpole madtoms, small fish found in North and Central America from Canada to Guatemala, east of the Rockies. They are related to catfish and bullheads.

Wisconsin bait shops picked up willow cat sales when Minnesota vendors were forced to discontinue selling them last spring.

Reporter Jeff Dankert can be reached at (507) 453-3513 or [email protected].

Not being able to take willow cats from the Miss bordering Minnesota is going to tork a lot of people.

Yes Willow cats do work in cold but they must be presented in a very slow method.As you can see we haven’t won any tournaments with them but when the bite gets hard they do give you an edge over other anglers.They are just another tool to add to your bag to get fish and at times they are the best tool.
And the sting IT SMARTS!!!!! until you get stung alot.

Goood Luck

Hey, Len…
sent you several PMs and several calls on your cell…whaasup?

Hey Tony
I use to have a bait shop and sold millions of those babies. And have yet to be stung by one. But to all you guys out there, I hold them in the minnow net, one finger on top and thumb on the bottom of their head. As long as they are in the net they must feel protected. And if you get stung take the belly and rub it on where you got stung. It will only smart for a couple minutes and you will never now it happened later. Same with cats or bull heads. My daughter Ann is highly allergic to cat stings and it works for her.