soundwavesdj87
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Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
Need help with catfishing the mon. Day and night. I have a boat but do not know how to find the fish... I stay between the locks belle vernon and brownsville.
I need to know what pole to use. I currently have a ugly stick 7 foot 10lb test. Is this good? Or what pole should i get. What pound test? What size hooks? What bait?
I am new to it all and all help would be appreciated.
We been using hot dogs and caught 4 in 20 hours. Spread over 3 days. Not vry good for 3 people.
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tull66 
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/16 15:23:33
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We caught 3 nice cats Friday in the Elizabeth pool. Caught them all while either trolling or drifting crawler harnesses. Any rod/reel will do.
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Subby
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/16 20:17:07
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10# is a little light for bottom fishing on the Mon. I usually buy #15 or #20 Trilene Big Game on the 1/4# spool. Some guys will use a lot heavier line than that if specifically targeting big cats. Hot dogs will work. So will chicken liver. Or you can seine/trap some chubs or some bluegills. The hook should suit the bait. You really cannot use a bait too big for flatheads/big channels. 5"-7" chubs are probably my favorite all-species all-around bottom fishing bait. Anything in the river will attack them.
Sub
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soundwavesdj87
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/17 01:18:33
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Tull The ones we got are decent size too. I never really been in the elizabeth pool but might try it. Never troll fished before either.
subby i will up the line to 15 lb test. we also tried chicken liver and had no bites. What is a chub? Bluegills is what everyone is saying to use. Were do i buy or catch them at? How do i hook blue gills? With a blue gill on the line how should i weight it or rig the line up?
I thank you all for your help.. Jim
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soundwavesdj87
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/17 01:19:23
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also i think my pole says 15 lbs max for line! can i go bigger or should i get bigger rod? thanks again
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Subby
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/17 10:44:37
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http://fishandboat.com/pafish/fishhtms/chapindx.htm Chubs are big minnows. Fish for them with your trout rod and small hooks and a little piece of worm. Toss it into a deeper pool on any marginal stream and you should catch a bunch. Minnow traps work as well. I generally use dry dog food for trap bait, as I've always got some for my terriers. Use the same rod setup for fishing for your bait bluegills. For these, look for any small pond or lake. If there are any ponds nearby that only the neighborhood kids fish, I'd wager they're loaded with bluegill(and probably a couple monster largemouth). A bigger rod would certainly help for the cats. I prefer a fairly long/heavy rod for bottom fishing. Remember, you're not going to be using a couple split shot to keep that bait down. An ounce or two of bait plus an ounce or two of sinker is going to stress a "normal" rod. You could probably find a cheap surf rod at one of the bait shops that'll work fine. I'd recommend a baitcaster with a clicker(Abu 5500 on up) with a heavy/long rod or a spinning reel with a baitrunner feature. Put one bait shallow, another kind of bait deep, etc until you find the sweet spot. Sub
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akitadog
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/17 13:43:57
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not to be rude, but if he doesnt even knoe what a chub is or where to catch bluegill he has along way to go.
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tull66
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/17 13:58:49
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He's already catching cats. Not exactly rocket science...bait on hook, hook in water, water under boat. Drink beer, hang on.
Experience will show him if he needs more weight, heavier line, different bait, etc.
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Puffy
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/18 08:15:16
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Not exactly rocket science...bait on hook, hook in water, water under boat. Drink beer, hang on.
That is a very true statement. 
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71gto
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/19 10:04:07
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ORIGINAL: Puffy
Not exactly rocket science...bait on hook, hook in water, water under boat. Drink beer, hang on.
That is a very true statement.
Hey Puff, I'm a Rocket Scientist, does that matter??? But no beer, got to be Cherry Juice! Then hang on!!!!!!! 71
Gort! Klaatu barada nikto!
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tull66
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/19 12:12:14
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I had 2 read that twice! Thought you said "Chevy juice". Being a previous Goat owner, I thought I had 2 scold you!
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Puffy
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/08/31 08:12:55
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I've heard tale of this so-called Cherry Juice. I'm guessing that the partaking of, nullify's any ability to wade i the Yough shortly thereafter.
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flyingmoles
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RE: Mon River Catfishing Help Belle Vernon
2010/09/01 06:20:04
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i've never fished the mon, i have done rather well using medium to large cooked shrimp any other place i've fished. i know they can be pricey so if there's a save a lot near you that's the place to get them. 1lb mediums usually run $4 frozen. i fish a 20lb suffix braid on a heavy ugly stick with a cheap surf reel. 1 - 5 oz. weight depending on current. 2\0 or bigger circle hook. i do have the odd trip when i get nothing but drum, but whatever man. those guys can fight pretty hard too. plus if you know how to make the cuts they taste quite good. the heavy line helps when some of the cover i'm fishing happens to be shopping carts, old bicycles, and patio furniture. no joke, patio furniture. my wife and i got hung up on a plastic table while canoeing the yough. we didn't see the table till it was too late. we hit the flat surface and bam! stuck fast for a second. good luck man.
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