On my last fishing trip 2 weeks ago, while fishing for sunfish for flathead catfish bait, I caught a 6 pound channel catfish on my 5/6 weight fly rod with a small red wet fly dressed with a small piece of squid tentacle on the hook. What a great fight! Took about 10 minutes to boat the fish. I have a 7 weight fly rod that I use for bass and striper fishing . Now I'm going to set up my old 10 weight salt water fly rod that I haven't used in over 40 years as a catfish rig. Catfish on a fly rod is my new catfishing mission.

Cool! I've never caught one on a fly rod but I have caught one on a FLY! To catch bluegills, I tie a flyrod popper behind a Pop-R. One time I saw a huge swirl behind the Pop-R...and then it went in reverse...fast! I played the fish the best I could, but I think it was too much for 6lb. test. It was probably an 8 to 10lb. channel. Good luck on this, and let us know the results.                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Will do Mo65. I'm looking for a Pflueger Medalist #1498 fly reel to match up with my Garcia Conolon 10 weight saltwater fly rod. I had one in the 60's but it was stolen. Kind of hard to locate one as they mo longer make that large size reel.

Very cool B or B

Brian

Thanks Brian. Is that a new little fishing partner in your avatar?

Been away for a while B or B and did not see your comment. Yes this is one of my fishing buddies except he is now 5 and caught his first two trout last summer. my other buddy is almost two years ild now. hope to get more fishing in in 2012 expecially with the ol fly rod.

Brian

bass or bass: Well IMHO any fish caught on a Fly Rod is awesome fishing!!! My question to you is why do ya feel the need to use a 10wt rod to catch the Cat's??? I use a 7wt for Salmon and have never had a problem!! I've caught Salmon on it that went over 50lb

Posted By retired-psg on 29 Dec 2011 12:26 PM
bass or bass: Well IMHO any fish caught on a Fly Rod is awesome fishing!!! My question to you is why do ya feel the need to use a 10wt rod to catch the Cat's??? I use a 7wt for Salmon and have never had a problem!! I've caught Salmon on it that went over 50lb

I"ve had  the rod for years and it's just collecting dust and thought I'd put a reel on it. Also, on that fishing trip later in the evening I hooked a BIG flathead that I couldn't turn or stop with my channel cat rig ( Medium heavy Rhino Kevlar rod, BPS Mega-Cast MCM2000 baitcast reel, 17 pound test line) so I thought the rod would make a good catfishing rig.

I know well what a big cat is capable of, but I know nothing about salmon. When it comes to pulling power, how does a 40lb. cat compare to a 40lb. salmon?
                                        

The salmon is a Ferrari, the flathead is a Caterpillar!

Sounds like the 10wt might be the ticket.

Posted By mo65 on 29 Dec 2011 07:09 PM
I know well what a big cat is capable of, but I know nothing about salmon. When it comes to pulling power, how does a 40lb. cat compare to a 40lb. salmon?
                                        

When they decide to run I'd say they both have the same power !!!! it comes down to your line and drag along with your ability to fight the fish!!

I've caught several Channel Cats that weighed 4-6 lbs. over the years while minnow fishing for Crappie using a fly Rod. Got most of them in.

Also hooked 3 in one day on Council Grove Res. in Kansas, [may have been the same fish] which grabbed my minnow and hook and headed for the bottom. It was like trying to stop a Mack truck with thread. My 8 lb. test just popped every time.

Posted By bass or bass? on 02 Oct 2011 10:58 AM
On my last fishing trip 2 weeks ago, while fishing for sunfish for flathead catfish bait, I caught a 6 pound channel catfish on my 5/6 weight fly rod with a small red wet fly dressed with a small piece of squid tentacle on the hook. What a great fight! Took about 10 minutes to boat the fish. I have a 7 weight fly rod that I use for bass and striper fishing . Now I'm going to set up my old 10 weight salt water fly rod that I haven't used in over 40 years as a catfish rig. Catfish on a fly rod is my new catfishing mission.

When you put "bait" on the hook of a fly, you are no longer fly fishing my friend.  You're merely slinging bait.

Posted By Western Coachman on 26 Jan 2012 05:44 PM

Posted By bass or bass? on 02 Oct 2011 10:58 AM
On my last fishing trip 2 weeks ago, while fishing for sunfish for flathead catfish bait, I caught a 6 pound channel catfish on my 5/6 weight fly rod with a small red wet fly dressed with a small piece of squid tentacle on the hook. What a great fight! Took about 10 minutes to boat the fish. I have a 7 weight fly rod that I use for bass and striper fishing . Now I'm going to set up my old 10 weight salt water fly rod that I haven't used in over 40 years as a catfish rig. Catfish on a fly rod is my new catfishing mission.

When you put "bait" on the hook of a fly, you are no longer fly fishing my friend.  You're merely slinging bait.

I wasn't concerned with being a fly fishing purist at that time, I wanted to catch plenty of bait for flathead cat fishing over night. And I had caught quite a few sunfish before I added the 1/2" piece of squid tentacle. I'm glad I did add it or I may not have hooked the channel cat and it was a terrific , and unexpected or sought after, fight on the fly rod.

Posted By Western Coachman on 26 Jan 2012 05:44 PM

When you put "bait" on the hook of a fly, you are no longer fly fishing my friend.  You're merely slinging bait.

Hmm...what's wrong with "slinging bait"?

Never tried bait on a fly rod , how do you keep the bait from falling off the fly on the back cast? Anyway if it works and you enjoy if then hey go for it. I catch between 15-20 catfish each year on fly rod. They'll hit most bluegill flies, but most most have come on either a white wooly worm or a sreamer.

Posted By panfish101 on 09 Feb 2012 04:41 PM
Never tried bait on a fly rod , how do you keep the bait from falling off the fly on the back cast? Anyway if it works and you enjoy if then hey go for it. I catch between 15-20 catfish each year on fly rod. They'll hit most bluegill flies, but most most have come on either a white wooly worm or a sreamer.

You need to roll cast with most bait to keep from casting it off. A tiny piece of squid tentacle will stay on during false casts however.