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Kylakediver

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Tommorow night will be my first Hunt. I will be using a polespear. We are hunting catfish. Last week was the first time i had every been on a underwater hunt. My buddy was using his new JBL gun. He got a clean shot on a nice size cat but it managed to get off the spear before we get out of the water. I dont not have a spear gun but I do have a polespear so that is what I will be hunting with tommorow. I need some helpful tips or advice of any kind. I have some basic knowledge that is about it. thanks for the help
 
Tommorow night will be my first Hunt. I will be using a polespear. We are hunting catfish. Last week was the first time i had every been on a underwater hunt. My buddy was using his new JBL gun. He got a clean shot on a nice size cat but it managed to get off the spear before we get out of the water. I dont not have a spear gun but I do have a polespear so that is what I will be hunting with tommorow. I need some helpful tips or advice of any kind. I have some basic knowledge that is about it. thanks for the help

Hunting catfish is different than hunting other types of fish. The techniques are more important after you shoot than before. Flathead catfish have a very tapered head and almost any shot on the skull will bounce off. You need to get a deep hit near the spine and get a flopper behind a bone, the fish has the power to rip out huge areas of flesh, if they can fight at the end of a line.

When you get a hit, jump on top of the fish and push it into the bottom, or pull the fish into your body and clamp your legs around the tail. Now while you're holding the fish get a stringer through the mouth and out the gill. If the fish is in a hole, often it will be head on, and any attempt to shoot it in the mouth, will be too slow and bounce off the flat head. Flick a light beam in and out of the eye till the fish turns to give you a shot. Reach into the hole and grab the lower jaw, hold tight. If the catfish can shake it's head back and forth, you'll lose some skin.

Much of what I wrote above is trying to control a big catfish. It's tough, and likely to fail, until you have more experience. Try to limit your early spearfishing to 5 or 10 lb fish, gain some experience. . . They are great tasting fish, worth the work.

Also, if you haven't learned before, Flathead catfish change color to blend into the bottom, where they are hunting. When hungry they may be sitting on the bottom in the middle of small bait fish, waiting for a larger prey. After, they've fed they will hold up where they can hide, under trees and roots, or in rocky holes.

To hunt them search for the areas and depth with lots of small bait fish, then look closely in those areas. . . Good Luck.
 
Hunting catfish is different than hunting other types of fish. The techniques are more important after you shoot than before. Flathead catfish have a very tapered head and almost any shot on the skull will bounce off. You need to get a deep hit near the spine and get a flopper behind a bone, the fish has the power to rip out huge areas of flesh, if they can fight at the end of a line.

When you get a hit, jump on top of the fish and push it into the bottom, or pull the fish into your body and clamp your legs around the tail. Now while you're holding the fish get a stringer through the mouth and out the gill. If the fish is in a hole, often it will be head on, and any attempt to shoot it in the mouth, will be too slow and bounce off the flat head. Flick a light beam in and out of the eye till the fish turns to give you a shot. Reach into the hole and grab the lower jaw, hold tight. If the catfish can shake it's head back and forth, you'll lose some skin....

Also, if you haven't learned before, Flathead catfish change color to blend into the bottom, where they are hunting. When hungry they may be sitting on the bottom in the middle of small bait fish, waiting for a larger prey. After, they've fed they will hold up where they can hide, under trees and roots, or in rocky holes.


Great resposne Mudhole. Several friends of mine spear catfish in a lake relatively close to us, and even though I prefer saltwater spearfishing, I've been a few times, and the above info is spot on!
 
Im pumped about the dive tommrow thanks for the help. On the dive last week we saw four cats that may have been three pounds. The plan is to hit that spot again tommorow after work. In the past i have hear of six or seven foot catfish in our lake. I cant imagine how hard that would be to get a fish that size out of the water. Whats the best way to fix fresh catfish we deep fry them most of the time.
 
Im pumped about the dive tommrow thanks for the help. On the dive last week we saw four cats that may have been three pounds. The plan is to hit that spot again tommorow after work. In the past i have hear of six or seven foot catfish in our lake. I cant imagine how hard that would be to get a fish that size out of the water. Whats the best way to fix fresh catfish we deep fry them most of the time.

Now, I'll never say that divers may exaggerate, but the accuracy of the six or seven foot catfish, is just as accurate as your "thirty pound" fish you shoot dozen every day.:D :rofl3:

The diver who taught me to spearfish, shot a 67 pound flathead when I was with him, and later he shot an 80 pound flathead. . . expecting the U.S. record had to be over 100 lbs. we learned the record flathead reported to the Underwater Society, at that time was 50 lbs. When you do ge a "big one" be sure to verify the weight and then record it with your state and the Underwater Society.

Deep frying is a good basic method, I also like to wrap them in foil with lemon slices, and bake on the side of a grill. Flathead catfish are only feeding on live fish and always have a good flavor. Channel or Blue catfish will eat live food or scavenge. . . most of the time they are good tasting, but sometimes they can be foul tasting. If you cook them along side the lake, Always bring hamburgers or hot dogs as a back up plan.
 
The dive tuesday was a good dive, however we did not see any cats. The vis was about three feet on the first part of the dive. Man the water is still warm i think it was 79. About 15 min. into the dive the vis got better and was around 10 feet. On the dam its self we saw a lot nice bass. I wish i had a rod and reel. We are already planning a dive in the next few days. We were divind in swim suits only so we stayed above the thermocline (I might have miss spelled it) that w as at 28 feet. All in all it was a good dive, mid week dives really help with the working to much blues.
 
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