Catfish in Dorchester Club lake

[Kappa]

Hi all,

 

I'm thinking of trying a bit of catfish fishing in the club lake dorchester but can't find much literature on fishing for cats in the uk!

 

Can you use bolt rigs for cats?

 

Rich

[Rob Ward]

You can Richard, especially when fishing with hair rigged baits but most people tend to go for free running rigs when using fish baits or squid.

 

Check out -

 

http://www.catfishconservationgroup.co.uk/

 

Good luck.

[Dick Dastardly]

Rich,just a couple of questions and I will be able to offer you some relevant advice-

 

Would you class yourself as a carp or predator angler?

 

Does the water you intend to fish hold Pike?

 

Are you allowed to night fish?

 

Is the water heavily carp fished?

[Kappa]

I fish for all species as my mood takes me and I have tackle to suit most situations. No there are no pike, yes night fishing is allowed.

[Rob Ward]

Are you talking about the club lake on the Orchid Lakes complex Richard?

[Dick Dastardly]

The carp situation mate?

[Rob Ward]

If it's the club lake at Orchid it's a mixed fishery used for matches etc. With Orchid and Dorchester Lagoon on the same complex I doubt it's seriously Carp fished.

 

http://www.orchid-lakes.com/club_lakes.htm

[Kappa]

Sorry Budgie missed your last question there! As Rob says it is fished (fairly heavily sometimes) for tench bream etc by match style anglers. But there are carp in there too.

 

Rich

[Dick Dastardly]

Right first of all let me say that if Mark fishes there then his advice will be the most relevant! i have not fished the water but by the information you have given me I would have to sugest the following aproach (this is based on other waters similar to the one you describe)-

 

I would tackle up with a 2lb TC through actioned rod and 12lb line.I would use live baits (preferably tench or carp) in the 4"-5" size range.these I would tail hook with a size 3/0 Cox & Rawle Uptide Extra hook.For hook length use Kryston Quick Silver in 35lb.On to the trace slide one or two small poly balls,trap these with a float stop or bead and stop knot next to the hook eye.The purpose of the poly balls is to stop the bait resting on the bottom,they should be trimmed to allow the bait to be able to reach the bottom but then pull it back up again,better to use two small rather than one large as this doesnt mask the hook point so much.Fish this on a semi fixed ledger rig.Around 1 1/4ozs to 2 ozs is enough.Fish directly of a baitrunner which is adjusted as light as possible without the bait being able to take line.A form of drop back indication should be used just in case but most takes are screamers.

One tip,when you bait up place a small square of rubber over the hook p[oint and slide it on a bit,but not over the barb,hook the bait on in the tail,avoiding the lateral line, then place another piece of rubber on.This helps stop the hook wearing a hole in the bait and it comming off.

Location is similar to pike ie find the food fish!

 

When you get a take delay the strike slightly but only slightly as the cats big mouth soon engulfs a bait.

 

I tend to prefer shallower (3'or so)areas to deeper ones.

 

The boilly/bolt rig aproach does work well for cats but this seems to be better on waters that see a lot of carp fishing and the resulting large ammount of boillies going in.

 

In my experience the Fish section/Squid/liver baits work best on reall hungry waters that are very heavily stocked but even on these the live bait works best.

 

Cats are very hardy and a quick trip to the bank does them no harm but please dont be tempted to retain them in a carp sack.They tend to suck the soft matiriel into their mouths and drown.

 

Hope that helps but as I said if Mark fishes there his advice will be a good starting point.Good luck!

[The Diamond Geezer]

quote:

---

Originally posted by BUDGIE:

 

.... just a couple of questions and I will be able to offer you some relevant advice ...

---

And failing that, Budgie, we'll just have to call-in the world-renowned expert on cat-fish ... none-other than Des Taylor

___________________________

 

Expert?! ...... my RRRRs!

 

DG

 

[ 21. April 2004, 12:43 PM: Message edited by: The Diamond Geezer ]