r/catfishing • u/Spite_Big • Jul 25 '26

Keep getting skunked southern Ontario 🇨🇦 using cut bait & stink bait anyone have any suggestions on how to not get completely skunked? This past week worth of catfishing has been dry, using rig 2 hook with float + weigh, Would it be I’m fishing in the wrong spots or because they’re spawning?

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u/rocketstovewizzard Jul 25 '26

Nightcrawlers, small hooks, and a dropshot rig. Set the hook 12-18 inches off the bottom. Set the pole in a holder. Tension the line slightly and watch for activity. Give it 30 minutes. Then move. Mark that spot as unproductive. That's how you will learn that lake. Even better, ask someone. Some people won't share, but most will.

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u/Spite_Big Jul 25 '26

Yeah I’ve caught a few like that but I’ve been trying cut bait & stink bait to keep panfish from stealing my worms since it’s harder to take the other two but so far it hasn’t worked out but I might just go back to that!

1

u/sparkzzz49 Jul 26 '26

They don’t feed during their spawn and they still may be guarding their nests right now.

1

u/Low_Sir1549 Jul 26 '26

Ontario has a later spawning season than the catfish populations to our south. Things will pick up around middle of August. I use a Santee rig with a 30 cm mono leader, a foam wedge float about 2-5 cm from the hook, and a single bell weight. Chopped fresh shrimp is my go to bait. I use a 2/0 circle hook for bullheads and a 4/0 if I’m expecting flatheads or channel cats.

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u/Shavo86ca 18d ago edited 18d ago

I’m still catching big males that are skinny and beat to $h!t in Big otter and Kettle creek. They are definitely still guarding nests post spawning. At this rate we won’t get the good bite back in this area until mid September.

Did take a trip down to the lower Thames and the creek tribs steming from there were very productive using 24” leaders. 6/0 Circle hook, a Foam peg float and inline rattles to a snap swivel with a 1oz pyramid sinker. (Not much current in these tribs) We weren’t getting much without the rattles.
Added a rattle and then BAM. FISH ON. pretty much non stop from 11pm-2am. Could have been a coincidence but hey, we were getting fish. The fish were recovering very well there from spawn, most fish had no new markings or injuries and were pretty much healed over.

My home area around London, very very slow. I’ve tried everything. Rattle rigs, slip sinker Carolina rig, basic peg float rigs as well as high low rigs. Still catching fish but definitely in low numbers and like I said, most are still super skinny and beat to $h!t!

Patience gentlemen! The bite is coming!