Location, Baits, And Riggings for Rivers

Moyer fishes ledges with a slipsinker rig. He starts by sliding a barrel swivel onto 40-pound-test Berkley Big Game mainline. The mainline’s tied to a second barrel swivel, to which he attaches a leader of 60-pound-test Big Game. The end of the leader sports an 8/0 Gamakatsu Octopus Circle hook. To the end of the swivel sliding on the mainline, he ties a dropper of 15-pound mono; at the end of the dropper he ties on a bank sinker of 2 to 6 ounces, depending on current speed. “I like to use a longer leader in winter,” he notes. “Most times I tie in a leader between 3 and 4 feet long. If there’s good current, I like the bait to move. Long leaders give baits more room to swing. I can’t say for certain how much of a difference it makes, but I’ve had good success with my setup.”

Logpiles, either exposed or submerged, can also attract blue cats on the Cumberland in winter. “I often fish a slipfloat rig into and around a logjam, with baits about 6 inches to a foot off bottom in depths ranging from 5 to 30 feet. I’ve had a hard time finding corks that float a 2-ounce weight and a big bait, so I make my own rigs, with a plastic soda bottle serving as the float.”

Like Jamison, Moyer is a deadbait man, but Moyer sticks with larger baits when it’s cold, finding that blue cats continue to hit hard so there’s no need to downsize. Cut skipjack herring is his favored bait. He experiments with several bait configurations to start the day, switching to the one that works best.

“On the first rod I pack big chunks of cut herring until it’s about the size of a tennis ball. Rod 2 gets a strip of meat cut from the dorsal area, from the head down the back towards the tail. A pie-shaped fillet goes on rod 3, and on rod number 4 I use another fillet strip, cut halfway up the middle along the length of the strip opposite where it’s hooked, so the tail waves like a split pennant.”

Moyer used to insist on catching fresh bait each day, but in recent years he’s been using bait that’s been refrigerated a few days, finding that it can outperform fresh bait. “The storage time seems to enhance flavor and aroma,” he says. “I store fillets in a plastic bag, skinside outward. The aged flesh develops a pink color. If I store it meat-side-out touching the plastic, the bait browns and isn’t as effective.” He agrees that Jamison could be onto something with his theories about the enhanced aromas of stored baits, and the connection between blue cats and winterkilled baitfish.

He markets catfishing rods that he designed, the Jim Moyer Boss series, sold through Catfish Connection (800/929-5025). The rods are 71⁄2 –foot one-piece E-Glass baitcasters, available in light, medium, heavy, and extra-heavy powers. For winter fishing, he prefers the medium version, featuring a softer tip.

Jamison and Moyer bring unique insights to the table, drawing on different sets of experiences on the waters they fish. Knowing where to find blue cats comes first—the proper presentation seals the deal.