The evening started with meeting AmWatson at the local bait shop 4:00pm. We picked up a dozen suckers, transferred Wats equipment to my truck, and headed to the 7th St landing geared up to drift for Channel Cats using the C15 rig. After a 15 minute boat ride we were making our first drift.
With a lot of large boat traffic we felt like a bobber drifting the edge of the main channel. The first spot produced some good hits and one smaller cat. We also had a sight neither of us has ever seen on the river before. It looked like a flea market on four large floating platforms with some kind of living quarters made up out of plastic and tarps. The Captains chair had to be 12’ in the air. I should have taken a picture instead of just staring with my mouth wide open. After that site we hit a second spot with the same results, 1 smaller cat.
Our third spot was a charm. We were not catching numbers of Channel Cats but the quality was nice. The bite picked up around 10:00pm and lasted for an hour or so. In that time I boat 3 cookie cutter 8lb Cats in 12 – 20FOW. We were confused as to what I was doing different than AmWatson who was having a tough time buying a bite. Before starting the 4th drift we tried to figure out what the difference was between our 2 rigs. We even held our leaders side by side to check that the length was the same. Wats came to this conclusion, channel cats prefer Mike’s Hard Lemonade over Doc. Pepper! I figured it was because he is a Bass guy!
With some ribbing on each other, and laughter we started our 4th drift. It was then I was hit by a freight train, Wats couldn’t believe it, neither could I. I believe the comment “I’m going to cry” was even made. With the drag screaming, this 12 pound cat picture here, had our lines crossed in a flash and made a mess out of things. This kitten sure put my walleye gear through a good course. After some pictures, taking some time to admire this girl before the release, cutting lines and tying things back together, we made a couple more drifts without a bump. Just as fast as the action started it was over. It was fun to be back in the boat with a great friend! Thanks for the company Buddy Wats!!
Another reason AmWatson might have been having a hard time…..he sleeps when he is fishing according to this picture
Sorry buddy, and the ribbing continues
I know, I know…I’m not lookin’ much better
Wats…I don’t blame you for shutting your eyes…kind a hard to look at things like that for any lenght of time isn’t it!
Nice fish, nice report and great friends!
What a blast we had last night
Bret was on fire last night and put on a clinic on how to drift for cats. He may have had most of the action, but I still had a great time and learned another new technique. Cats definitely do prefer Hard Lemonade over Dr.Pepper, so the next time we get out, I am going to bring some Lemonade to offer up to the cat God’s 
There must have been about a dozen people scattered all over the float. Last we saw it was docked on a beach right at the Black River and Mississippi confluence area. I imagine they are making a trek down the river so it may be on pool 9 sometime today 
I still can’t get over the floating “house” last night. This thing was unlike anything I have ever seen before. It looked like a parade float, but it was on the river
I had a heck of a good time fishing with you buddy Bret. I kind of wimped out around 12:30 since I was on the river for 12 hours yesterday
Great report, Bret
I’m out tonight to see if I can replicate your trip. Great pictures of some nice fish. 
Nice Report, and Fish.
Thanks for Sharing.
Wats, how come your fish is so small??
Ummm…I was the camera man
I am proud of my little kitty, it was my first cat while drifting 
I am looking on the bright side, my forearms feel better this morning than Bret’s do 
Those channels put up a super fight with light tackle according to Bret 
Sounds like you guys had a blast.
Thanks for the report and pics. 
Thanks, Bill
ps. Mike now its your turn to get Bret on some bass.
Wats makes a great camera man
As far as the Bass….well I’ll be the camera man then
I had a hoot with Wats, you cannot ask for better company in the boat
Thanks to all for taking the time to check out the post
Bret
PS: Brian, I’m getting a complex
Sunday afternoon I saw the “floating house” at riverside park. There were like a circus, they had hippies and people dancing for money. It was unreal, I wish I had a camera to post it.
Don’t let blue perch fool you, he makes a great net man.
Nice job Bret and Mike! We gotta teach you boys to smile for the camera though!
Wade-I was smiling
Bret is a little slow on the button, he missed my glamorous pose 
The pics of Bret were pure luck on my part. It was pitch dark and I just guessed where he had the fish, I think the flash gave him the deer in the headlights look 
I have never been accused of looking good for a picture
Like Brian always tells me, the fish look good though 
Trust me Wade, there was plenty of smiling going on
What’s a “the c15 rig?”
C15
I’m always learning on this site
The last time I read one of LipRippers post, I was looking at the fish too
Looks like a great night on the water.
Bret, Thanks for the info. Tried Pool 14 out of Princeton Friday night. Someone told me they were catching cats at the mouth of the Waspi, but all I found was that the water was too shallow to fish. Picked up a couple of small channels on a wing dam, but more or less just a nice evening to be out on the river. Tut