Moggie Magic!

[peter mccue]

I am obsessed with the bewhiskered wonders at the moment. I've just come back from L*kemore fisheries & while the Catting was tough (dehydration & my own stupidity didn't help ) I did manage to get a small one out, loved him nonetheless though.

 

Before the little fella come out, I hooked two Cats, one - a mid double - smashed one of the arms of my landing net leaving the hook embedded in the mesh before disappearing into the night, yes I'll admit it there was a tantrum

 

The next beast treat me with the contempt I deserved & straightened a size 6 Raptor, It was all my fault I tried to stop him getting round the back of an island....no chance!!!!

 

Anyway here's my little 'un', ain't he gorgeous, well you know what I mean, in a Catfish sort of way.

 

[Dick Dastardly]

Nice one Peter.That vegatation makes a nice back drop.

 

You never know,if you start using a proper size hook you might land a big un yet!

 

Were you fishing intentionally for cats or did they just "come along"?

[peter mccue]

Nice one Peter.That vegatation makes a nice back drop.

 

You never know,if you start using a proper size hook you might land a big un yet!

 

Were you fishing intentionally for cats or did they just "come along"?

 

Know what you mean about the hooks Budgie, some of the guys there were using 1/0's with the apparently standard Salmon fillets! I'm obviously going to have to rethink hook sizes, trouble is I like my rigs really neat & on the light side but these Cats have no respect for delicacy. The Raptor 6's have never let me down for Carp in the snags & I've had them to mid twenties...but Cats.

 

Errmm..sort of. I knew the rigs would pick up Carp if the Cats didn't show, but the setups were a lot heavier than what I normally use for Carp, obviously I need to get a bit of backbone & do the job properly!

[zenith10]

i love to see little cats, they look all cute

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

nice one peter,

 

recently got into cats my self very kool aint they

 

i used 1/0 eagle waves mate bought on-line,get on em,you will land more like budgie said,teh bigger ones look awsome mate,your one has cracking patterns on it i like em like that not all washed out appreance.

 

my pic is on a thread on here somewhere if you want to have a look.

 

ps let us know how you get on! they dont half scrap some!

Edited June 10, 2006 by Russell Fitzpatrick

[peter mccue]

nice one peter,

 

recently got into cats my self very kool aint they

 

i used 1/0 eagle waves mate bought on-line,get on em,you will land more like budgie said,teh bigger ones look awsome mate,your one has cracking patterns on it i like em like that not all washed out appreance.

 

my pic is on a thread on here somewhere if you want to have a look.

 

ps let us know how you get on! they dont half scrap some!

 

Very cool indeed Russ, It's a long time since a species has filled my every waking moment (pretty sad for a 53yr old I know) in fact the last time was in the early Eighties when Carp in the North East were still a little mysterious. I love fishing for all species, but at the moment Cats have an edge to them I find irresistable.

 

They do fight well don't they, but the fight seems to be divided into two tactics. The first is that awesome display of strength on the first two or three runs, then that stubborn doggedness that resembles something like an angry railway sleeper kicks in!

 

Incidentally, does anybody stop a big Cat on the first run without sea gear!! if so I'm all ears.

 

Still searching for your pic, but no joy yet.

[Dick Dastardly]

For UK cats I think you have to go a long way to beat the Cox&Rawle Uptide Extra hooks.I use these in sizes 1-3/0.

 

As for stopping the Cat on its first run,well Ive never found a need to! they arnt the brightest of fighters,Ive never known one run into a snag intentionally.

 

I really believe the way is to use through actioned rods as these really tire the cat out quicker.No need for massive test curves either.

 

Try to get pike rods rather than most carp rods as pike rods tend not to be so fast a taper.

 

Another thing with cats is to really pull on them! no good messing around.As a guide line treble figure cats only take me around 8mins on a 4lb TC rod and 25lb line! I see gear like this being used in the UK!

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

sure are pete,nothing wrong with that mate,i am the same! if i get on a species i really got on it i look up as much info as possible mate,reason i like zander and cats,i dont know alot about them they are mysterious,

 

i thought my cat ws an eel at first...then the rod hooped over,and the clutch despite being locked down sang a little! it didnt really run,i play fish quite hard,but when it wanted to go.... it went!....funny enough it made several attempts to get at some tree roots as to the right was clear it werent intrested in going that way!

 

i used my pike rods wich are really 30 quid each glass fibre mix? rods,2.75 TC and 40lb braid mainline 15 mono on the closer in rod,i went all out to get one predator style tho lives n deads

 

heres my pic save ya searching 20lb 5oz first cat!

 

[peter mccue]

Thats an encouraging post Budgie, I really don't want to go down the sea gear route. I have the Hutchinson 2.25 IMX's which go through to the butt when put under pressure. They have an enormous amount of backbone when hooped over, so barring monster Mogs they should get me under way. 15lb Fox soft steel seems almost indestructible so with more sensible hooks I can't wait to get back.

 

Very nice Cat Russ, bet you were pleased with that, mind it looks well fed mine must have just come off a diet!

[Russell Fitzpatrick]

yeah not a bad one aye!

 

go get em pete,bigger hooks should see you right! yeah mine cat was a proper hunter i think,a long fish not a massive belly and a big ,mouth,my mate had anothera 21 in daylight on pellet,this fish had a smaller mouth and big pellet gut, **** pellets everywhere,a definet pellet head!