Rigs for cats

[zedhead]

Alright folks,

 

Anyone here a serious cat hunter (not the feline pests that eat your pigeons) or even anyone with cat experience of note?

 

Basically, I was wondering what rigs you would use, Im looking into a trip to celtic lakes in wales and although I have been cat fishing a few times, I would like some opinion on rigs. Basically when fishing bottom baits, would you go free running or bolt rig. Like eels, Ive always gone for cats prefering running rigs.

 

Im not bothered about surface rigs as Im happy with those, just what to fish on the bottom.

 

Thanks in advance.

[zedhead]

bump, sorry.

[Dick Dastardly]

Really depends on what baits I'm using mate.

 

Boilies or live baits I use semi fixed in most situations.For dead baits,cut baits worms etc I use running rigs. Basically (other than the lives) dictated by how (or better still when) I think I should strike ie immediately or delayed.

 

The one bait I'm still very undecided over is leeches.I believe that leeches (despite what many think) aren't really actually liked by cats Nothing else I know will take them!) For a long while now I've believed that the cats take them due to the vibrations they give off.They certainly don't seem to want to hang on to them once they have grabbed them and may well be one of the reasons they work so well in poor visibility.I reckon once they realise their mistake they soon spit them out or at least try to.

 

Due to this Ive always found an instant strike is best.Traditionally fished on running rigs (albeit the clumsy dumbbell rig often used with them is self hooking to a degree) Ive for several years (well when I was still regularly targeting them in the UK) played around with self hooking bolt rigs.Pros and cons but not sure which is best.

 

Free lined baits have also been quite traditional but even on the smaller waters like Claydon Ive never been (despite catching many fish on them) that happy.Much prefer the better "control" you get with a free running rig.Mind you its important if you want to use such that it does indeed run freely! The old curtain ring "run ring" type set up normally gives this.

 

Any help? or do you want diagrams of exact rigs? Also If your interested in some more info then email me and I will send back a short piece I wrote on the subject as an attachment.

 

budgieburgess55@ntlworld.com

[zedhead]

Really depends on what baits I'm using mate.

 

Boilies or live baits I use semi fixed in most situations.For dead baits,cut baits worms etc I use running rigs. Basically (other than the lives) dictated by how (or better still when) I think I should strike ie immediately or delayed.

 

The one bait I'm still very undecided over is leeches.I believe that leeches (despite what many think) aren't really actually liked by cats Nothing else I know will take them!) For a long while now I've believed that the cats take them due to the vibrations they give off.They certainly don't seem to want to hang on to them once they have grabbed them and may well be one of the reasons they work so well in poor visibility.I reckon once they realise their mistake they soon spit them out or at least try to.

 

Due to this Ive always found an instant strike is best.Traditionally fished on running rigs (albeit the clumsy dumbbell rig often used with them is self hooking to a degree) Ive for several years (well when I was still regularly targeting them in the UK) played around with self hooking bolt rigs.Pros and cons but not sure which is best.

 

Free lined baits have also been quite traditional but even on the smaller waters like Claydon Ive never been (despite catching many fish on them) that happy.Much prefer the better "control" you get with a free running rig.Mind you its important if you want to use such that it does indeed run freely! The old curtain ring "run ring" type set up normally gives this.

 

Any help? or do you want diagrams of exact rigs? Also If your interested in some more info then email me and I will send back a short piece I wrote on the subject as an attachment.

 

budgieburgess55@ntlworld.com

 

Budge,

 

Great reply mate, many thanks for taking the time to share that info. Ive been catting several times but wasnt entirely convinced which was best. Im looking at commercial cat lakes and as such, boilies figure heavily and the cats have turned onto them. Im not bothered with leeches to be honest, as you say, the whole attraction is vibration I suspect and at that price, I prefer the bunch of lobs, as you know fish love to eat em.

 

Its interesting that you have different rigs for bottom baits (i.e not lives), In the past all my rigs have been free running, just like zandering.

 

I may well email you before I go as any extra info is always welcome.

 

Again, Many thanks for your post.