Bank Fishing

Oh those hot summer nights! I'm talking about night fishing my friends. If you have never gone fishing in dark or run bank lines by starlight, you haven't lived! When I go, the target is almost always catfish. Bullheads, flatheads, steelheads, channel or blue cats make good meals. You can bake 'em, fry 'em, grill 'em, or broil them. Skinned or fillet, nothing beats fresh cooked fish and an ice cold beer.

Midnight Bank Runs:

Running bank lines isn't for anyone who likes to sit back and watch the stars. It is a lot of leg or boat work depending on which you like to use. It's also a tad bit dangerous too, as a lot of predators such as snakes, snapping turtles and other wild night creatures enjoy eating in the dark too. Besides, it's just so damn hard to see those sticker bushes! Ouch! Catfish love to eat at night, and even the big ones will come close in to shore for a midnight snack. One tip I might make is... Don't fish under a full moon! Not sure, but I think those buggers can see the lines or something...anyway I have had better luck when it was very dark.

Prep:

The week before, or the day before you go fishing, you will want to get everything ready. You'll need plenty of string line (about 500ft. of heavy duty test line 50lbs or more!) You don't know just how big a fish you might hook, and just how long they will be on the line fighting to get free. I usually cut two sizes for lengths, 50 strings @ about 3ft, and 50 @ about 4-5ft. I never know how deep or how high the limbs might be from the water along the bank. After I get all my lines cut, I tie a medium size hook on one end with a good solid knot. If you are certain about only catching bullheads, you might consider a smaller hook. You don't want to go too small however, other wise you will be using your pliers to dig out swallowed hooks. I use Eagle Claws with the self setting shank twist (since you won't be there to set the hook when the cat bites). Then I wrap all my line around a good sized stick or board to keep them from getting tangled in transit. I usually use 4 boards, 25 lines on each. I make sure I have a good lantern, flashlight, fishing net, bug spray, first aid kit, pliers, extra hooks, line, stringer (for keeping the catch on), cooler and beer!

Bait:

This is all according to what the cats like in your neck of the woods, I use cheap old fashion worms that I get from soaking the ground with a hose in my backyard. Some guys like cut baits or shad, chicken livers, stink baits, and even cheese. What ever you get, be sure it can secured on a hook, especially if you are in any sort of current at all. With a worm, I like to leave a little hanging off so he can wiggle a little until he's too water logged. Fish Fact: Catfish have the most taste buds of any fish or animal, 27,000+ buds that are in his mouth, and even on his skin!

Technique:

I have run bank lines on foot, and in a boat. Running them on shore seems like more work, but a lot of times gives you more room to work. On a boat, it's much cleaner and you can reach better limbs to tie off your lines. We like to set up a base camp along the shore, with a fire and area to store all our supplies (beer and cooler).

We run 25 lines up stream, tying them to branches and limbs hanging out over the water and set them at different depths in the water (some even on the bottom), one about every 5-6ft. or about 50 yards total. After we get done we head back for a couple of beers at the camp and shoot the shit for about 15 minutes or so. Then it's time to check the lines. We start with the first one we strung up, taking the flashlight, bait, stringer, net and pliers with us. We also take along another 25 lines to tie up at the end of our first run (making a 50 line total run). When we get done, we head back for... more beer of course! But this trip back we won't have as much time to wait before checking the lines again. Taking another 25 lines and our supplies, we check the 50 lines and tie on another 25 at the end. By now we are getting farther away from camp, and with each trip we have been adding to our time away from that first line we put out. Whew this is a lot of work! 75 lines to check when we get back! On the fourth run we check the 75 lines, then add the last 25 lines. By the time we get done setting them up, there's no time for beer before we start at the beginning to check all 100 lines. Trust me, on a good night you will bring home more fish than you want to clean!! I don't skin catfish anymore I fillet everything! Less mess, and less work! That's my motto!

Crayhook

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