Can't wait to start fishing around here. It will have to warm up some first. Suppose to get a big storm this weekend and below 0 again next week. Ugh.

Oh Robert how I wish I was there with you!  I like the smaller ones too, sweet catfish!

Yea Ken, we are lucky here, it warms up a little this time of year. Something triggers the catfish to start running this time of year. It may be the high water or that they want to start spawning soon. What ever it is, they start running and when they do, they are hungry. When I fished to sell some of my catch, I've caught over 300#'s on trout lines and fish traps. We caught some large fish and the weight would go up fast. They would pay a dollar a pound live weight.

  Yes Miss Jan, the smaller ones are the best for frying or grilling. We put the larger ones in a gravy. We use to sell the larger ones also.

   The girls are looking forward to the little fishing trip. They have been fighting with school and studying. My oldest has all A's right now, I hope she finishes that way.

I use to guide a little, years ago, but have become to old and disabled. Well I have one rich friend that is the sole aerie of a privately owned Cajun food producer company. She is the only person I guide for now days. She understands  my disability and she will wait on me to get better. Well, enough about me.

  She called and wants to come catfishing with us Saturday. Yahoo! Boy I hope I can catch them some fish.  

Well the catfishing was slow. We still managed a dozen and a half, everyone had fun and it could have been even slower. I think the water was high and then went down a little too fast. We hope things will improve soon. I really thought things would have been better, oh well. That's why they call it Fishing and not Catching....lol

Just wondering. Is Catfishing done through special means or simply with a rod like normal fishing?

Alexander, it also has to do with the way you rig the line.  Often the sinker is at the end of the line and a hook line is attached a little above that to keep the bait near the bottom but not sitting on the bottom.  The type of rigging is called a catfish rig.  Some people also use a crappie rig which typically employs to hooks suspended above the sinker.  Another way is to adjust your float so that the hook rides near the bottom of the lake or pond.

Crappie rig

Then there is noodling, which involves getting in the water finding a likely sink hole or sunken log where a catfish might be lurking and grabbing it by the mouth with your hand. I believe that is illegal in most states.

These are correct answers, Alex. I usually have a weight at the end and 1 foot above that a hook.

  Let's talk about weights; It depends on the depth and speed of the current, as to how heavy the weight should be. In the river, with a strong current I use a one ounce weight. In slower bayous, I may use a 1/2 ounce weight and so on. You will have to use trail and error to see your proper weight. You could get 1/2 ounce weights and if one won't hold your line to the bottom, just add another one.

   Lets talk about hooks; Well it all depends on the size catfish you are fishing for. A catfish from 1# to 3# a #2 long shank hook will do. If you are fishing for larger catfish, I suggest anywhere from a #2-00 to a #5-00.Hook.

   Bait; The type bait you fish with may determine the size catfish you catch. If you use say worms or small fresh water shrimp, you most likely will catch catfish from #1 to #3 pounds. If you use cut bait [ small pieces of a cut up fish, such as shad.] the chances of catching larger fish is much greater.

   I sometimes fish with two poles, one baited each way. I mainly go after the smaller fish because I find them more plentiful and bite more often. I might also add the young fish, in my opinion, are sweeter and better tasting.

   Good luck, and don't forget that camera.  

I'll be glad when it gets warm enough to fish. Yes, bring them on.

We had ice all over everything yesterday. It had been warming up but a front came through and chilled everything again. I usually try start fishing in March but the weather has been too bad, most of the time.

Robert, I used to think that I could beat the early states of the coming ice age by moving down south, but given this winter, I think I need to move to central Mexico, give up apple pie and plant guava trees.

Yes, we live in Southern Ohio, about 25 miles from Kentucky. Usualy don't have such bad winters but this one, whew. I think it was bad all over.

This has been an extra cold winter down here. As the crow fly's, I think I'm only about 60 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. So you can't get much further south in central America {USA]. Miss Jan is further south down there in Tampa Florida. I don't think they have a winter at all. I think we all have grown weary of this winter, it's time for spring.

I'd like to thank David Selph for his great fishing journal discussion. I would also like to encourage everyone to maybe post a story about one of their fishing trips. Especially during all this bad winter weather, when all we can do is talk about fishing for the most part.  

I would, Robert, but for the fish I caught I needed a wide-angle lens to get it all in the pic.  Sadly, I left the wide-angle lens home that day.

People are still ice fishing up here.  Normally by this time it is still cold but there is no need for auger.

It warmed up today, so we set some crawfish traps. I forgot to take some pictures. Maybe I'll take some tomorrow, when we check them. We also hope to get in a little catfishing. I hope the weather is getting better for ya'll. 

57 degree here today and the snow almost gone. Whew - what a winter.

With everyones snow melt, I figure the water to rise over here. It helps things, if it doesn't flood.

We are going fishing this afternoon. I had to wait for my grand daughter, she had a make up class this mourning. I plan on taking a few pictures with my phone camera. My good camera is broken and I haven't got a new one yet.

Our fishing trip was fun but we didn't catch any fish. I'm not sure what went wrong but that's what happened. It might be a little early. Things are up and down, with this weather. I hope our next trip we do better.

