Three Cs Loc: Allen Texas

In my senior year of high school in 1949/1950 a couple of my friends and myself decided to find out how this man always seemed to have catfish to give away each morning. It wasn't just occasionally but nearly every day. He worked at a friends Dad's Slaughter House and Meat Locker. He worked long hours each day six days a week. The only time he didn't fish was night temperature below freezing or raining. He would not tell us just where he fished but said he fished all night long. He let it slip on day that he fished on the Pecan Bayou, which was a creek that fed into Lake Brownwood. It heads in Callahan County (near Hookers home), then across upper corner of Coleman County and then in Brown County before joining Lake Brownwood on upper end of lake. So that did not really tell us a great deal since it covered lots of country. We decided to do a little detective work and find out where. We watched him when he left work in the afternoon. He took highway 36 south out of Cross Plains Texas heading towards Lake Brownwood Texas. There were three places he could exit highway 36 and get to Pecan bayou. Our next step was to find out which exit he took. We staked out the first exit and he did not take that so we proceeded to check out the second exit and he did not take that one either. So then we beat him to the exit and drove close to the Pecan Bayou, hid and awaited for him to arrive. Sure enough he showed. He set up his camp which consisted of a folding cot and a grill with legs on it. He then baited his hooks and put them into the water. It was getting late in the day because of the long hours he worked each day and the drive time. He built a fire and cooked his evening meal. We stayed out of sight and observed. Just after it got dark he baited some more hooks and remover the rods he has baited before his meal. He then place the newly baited hooks in the water, he fastened a line to each big toe. and laid down on his cot. That was when we realized how he was able to fish all night and work the next day. We later told him what we had done and he thought it was funny. He said some nights he was only awaken once or twice but other times it happened several times a night. He said that even the smallest cat would get your attention. We assured him his method and place was safe with us and the appreciated that. We did go and fish with him some a few times but not by his method. The was just as the Pecan Bayou flow and the lake water met. Some time I regret never having tried it. Since he had access to all the cattle blood he wanted, that was what he used for bait. He would let it congeal and then cut it into 3/4 inch cubes and place it in the sun to dry it out. That make it stay on the hook better. In past years when there were two slaughter houses near by, they would give you the blood if you provided a container, I used it and it worked fairly well but still hard to keep on hook. Both houses have now closed so don' have source any more. I don't think this method would work for me but it sure worked for him. Please if anyone tried it post it so we know how it worked for you. LOL

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Three C's: Well, l recognize the method that works best is fishing for cats at night, in fact all night. I never had any blood source, but we did have and used perch that we had a consistent reliable source and that's what we used regularly. We provided all the fish for our community fish fries on several different times. Just Sayin...RJS

Jeremy Loc: America

Best food for fish is always fish.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Yes, that is what worked best for us. Just Sayin...RJS

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Great story Clarence. Thanks for sharing.

wd4ity Loc: Middle Georgia, Forsyth

When I was young we fished for catfish using either of two types of bait. We'd stop by the chicken processing plant and get a plastic gallon jug of chicken guts. That worked well. If we couldn't get the chicken innards we'd stop by the grocery store for a box of Wheaties breakfast cereal. Then stop by the tackle shop for a cup of blood bait.

The blood bait process is pretty tough and I'd wear a pair of latex gloves today. You get a double handful of Wheaties cupped in your hands. Dip your hands into the water and back out once. Then start kneading the cereal in you hands and it'll turn into a doughy ball. Now the rough part. Take a chunk of blood bait about half the size of your doughball and start kneading it in while trying to hold your breath. If you just got to have a breath of air turn your head into the wind before inhaling.

The blood bait provides the smell and the wheaties dough helped hold it on the hook. We also used baitholder hooks, 3/0 hooks with what looked like a spring around them. Haven't seen any in the stores for years though. I see a hook similar listed at Bass Pro by Rod N Bobb's Spring Dough Baitholding hooks.

threeCs Loc: Allen Texas

I had a cousin that loved to use chicken guts for bait. When we had chicken for Sunday meal and he saved the guts,I knew we would be catfishing about Wednesday or Thursday. Great bait but you had to have a strong stomach

MannyGutierrez597_yahoo.com

Since trout are stocked in most lakes in Southern California, the bite dries out soon enough so I have look for alternatives, crappie (look like bird cage grills once cleaned) , bluegill (too small), Bass (catch and release only) Carp and Catfish. Carp are big, full of spines and if you don't cook them properly, they taste like mud. Catfish don't die, They make croaking sounds when you handle them and even after sitting in a bucket for a while, if you just add water most come back to life. because they fight that hard to live, I just release them. Cats are survivors, I guess I shall wait for the next trout stocking. lol

Three Cs Loc: Allen Texas

yes catfish are tough. I once carried a catfish wrapped in a wet burlap bag tied behind my saddle for half a day and when placed in water he revived. Now that is tough. LOL