Cats on the SAk

The boys and I have fished cats here in the fall during slow duck hunts.  We used some smelt cut into bite sized chunks and standard bottom rigs. Basically the same tactics we've used in the past for channels everywhere.  Of course there are other baits and ways of catching cats and they vary depending on what kind you are after.  The big Blue and Flatheads really prefer a live bait, Channels like a smaller cut bait or stink bait. In Texas we used trot lines with up to 50 hooks baited with shrimp, frogs, minnows, cut carp, cheese bait, and stinky blood bait, small sunfish (called perch in the south) and crawlers. But our favorite way was to use jug lines with small sunfish or shad at nite. There is something about chasing down a moving hylex jug in a kayak or canoe in the middle of the nite with headlamps that just gets the blood pumping.  We dont see any trot lines or jug lines used here so we have only used rods but the fishing has stil been good.  This spring we are planning on a trip from Trenton to Williston with the kayaks to try and find some bigger cats.  It's the Missouri there are some in there, perhaps as big as those on the Red, and its closer to the house.  We're in the planning stages now so maybe a few locals have some sections of the river down there they are willing to share info about.  Or at least places to avoid due to wicked currents or whirlpools.