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Pit Fishing Thread

Yup, the channel tasted much better. Skinning the big guy was SO hard. Especially since it was 2 am and I was pretty drunk. He was still alive after I gutted him. It was only after I cut the head off that he finally stopped moving. Catfish won't die. I've heard people just cutting the filets then tossing the carcass back in the river only to watch the fish swim away.

Yep. Seen this happen before. It's incredible. How do you skin them? We normally cut around the fins and yank it off with plyers (pliers?). Having your entire skin ripped off while alive does not sound like fun.
 
Yep. Seen this happen before. It's incredible. How do you skin them? We normally cut around the fins and yank it off with plyers (pliers?). Having your entire skin ripped off while alive does not sound like fun.

Thats how we do them. One person to hold the head, the other to yank with all their might. We've found that long handled Channel Locks work the best. I've skinned and gutted catfish before, threw the remains on the ground and had them crawl away before.
 
I read a really cool article one time about how they used to catch 100+ catfish all the time on the Mississippi using whole skinned rabbits as bait. Sometimes even stray cats.
 
Took the boat out on the Eno River Sunday... Only caught a couple bream, but it was a really nice afternoon.
 
Going to be fishing at North Topsail in a couple weeks. I typically leave a line in the water when I'm on the beach. What should I be thinking in terms of bait this time of year? Best guess is probably just to ask local where I buy it.

Also, thinking of heading around to the docks on the sound side and putting a line in the water for flounder while I'm crabbing. The only calm water saltwater fishing I've done has been flats fishing, so not really sure what rigging and bait setup to use here. Any suggestions?
 
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Caught this monster using a tree berry on the Little Sugar Creek
 
Haha, I was bored so I just found red berries on a nearby bush and reeled in fast. Little sugar creek is in CLT, tons of sunfish but that's about it. There was a 12 inch or so catfish under a big rock near me but I couldn't get him to hit.
 
We had our annual Kids & Dads camping and fishing trip a couple weekends ago:
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Here is my favorite photo of the weekend:
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This was her second fish on a fly rod. She caught it by herself, with some coaching from nearby excited Dads. First trout, other than the ones that cost $4.99/lb.

Here is her first fish, also caught on her own:
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Here is a good photo of her casting:
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Going to be fishing at North Topsail in a couple weeks. I typically leave a line in the water when I'm on the beach. What should I be thinking in terms of bait this time of year? Best guess is probably just to ask local where I buy it.

Also, thinking of heading around to the docks on the sound side and putting a line in the water for flounder while I'm crabbing. The only calm water saltwater fishing I've done has been flats fishing, so not really sure what rigging and bait setup to use here. Any suggestions?

In the surf, use a double drop rig with a 2-3 oz pyramid weight. Put on a dead finger mullet or live mud minnow. You can even use sand fleas to go after Pompano or shrimps to attract sharks.

On the sound side, use a Carolina rig (line, eggweight, swivel, leader, hook). For flounder, use live mud minnows. Also, red drum are going nuts near the grasses by the shore. They will hit live mud minnows, dead mud minnows or cut bait. Here is the red drum my brother in law caught on Saturday near the Oak Island Bridge:

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In the surf, use a double drop rig with a 2-3 oz pyramid weight. Put on a dead finger mullet or live mud minnow. You can even use sand fleas to go after Pompano or shrimps to attract sharks.

On the sound side, use a Carolina rig (line, eggweight, swivel, leader, hook). For flounder, use live mud minnows. Also, red drum are going nuts near the grasses by the shore. They will hit live mud minnows, dead mud minnows or cut bait. Here is the red drum my brother in law caught on Saturday near the Oak Island Bridge

Perfect, thanks. That's what I was thinking on the rigging, but I wasn't sure what sort of bait to buy. Never have invested in a casting net, but maybe I should this year.
 
Perfect, thanks. That's what I was thinking on the rigging, but I wasn't sure what sort of bait to buy. Never have invested in a casting net, but maybe I should this year.

They are great for getting fresh live bait, but you better be prepared to spend some time learning how to throw the damn thing.
 
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I've been throwing cast nets for as long as I can remember, and I still suck at it. I've even bought instructional videos, and I just cant get the technique perfected.
 
They great for getting fresh live bait, but you better be prepared to spend some time learning how to throw the damn thing.

I'm at the beach...besides digging holes for my kids and mixing another drink, what else do I have to do? Or, I could spend the $50 I would use on a net to buy all the bait I need and some more liquor...looks like another year of not buying a net. :)
 
I've been throwing cast nets for as long as I can remember, and I still suck at it. I've even bought instructional videos, and I just cant get the technique perfected.

You and me both, brother. I watch guys who throw perfect loops and then it is like I am throwing two cinder blocks. Sometimes I think the baitfish gather in schools just to heckle me and drink beer.
 
Is she doing a roll cast or a spey cast in that last photo? I can really tell.

Thanks for the comments, DPacker, everyone has a good time on the trip.

HC, it was a roll cast with some extra body english thrown in. One thing I noted was that the indicator (bobber) helped load the rod. She was managing straight-line casts to the other side of the bank. The roll cast works great with kids.

I will work with her some more on her roll casting through the Spring and Summer to get ready for a 1/2 day guide trip that I bought for her at an auction.

Edited to link the video from the trip: http://vimeo.com/40929934
 
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That's a sweet Redfish drew, I've always wanted to catch one.

Racer, and this is just my 0.02, but if you are looking for a lot of action I'd get fresh shrimp from a grocery store for beach fishing. You get a lot more action (sea mullet, sharks, pinfish, maybe bluefish/mackeral/drum) than mud minnows, which attract larger game fish like flounder and drum. Smaller hooks (number 6 or 4) are also a good idea as sea mullet and pinfish have tiny mouths. Sound side is a great place to catch flounder and drum, and the mud minnows are perfect. 1/0 Kahle-style hooks work well (the point bends inward). Most important advice: Don't get a double drop rig with steel or other crap. Simple line is best.
 
Racer, and this is just my 0.02, but if you are looking for a lot of action I'd get fresh shrimp from a grocery store for beach fishing. You get a lot more action (sea mullet, sharks, pinfish, maybe bluefish/mackeral/drum) than mud minnows, which attract larger game fish like flounder and drum. Smaller hooks (number 6 or 4) are also a good idea as sea mullet and pinfish have tiny mouths.

If I do a double rig, I might rig up a minnow and a shrimp to cover all bases. Any advantage to fresh shrimp over the frozen from the bait shop?

Sound side is a great place to catch flounder and drum, and the mud minnows are perfect. 1/0 Kahle-style hooks work well (the point bends inward). Most important advice: Don't get a double drop rig with steel or other crap. Simple line is best.

Thanks.
 
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