That's fishing, better luck next time Robert.

The weather is getting warmer, day by day. I may go Sac-Au-Lait [Crappie] soon, I usually start catching some around this time of year. I just need to pick the right bayou to go fishing in. Each one of the bayous around here, have their own water conditions. One might be high, the other low; one might be clear the other muddy. Then, they are constantly changing.

  Sac-Au-Lait is the fish I use to compete, fishing for. I am glad that is all over, now days. Fishing for fun is much more fun and relaxing.

I was wondering if anyone ties flies or jigs for fun or money? I tie fishing jigs and have tied flies for Blue Gill. I haven't tied any in a while but I may tie a few this spring.

  If someone does "Tie", please tell us what kind. Thanks.

A Coyote bit my Dachshund and best buddy this morning. I hope he'll be okay. It's war, they came in my yard and bit my dog. They are in trouble, now.

Agreed!  When coyotes get that brazen, they become a danger to more than just dachshunds.

I used to tie my own flies about thirty years ago, still have a bunch of kit in the loft.

These are a few I still have'

Robert I can't remember the names of these few, except for the Crane Fly or Daddy Long Legs as they are called here. The only pattern I remember makig regularly was a Scottish pattern called the "Black Pennel" .

Go get 'em Robert

John, great looking flies. I don't know about you but the reasons I started making my own jigs, was I could alter certain patterns according to my liking but the main reason was.....I could tie some hair on a hook and catch a fish was such a boot, I just loved the feeling.

  I am really upset about these Coyotes. They got to go. I think my dog will be okay but he has had a rough day.

Glad your dog is okay Robert, do those Coyotes have rabies ? Guess you will want to thin them out a bit !

I started to tie my own flies cos the ones I bought didn't last more than a couple of casts, in fact I used to pull the line in and find a bare hook .

It is good to catch a fish on something that you have made and I used to spend the winters tying these fabulous flies only for the wicked fish to ignore them. Occasionally I would get lucky and have a good day. I was fishing for Brown Trout and occasional Salmon on Scottish lochs and rivers and I would enjoy the day whether anything was caught or not. The day was improved by a bottle of Sloe Gin now and then which always made a blank day a little less of a disaster !

I mainly fish for Sac-Au-Lait [Crappie] and sometimes Bluegill. I have only fished for Brown and Rainbow Trout a few times in Arkansas and North Carolina. I usually can catch a mess of fish when I go but sometimes they just don't bite. I use to compete and did okay but I did not enjoy it, I could not relax. I have retired from all that and now I can enjoy fishing the way it was meant to be. Great relaxing fun. After the fishing trip I'll drink a beer or two or sometimes a Brandy. My wife use to drink Sloe Gin, sometimes. It's all good clean fun... 

Crappie should start hitting here at the Lake soon.

Drink the beer after fishing!  That explains a lot.  I normally drink the beer while fishing.  I enjoy fishing but really don't care if I catch anything or not.  If I don't catch any fish, I figure  can always roast wieners or order pizza.  The joy is just being in the boat or along the bank with a pole in the water.

As long as we're all talking fishing -- i need to share this.  Sorry for the diversion but it appears that even people who work for evil empires would rather be fishing! 

Those are some beautiful flies John.

I thought I saw that guy fishing the other day....lol

We have been planting strawberry, raspberry and blueberry plants today. It won't be long for us to be planting veggie plants. I know you guys up north may find this strange but this far south, it's about time. We have had to replant our strawberries and blueberries because the rabbits ate our old ones to the ground. A new fence hopes to hold them at bay.

We have about 5-6 weeks before we can think about that.

Our new garden project has taken up a lot of our time and money but it will be great when finished. We will have a lot of fruits and veggies to eat. Grocery bills are high as ya'll all probably know. I have a bunch in college and are costing a bunch to keep supplied. Oh well, a good education is worth more than money.

  I may start a little discussion on every ones garden. Let's see some pictures! Gardening is a very important outdoor activity and we should discuss and enjoy it.

Glad you are getting started Robert, we can't wait.

The peppers are started, tomatoes are next!

Only the top layer of the ground is thawed.  We sill have ice about four inches below the surface.  I'd be planting in mud!   I'm afraid to walk on the grass for fear of ruining it.

Joyce has all her flowers started as well as the tomatoes - about 60 degree here today, but it will be a good month before anything gets in the ground.

We have started planting everything slowly. I think the girls are enjoying gardening more as they grow older.

I've got a couple of 30' rows of red taters planted along with a row of red and white onions. It's still too early to plant much else in OK.

I just finished planting a 4' x 8' box with 18 Strawberry plants, next is some Blueberry and Raspberry plants. We have plenty of Dew and Black berries that grow around the place so we should have plenty of berries for everyone. Berries are real good for you, I've read somewhere.

  Billy, that sounds like a great start. I love potatoes and onions. Keep us posted on your garden.

That sounds great Robert. We have some Strawberry plants planted from last year, hope they didn't die out with this hard winter.

We have some seeds started in the house