2017 Catfish Goals

I did this last year so what are your 2017 Goals?

Mine is to learn to be even more mobile with my new Minn Kota Ulterra.  I am new to using a trolling motor for catfishing in the river with the IPilot and spot lock.

Another goal I have is to build a new map with my AutoChart Live on my Helix 10.  I have used this feature before and it has changed my life as far as identifying spots and holes

About 10 years ago I came up with a pattern called rule of 3. I am finally starting to master this so I want to prove this pattern out so I can write about it and share the technique with other catters.

My goal is to keep about 120 channels for the farmers in my area.

Same bait, same spots...normal weather patterns it should take about 3 weekends.  Nothing more fun to catch and local boys around me love cats.  Cats for hunting permission...it doesn't get any better than that.  

I will have to try this. Not like leeches are hard to get.

Using leeches for bait is very common on the Mississippi with the peak coming in June. The cats move into rip-rap areas for spawning and all you do is throw out a leech about two feet under a float and let the current do the work.

I hear the leech thing once in a while yet have not tried it.  Might have to throw an extra rod in and do some test driving.  Maybe do it when I am testing a new rig I came up with the other day.

My goal for 2017 is to just plain and simple go more. Work really makes it difficult to get away and fish. I spent 80% of my free time trolling for salmon and trout on Lake Michigan, and for good reason. We had a heckuva year! Not spending much time in pursuit of the whiskered kitties brought on some rust on my part. I didn't spend much time at all scouting new areas or trying new techniques. I am hoping to wean off of the salmon just enough to have a more solid and productive cattin' year. I did discover that in the spring the larger cats preferred live jumbo leeches over the old stinkaroo sauce. Shrimp worked good too, but the leeches were much better. I was actually using the leeches in an effort to catch a few stray walleyes and the cats pounced on them. I will definitely add them to the arsenal in the spring.