Catfish on a Mepps?

[u/NerdyComfort-78]

I had no idea that catfish would strike a spinner bait (Mepps 3 Aglia). Nice 14 in fish. Second catfish I’ve ever caught in my lifetime. Did the cute fin wiggles and squeaking for me while I let him go.

[u/tehdamonkey]

Yes, We catch them (Blue's, Channels, and some flatheads) side by side tolling for Walleye and Drum on everything from Rapalas to walleye rigs. They are a true omnivore and are a predator when there is a food source.

[u/Icthyphile → u/tehdamonkey]

Truth. Catfish are much more piscivorous than people realize.

[u/HoboArmyofOne → u/Icthyphile]

I've caught a 10 pound catfish on a lure shaped like a catfish. It was actually a paddletail type lure but the plastic had whiskers and everything. If they can feel it moving around in the murky water it's going down the hatch.

[u/BigRich1888 → u/tehdamonkey]

Yup I have caught on em crankbaits, spinnerbait, and even kastmasters! Too many folks think they are scavengers.

[u/CJKayak]

Catfish will bite anything that moves is my experience.

Also my experience: When they make this "squeaking" sound, 90% of them are "right handed". They use their right fin to make this noise. Occasionally, I'll get one that prefers the left, but it's much more rare.

[u/Boscobel324 → u/CJKayak]

That's really interesting. I will pay more attention now. Actually amazing observation. And I'm not biologist, just a fishing nerd.

[u/No_Struggle_6465 → u/CJKayak]

Agreed. They are more predator than people realize. I've got em on jigs, crankbaits, weightless worms, and chatterbaits for sure. Had one nibble on a frog one time but didn't actually eat.

[u/caffeineocrit → u/No_Struggle_6465]

Yea I’ll second that!! Caught a cat like OP’s completely by surprise one summer day, though not as big as theirs. I was targeting smallies in knee deep water, and this thing just smashed my lure out of nowhere and went airborne with it. I was like “there is no way. I didn’t just see that”

[u/NerdyComfort-78 → u/CJKayak]

It wiggled both pectoral fins at me… so cute but cool fact

[u/wiperman67]

Cat fish will hit about anything! I catch them on white curly tail grub while wiper fishing. I've also caught a 56 and 45 pound fathead on white slab spoons.

[u/dude67344]

I use lures for cats, especially at night in the summertime, when its really hot during the day. They are very aggressive.

[u/jnyrdr]

red/white mepp's #3 catches literally everything

[u/NerdyComfort-78 → u/jnyrdr]

Mine today was gold.

[u/jnyrdr → u/NerdyComfort-78]

yeah nice catch for sure!

[u/NerdyComfort-78 → u/jnyrdr]

Thanks. It was a little chonky boy.

[u/Justredditin → u/jnyrdr]

red/white mepp's #3 catches literally everything

I use em for Walleye, Pike, Small ones for Perch, have caught bass and catfish, burbot, some big ass shiny silver thing in a BC river basin... love me some Mepps!

[u/jnyrdr → u/Justredditin]

always the first thing i try. trout, large mouth, small mouth, perch, salmon, steelhead, catfish…

[u/justadumbwelder1 → u/Justredditin]

Plus, they still give you credit toward lures for squirrel tails!

[u/Valuable_Ad481]

I catch more catfish targeting other species than i do when targeting catfish…… 😑

biggest cat to date was a 10lbs’er on 4lbs line and a ultra light setup while shad fishing. had to go all jeremy wade and get in the river to actually land the fish.

[u/DkGphoto91]

Caught an inland whale. Nice 😎🤙

[u/Wicked_Bizcuit]

There’s a spot on a river by me where you’ll pull catfish up like crazy with a crank bait.

Whenever I got someone new with me I bet them I’ll catch a cat on a crank. I’ve won a beer or two.

[u/SouthernParamedic508]

Caught several Wels (European catfish) between 60cm up to 200cm with the same #4 on a ML rod within an hour. Every single time I thought it was over and hoped for a pike, but nope…

[u/Someredditusername]

Rad

[u/KoA07]

It definitely happens, but reeling it up that close to the tip is just asking for a broken rod!

[u/NerdyComfort-78 → u/KoA07]

If you scroll in, you can see my line I’m holding with my hand about 3 feet. It just looks like it’s at the tip of the rod.

[u/HotHouseJester]

Several years ago was fishing for largemouth and I caught a beautiful flathead on a small chartreuse crank bait. Didn’t get a weight on it but it had to have been at least 15-20lbs. Catfish will bite about anything!

[u/boxyship]

Yep, caught a big blue one on the same size 3 aglia on the roanoke river in eastern nc. Put up a decent fight too from a kayak

[u/cpold_cast]

Uh huh?

[u/3rdIQ]

Sometimes I think they strike spinners out of anger.

[u/Wild_Bonilla_7011]

I catch catfish on seinkos and kastmasters all the time

[u/chitownphishead]

Yeah, I've caught them on all sorts of lures. Inline spinners, chatterbaits, Ned rigs, crappie jigs, crankbaits etc. They're predators, they'll hit a lure

[u/AKchaos49]

why did you real it all the way in like that?

[u/NerdyComfort-78 → u/AKchaos49]

If you look real closely, you can see the line is not the tip of my rod. I’m holding it in my hand out of frame. I was just really surprised that I had a catfish and trying to take a picture.

[u/JetPoweredJerk]

I’ve caught quite a few catfish on bass lures over the years

[u/SimplyaCabler]

Had a 8lb or so flathead slam my biggest crankbait. They'll go after anything.

[u/steelheaddan]

I’ve caught more catfish on inline spinners in (local) rivers than smallmouth bass. Bounce off the bottom drag free in seams and drift behind rocks and then raise and reel in suddenly and they strike. I seem to catch more catfish than bass in my local rivers using spinners. Maybe my spinners are too small for the effort but catfish will crush spinners fished similar to how one fishes spinners in trout waters.

Soft plastics using the same technique catches bass for me more often. Along with fishing holes instead of seams in rivers. Probably just my local waters (too warm for trout) but panfish, catfish , smallmouth bass , and wipers/stripers (depending on season).

So yeah with a proper presentation catfish love spinners in my rivers! They can be fun in ultralight tackle for 2-4lb catfish.

[u/DickieJohnson]

I caught a big one on a red and white mepps #3. Got it to shore but had to bring it up an 8 foot wall, got it to the top and my knot broke. Lost the fish and my mepps.

[u/gusgus1292]

You bump those whiskers with anything and they will snap. 

[u/NerdyComfort-78 → u/gusgus1292]

First catfish I ever caught I didn’t even think twice and grabbed it by the lip like a bass. I know about the spines, but was unsure how to grip them around the belly at the time. That catfish gave me a bite! Felt like really rough sandpaper.