Howard Roark
Retired Moderator
I understand there is a good population of catfish in Burton. My brother in law likes to set jugs. We are camping there in October. Any lake info would be appreciated.
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Catfish in lake Burton
- Thread starter Howard Roark
- Start date
Shrimpngrits
Senior Member
I’ve been hoping for bites on your query; I’ve got a trip planned to Tugaloo next month and am interested in the catfish action there….
Big7
The Oracle
Big Catfish like fresh bait.
Cut fish. Shiners. Most anything you can catch in a bait trap or cast net. And... If you want JUST big fish, chicken gizzards are your friend. Small fish don't like them and they will not come off. Big Catfish love them. I would still put out some cut fish though. The soak is a long one with big sets. Check every 6 hours or so.
If you just want to load down a cooler, you will need a lot of jugs. Figure on 1 in 3 having a fish, if they are biting good. If they ain't biting good, it will be less. Just about any store bought catfish blood chunks or sponge bait will catch meat fish. The blood chunks are easier and less messy. Smaller hooks and smaller cut bait is in order then too. You still may pick up a big fish on a small set.
Try to find slowwww moving water next to current. Get a good map of the lake and look for deep drops. Stay away from humps. Check small sets every 4 hours. Less if you see more than 1 or 2 moving around in the water.
On the big and small sets, if you are in 5 foot or more of water, put 2 or even 3 hooks on 1 jug.
Say if you are in 25 foot. Put one at 23, 17 and 12 or something like that and mix them up so you cover all the water columns and thermoclines.
Be patient. Try not to boat close to your sets no more than you have to. They won't come to commotion and they can't bite a hook that ain't in the water.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on colder water catfish on one hand. On the other hand, catfish are pretty much catfish so the same sets and baits should give similar results. Just adjust baits and hooks accordingly. A catfish can eat a bigger hook than you think.
One pool straw will make 6 noodles or 5 big ones.
You will do well to rod and reel fish directly in the channels while you wait. Definitely fish in the channels looking for drifting food but it's hard to jug in current. GOOD LUCK.
Cut fish. Shiners. Most anything you can catch in a bait trap or cast net. And... If you want JUST big fish, chicken gizzards are your friend. Small fish don't like them and they will not come off. Big Catfish love them. I would still put out some cut fish though. The soak is a long one with big sets. Check every 6 hours or so.
If you just want to load down a cooler, you will need a lot of jugs. Figure on 1 in 3 having a fish, if they are biting good. If they ain't biting good, it will be less. Just about any store bought catfish blood chunks or sponge bait will catch meat fish. The blood chunks are easier and less messy. Smaller hooks and smaller cut bait is in order then too. You still may pick up a big fish on a small set.
Try to find slowwww moving water next to current. Get a good map of the lake and look for deep drops. Stay away from humps. Check small sets every 4 hours. Less if you see more than 1 or 2 moving around in the water.
On the big and small sets, if you are in 5 foot or more of water, put 2 or even 3 hooks on 1 jug.
Say if you are in 25 foot. Put one at 23, 17 and 12 or something like that and mix them up so you cover all the water columns and thermoclines.
Be patient. Try not to boat close to your sets no more than you have to. They won't come to commotion and they can't bite a hook that ain't in the water.
Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on colder water catfish on one hand. On the other hand, catfish are pretty much catfish so the same sets and baits should give similar results. Just adjust baits and hooks accordingly. A catfish can eat a bigger hook than you think.
One pool straw will make 6 noodles or 5 big ones.
You will do well to rod and reel fish directly in the channels while you wait. Definitely fish in the channels looking for drifting food but it's hard to jug in current. GOOD LUCK.
Last edited:
Rabun
Senior Member
If you’re going to jug fish in burton I would do it tues-Thursday. Pretty much every creek will have quite a bit of boat traffic otherwise…unless you do it at night. I would sink a trot line instead personally. Let us know how you make out
