Catfish

[Kfed5]

Hey guys, i am one who catfishes quite alot. But i also bass fish alot, so i guess i just fish alot. But even with all the catfishing i have done, i have a couple questions. The one question i cant answer myself is should i have tight or loose line. When i fish the river my line is tight, never loose. But im talking about in lakes, i usually fish with loose line, and let them run and then set the hook, but i see others with tight line fishing lakes. Whats the difference?

And on catfish fillets, the red and yellow is the fat right? and what can you do to guarentee the fishy taste out of the fish?

[artcarney_agr]

Whether it's a river or lake, I tight line a bank rig/bottom rig.
http://www.combat-fishing.com/mbotfdr.gif

Best thing to keep the fishy taste in check is to throw back the bigger ones. The smaller the fish, the less the fat. When you fillet them, take a garden hose spary nozzle and blast the meat white - it does a much better job than running them under the sink.

[Kfed5]

That helps thank you! but what do you consider the big ones? and small ones?

[TroyRalph502]

cat fish over 5lb tastes too fishy too me. I like them around 2-5lbs.

[stripernut]

cat fish over 5lb tastes too fishy too me. I like them around 2-5lbs.

X2 !
i usually fillet the larger fish when i catch them by accident striper fishing, but i skinned some 13 inchers the other night and fried them about an hour ago...MAN! those kittys were awesome !
p.s. i soak everything (striper, crappie, ky's, cats) in rocksalt water with a little lemon juice for a couple of days before i cook them or vacuum pack them for the freezer, not so much for me, but the family enjoys the milder taste.

[olgreenboat]

Put the fillets in butter milk and back in the frig over night. One other thing you can do is cut out the red meat. It will make it a whole lot milder.
As for the tight or lose line use you're bait clicker and shug up you anti back lash just a little.

[sglass]

X2 !
i usually fillet the larger fish when i catch them by accident striper fishing, but i skinned some 13 inchers the other night and fried them about an hour ago...MAN! those kittys were awesome !
p.s. i soak everything (striper, crappie, ky's, cats) in rocksalt water with a little lemon juice for a couple of days before i cook them or vacuum pack them for the freezer, not so much for me, but the family enjoys the milder taste.

X3

[KYCatfish]

my wife stopped eating them a few years ago b/c of the strong tasting dark meat. Nowadays, regardless of size, I slice through the filet along the lateral line and trim off about a half inch of dark meat on each side. Now everyone is happy.

[Kfed5]

Okay cool, i usually just fillet them, cut off the red and yellow stuff, and soak them in salt water for a while. vaccum bag them and freeze them, or freeze them in salt water.

I do have a baitcast with a clicker ( my river pole ) so thats usually what i do, i was just making sure. Thanks everybody, my questions are now answered.

[hairball]

I learned a neat little trick from the guide I hired on Okeechobee in 1987. While the fish are still alive, open their gills and cut the big artery that feeds the gills. This allows the heart to pump blood out of the meat, eliminating some of the fishy taste.

[Kfed5]

Thats really intresting, ill have to try that out. thanks!

[aceoky]

Put the fillets in butter milk and back in the frig over night. One other thing you can do is cut out the red meat. It will make it a whole lot milder.
As for the tight or lose line use you're bait clicker and shug up you anti back lash just a little.

Ditto