Catfish

I don't know anything about fishing! My fishing experience goes as far as
putting some velveeta cheese on a treble hook and casting it into a lake and
hoping a trout will bite it.

I've heard that catfish need to be handled a certain way to not get cut or
poked or something like that. Is this true?

Is there any reason not to just grab onto a catfish when you catch one?

In a small stocked urban lake setting what are the basics of fishing for
catfish?

I've got to get my son up to speed even though I'm completely ignorant on
this subject.

thanks

John Smith wrote:

I don't know anything about fishing! My fishing experience goes as far as
putting some velveeta cheese on a treble hook and casting it into a lake and
hoping a trout will bite it.

I've heard that catfish need to be handled a certain way to not get cut or
poked or something like that. Is this true?

Yes this is very true,, it won't take you but one time to understand
this :-)

Is there any reason not to just grab onto a catfish when you catch one?

Yep,, it can hurt like HELLO, if you get stuck

In a small stocked urban lake setting what are the basics of fishing for
catfish?

Hook on the bottom, or right off it, seams to work best unless your
chumming with floating catfish food first

Go here for ways to rig up
http://ezknot.com/tips2.html

WOrms, Shrimp, Squid, chicken liver, Grasshoppers,
minnows/shad/goldfish, both live and dead and any number of processed
baits can be bought for catfishing, they have been also caught on
everything from cut up hot dog winners, to miniature marshmallows, even
cheese, and Ivory soap.

I watched a kid one day filling a stringer using pieces of raw bacon for
bait


I've got to get my son up to speed even though I'm completely ignorant on
this subject.

It won't take you long to learn, and I'm so glad your willing to to
teach your son

thanks



--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Boomerang Fishing Pro. , Stand Out Hooks ,
Stand Out Lures, Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, Mojo's Long
Shot rig
and the EZKnot http://www.ezknot.com

John Smith wrote:
I don't know anything about fishing! My fishing experience goes as far as
putting some velveeta cheese on a treble hook and casting it into a lake and
hoping a trout will bite it.

I've heard that catfish need to be handled a certain way to not get cut or
poked or something like that. Is this true?

Yes. Catfish have spines, and they know how to use them. The spines are
located in the dorsal fin and pectoral fins (top fin and front bottom fins)
When you catch one, they'll stiffen up and the spines will stick out.
It's best to clip them off with a pair of dykes before handling,
especially if you're unfamiliar with handling catfish. Some catfish have
a mild venom in the spines.


Is there any reason not to just grab onto a catfish when you catch one?

In a small stocked urban lake setting what are the basics of fishing for
catfish?

Catfish are primarily bottom feeders. You can get them to bite on
nightcrawlers, cheese, fish. Occasionally you can get one on power bait,
but it floats. They're very sensitive to smell, so a lovely "stinkbait,"
which you can buy commercially, will often give good results.


I've got to get my son up to speed even though I'm completely ignorant on
this subject.

thanks


Try a google search on catfish and fishing. Lots of good information
available
on the web!

Enjoy!
barbz

I've heard that catfish need to be handled a certain way to not get cut or
poked or something like that. Is this true?

Very true, especially on small ones. I find using a good pair of channel
lock pliers works real good if you grab them in the lower lip area. I fish
mostly sal****er and don't like catching them so I carry a flipper to flip
them off my hook and back into the water without touching them,. However if
I plan on going freshwater fishing and might catch a channel or blue cat
worth keeping, I will bring along the pliers to grab them with.


Is there any reason not to just grab onto a catfish when you catch one?

The spines on the dorsal fine and pectoral fins will poke you. You can
safely grab one if you can manage to pick one up without getting stuck.

In a small stocked urban lake setting what are the basics of fishing for
catfish?

Any bottom rig will work. They can also be caught under a cork. They are
known for being bottom dwellers but they will eat something that is near the
surface.
Baits can be anything from shiners, worms, stink baits, (commercially
produced) market shrimp, insects or just about anything. Catfish will eat
just about anything. The worst it smells the better it is.
There are 30 different varieties of catfish in the US. Not sure what
variety your lake is stocked with.but most probably will be channel cat or
blue cat since these are what most fish farms raise.


Sarge

I don't know anything about fishing! My fishing experience goes as far as
putting some velveeta cheese on a treble hook and casting it into a lake and
hoping a trout will bite it.

I've heard that catfish need to be handled a certain way to not get cut or
poked or something like that. Is this true?



Been catfishing since I was 5. Last year was the first time one of
them stung me. It will be the last. It hurt so bad I actually had the
urge to cut my hand off. Didn't do it, I ain't stupid, but I do not
doubt that it would not have caused more pain than that catfish did. I
still have a mark on my hand where it got me and that was back last
May that it happened. Wanna know pain? Stick a catfish spine in the
back of your hand. Then you will know pain.









Is there any reason not to just grab onto a catfish when you catch one?

An aversion to extreme pain would be a reason, wouldn't it?

In a small stocked urban lake setting what are the basics of fishing for
catfish?

I've got to get my son up to speed even though I'm completely ignorant on
this subject.

thanks

Toss a nightcrawler on a hook, toss your line out in the water, wait.
That is all it takes.

run the injury under hot water the hoter the better the heat switches of the
poison
tony
"Ookie Wonderslug" wrote in message
...

I don't know anything about fishing! My fishing experience goes as far
as
putting some velveeta cheese on a treble hook and casting it into a lake
and
hoping a trout will bite it.

I've heard that catfish need to be handled a certain way to not get cut
or
poked or something like that. Is this true?



