Channel Cat

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Calman

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Oldest son and buddy came down and fished our pond yesterday,and caught 6 channel cat.
2 at 8lb,2 7lb and other 2 around 4lb.

Cal
 
Good job! How do they taste and how do you cook them?
Do they reproduce in the pond?
 
mnmtranching":2d1lu0k0 said:
Good job! How do they taste and how do you cook them?
Do they reproduce in the pond?

Here, fish that large are good but not as good as those under a foot. Of course this depends somewhat on the time of year. I believe they are better when they are caught during a month with an R in it.

Some say they won't reproduce in a pond but some say they will. I think if they are given proper nesting habitat they will reproduce to some extent but not that great.
 
Jogeephus":1y00ta2q said:
mnmtranching":1y00ta2q said:
Good job! How do they taste and how do you cook them?
Do they reproduce in the pond?

Here, fish that large are good but not as good as those under a foot. Of course this depends somewhat on the time of year. I believe they are better when they are caught during a month with an R in it.

Some say they won't reproduce in a pond but some say they will. I think if they are given proper nesting habitat they will reproduce to some extent but not that great.

When my son and I went down to visit Jo he took us to one of his ponds and we all caught several cats about 8 or 10" long. Jo is a master of cooking them little cats......i couldn't eat enough of them :cboy:
 
Sorry about not getting back sooner.

Mnmtranching,Those cats we're great tasting.We chunked them up and cut all the dark part off,rolled them in yellow corn meal and threw in the deep fryer.Although the way I like cat is just skillet size,Skin and gut,cut off their heads,roll in corn meal and throw in a skillet and fry.Take a fork and the meat just falls off the bone.
And no they don't reproduce. some of them had eggs but I have never seen any little ones. They've were stocked about 5yrs ago.Ther's also a bunch of black bass,and large brim in the pond.Don't no the reason why they don't reproduce exept maby the brim and bass keep them thinned out.These cat fish and other are feed fish food by an automatic feeder.
Tom the pond is about 20 feei deep at the end of the dock,and about an acre in size.It also has plenty of old brush and logs in the bottom for coverage.I believe the largest caught from there so far was a 12 pounder.I don't know if the catfish food has anything to do with it or not but even the biggens are great tasting.

Cal
 
Blue's will reproduce in a pond. I have two tanks (stock ponds) which have Blue's and Bass. Last year I put 1000 hybrid catfish in the two ponds and didn't get a one to survive and they will not reproduce. My largest pond is about two surface acres and about 12 feet deep. The other pond is about one surface acre and probably 10 feet deep.

The last time the ponds were stocked before last year was about 20 years ago. We pretty frequently pull out 4 to 5 lb bass and occasionally get a blue that will hit 6 or 7 pounds. Blue catfish population is way down probably due to the drought but I plan to restock again this year with blues (if we get some rain).
 
Channel cat DO reproduce in ponds in this area. Stock the tank and 2-3 years latter you'll have nice size fish as well as some offspring.
 
TexasBred":35w0bzor said:
Channel cat DO reproduce in ponds in this area. Stock the tank and 2-3 years latter you'll have nice size fish as well as some offspring.

I think it has to do with proper nesting structure.
 
Jogeephus":fal3egj2 said:
TexasBred":fal3egj2 said:
Channel cat DO reproduce in ponds in this area. Stock the tank and 2-3 years latter you'll have nice size fish as well as some offspring.

I think it has to do with proper nesting structure.


Could be...I know we would go down and using small line with small gold perch hooks and a little piece of worm catch fingerlings about 4-5 inches long from one lake and use them to restock others.
 
Jogeephus":1qbv65zt said:
TexasBred":1qbv65zt said:
Channel cat DO reproduce in ponds in this area. Stock the tank and 2-3 years latter you'll have nice size fish as well as some offspring.

I think it has to do with proper nesting structure.
Old tires make excellent structure for reproduction.
 
denoginnizer":k8l579zl said:
Jogeephus":k8l579zl said:
TexasBred":k8l579zl said:
Channel cat DO reproduce in ponds in this area. Stock the tank and 2-3 years latter you'll have nice size fish as well as some offspring.

I think it has to do with proper nesting structure.
Old tires make excellent structure for reproduction.

Tires are what was suggested to me too. I have been told they won't reproduce by some "experts" and have been told they will by people who actually raise them. I'm always leary when someone uses and absolute term when it comes to nature cause I don't think there are any absolutes. I think what the naysayers are actually saying is that they will not reproduce as efficiently as some of the more native cats in an area and if left to themselves they will be outproduced and pushed out by the others. JMO
 
TexasBred":19c2xjl5 said:
Jogeephus":19c2xjl5 said:
TexasBred":19c2xjl5 said:
Channel cat DO reproduce in ponds in this area. Stock the tank and 2-3 years latter you'll have nice size fish as well as some offspring.

I think it has to do with proper nesting structure.


Could be...I know we would go down and using small line with small gold perch hooks and a little piece of worm catch fingerlings about 4-5 inches long from one lake and use them to restock others.

Not to mention all the fish eggs brought in by birds. :help: I stocked the pond years ago and there is never a shortage of fry cats. Can't prove it but I'm pretty sure the original cats aren't reproducing but it's just eggs being brought in. Caught a 1 lb bass last year but I never stocked the pond with any bass.

I agree that those smaller cats are some of the best eating around!!! Never could come up with a quick way of skinning them though. Any suggestions?
 
We have butter cats that the birds bring in. They are highly productive and will in time take over a pond and within a few years will outnumber and out compete channels.

Best way I've found to skin the smaller ones is to use one of those skinning pliars designed for it. I just cut the skin around the head and put one slit down from the neck to the anus and grab the skin with the pliars and pull. Usually can skin one with one pull.
 
Jogeephus":27gbkm6a said:
Best way I've found to skin the smaller ones is to use one of those skinning pliars designed for it. I just cut the skin around the head and put one slit down from the neck to the anus and grab the skin with the pliars and pull. Usually can skin one with one pull.

Diddo, I nail the head to a tree, gut them, slice through the skin around the head behind the gills like jo said and using the skinning pliars, pull the skin down to the tail, and you are good to go.
Once that is done and they are batterd, and the grease is hot, call me.
To know if the grease is hot enough to fry fish, throw a wooden match in the grease. When the match lights, it is ready.
Mac
 
They were biting good today and the old saying about the wind being out of the west held true today. Here is two hours worth.

fish.jpg
 
lilmac":3lirtkqo said:
Jogeephus":3lirtkqo said:
Best way I've found to skin the smaller ones is to use one of those skinning pliars designed for it. I just cut the skin around the head and put one slit down from the neck to the anus and grab the skin with the pliars and pull. Usually can skin one with one pull.

Diddo, I nail the head to a tree, gut them, slice through the skin around the head behind the gills like jo said and using the skinning pliars, pull the skin down to the tail, and you are good to go.
Once that is done and they are batterd, and the grease is hot, call me.
To know if the grease is hot enough to fry fish, throw a wooden match in the grease. When the match lights, it is ready.
Mac

Tell us all again how to set a pot of hot grease on fire. Wow! Smart!
 

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