Been catfishing since I was 5. Last year was the first time one of
them stung me. It will be the last. It hurt so bad I actually had the
urge to cut my hand off. Didn't do it, I ain't stupid, but I do not
doubt that it would not have caused more pain than that catfish did. I
still have a mark on my hand where it got me and that was back last
May that it happened. Wanna know pain? Stick a catfish spine in the
back of your hand. Then you will know pain.









Is there any reason not to just grab onto a catfish when you catch one?

An aversion to extreme pain would be a reason, wouldn't it?

In a small stocked urban lake setting what are the basics of fishing for
catfish?

I've got to get my son up to speed even though I'm completely ignorant on
this subject.

thanks

Toss a nightcrawler on a hook, toss your line out in the water, wait.
That is all it takes.

tony weall wrote:

run the injury under hot water the hoter the better the heat switches of the
poison
tony


Having stepped on a hard head catfish (salt water version, and the most
toxic) it nailing my tennis shoe to my foot, a quick trip to the
hospital (two blocks from where it happened) they used a claw hammer and
removed the fish, then my shoe, now talk about hurting,, this hurt, now
for treatment, they goto ne of those plastic pans filled it with hot
water then reached into the cabinet in the examine room where a CASE of
"A1" Meat tenderizer (un spiced) was. they dump two of the large bottles
into the pan, then had me soak my foot for two hours, the cost was 750
dollars, and that was back in 82.

750 dollars for 4 dollars worth of meat tenderizer

They told me this is what they used for catfish and stingray sticks, it
breaks down the protean in the poison
--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Boomerang Fishing Pro. , Stand Out Hooks ,
Stand Out Lures, Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, Mojo's Long
Shot rig
and the EZKnot http://www.ezknot.com

Rodney wrote:

tony weall wrote:

run the injury under hot water the hoter the better the heat switches of the
poison
tony

Having stepped on a hard head catfish (salt water version, and the most
toxic) it nailing my tennis shoe to my foot, a quick trip to the
hospital (two blocks from where it happened) they used a claw hammer and
removed the fish, then my shoe, now talk about hurting,, this hurt, now
for treatment, they goto ne of those plastic pans filled it with hot
water then reached into the cabinet in the examine room where a CASE of
"A1" Meat tenderizer (un spiced) was. they dump two of the large bottles
into the pan, then had me soak my foot for two hours, the cost was 750
dollars, and that was back in 82.

750 dollars for 4 dollars worth of meat tenderizer

They told me this is what they used for catfish and stingray sticks, it
breaks down the protean in the poison
--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Boomerang Fishing Pro. , Stand Out Hooks ,
Stand Out Lures, Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, Mojo's Long
Shot rig
and the EZKnot http://www.ezknot.com

Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.

Jon

Jon Splane wrote:



Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.

Jon

Jon , the people who actually know me think I'm a nice guy,, just a guy
that will not take crap off of others, especially if that crap is lies.

Many people on the internet think I should just roll over when their
friends flame me for telling the truth.

Being an independent product designer for the fishing industry is
exstreamly hard profession,, one that only 1 in a 1000 actually pull
off, who try it. The amount of work , time , and investment is huge.

Then to have someone who does not have a clue how those products work,
assume they are crap, then post it for thousands to read, demand a
rebuttal from me.

WHat someone thinks about my stuff is their business,, when the publish
it, and it is untrue, especially when they don't qualify their belief's
by stating it is just that, but instead say it is fact, it is the
world's business, and falls into the realm of slander.

What if someone started saying your wife or mother was a whore, and you
were their pimp, on a news group, that they paid her last week for her
services. You would get fighting mad, and you should, or if they started
saying you were selling drugs, stealing from your employer, or conning
your neighbors?

SO I am a SOB for defending myself, and my hard work,, so be it.

--
Rodney Long,
Inventor of the Boomerang Fishing Pro. , Stand Out Hooks ,
Stand Out Lures, Mojo's Rock Hopper & Rig Saver weights, Mojo's Long
Shot rig
and the EZKnot http://www.ezknot.com

Rodney wrote:
Jon Splane wrote:



Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.

Jon


Jon , the people who actually know me think I'm a nice guy,, just a guy
that will not take crap off of others, especially if that crap is lies.

Many people on the internet think I should just roll over when their
friends flame me for telling the truth.

Being an independent product designer for the fishing industry is
exstreamly hard profession,, one that only 1 in a 1000 actually pull
off, who try it. The amount of work , time , and investment is huge.

Then to have someone who does not have a clue how those products work,
assume they are crap, then post it for thousands to read, demand a
rebuttal from me.

WHat someone thinks about my stuff is their business,, when the publish
it, and it is untrue, especially when they don't qualify their belief's
by stating it is just that, but instead say it is fact, it is the
world's business, and falls into the realm of slander.

What if someone started saying your wife or mother was a whore, and you
were their pimp, on a news group, that they paid her last week for her
services. You would get fighting mad, and you should, or if they started
saying you were selling drugs, stealing from your employer, or conning
your neighbors?

SO I am a SOB for defending myself, and my hard work,, so be it.


I'll step in here for a moment to point something out.
A guy writes in with questions about catfish and spines. Your
less-than-useless answer was
Once you're stuck you'll understand why you have to handle them with care.
Getting stuck hurts.

I don't understand why you even bothered jumping in on this thread.
Maybe you just like seeing your name on the screen.

Some of us posted informative responses about the catfish spines, like
where they're located on the fish and how to avoid being stuck. You
know, giving information the guy was asking for. You weren't any help at
all.

Your subsequent post about the hot water and meat tenderizer was spot
on, though. Heat will destroy the toxin in sculpin, sting ray, jellyfish
stings by breaking down the protein. Hot coffee will do in a pinch.

Knowing how to avoid the sting in the first place is probably the best
way to deal with the whole issue. You can be annoying and
self-promoting. Some people don't react to that very well.

barbz