| My trip into the south to uncover the best | | | | asked how it worked, and the old timer simply said "I |
| techniques for catching catfish has yielded some | | | | don't know, my grandfather taught me this over |
| unusual yet astounding results. I first arrived in a small | | | | forty years ago". |
| town called Belton in the great state of Texas. I | | | | When I asked about his second and soon to be third |
| asked some of the locals where a good place to | | | | stringer of catfish, he pulled his bait bucket from the |
| catch catfish would be. | | | | water and showed me little creatures I have never |
| I was directed to Lake Belton only about 15 minutes | | | | seen or heard before. Helgamites was the name of |
| from where I was. Boat in tow, with a bucket of | | | | the odd insects. Small shrimp like insects with an |
| minnows, and a box of night crawlers I headed out | | | | armor plated exoskeleton and huge ant like pinchers |
| to see what kind of success I would have. | | | | on their heads. |
| I ended up going to about four different spots | | | | These creatures can draw blood and it hurts when |
| spending roughly two hours only to have my bait | | | | they latch on to your finger, so use caution. These |
| stolen off the hook. | | | | insects can be found in rocks close to the banks of |
| I started getting discouraged until I spotted an elderly | | | | rivers and fresh water lakes. The old man told me he |
| man about three hundred yards away fishing from | | | | always uses them along with another secret fishing |
| the bank. I noticed this gentleman pulling his stringer | | | | tip. When the lake water drops a little the old man |
| from the water and to my surprise he had two full | | | | goes out and digs a hole about twenty to thirty feet |
| stringers of channel cat catfish ranging in weight from | | | | off the bank, and drops a foul smelling brick of maze |
| about two and half to fifteen pounds! | | | | into the hole. The smell attracts the catfish in droves, |
| I asked him what he was doing to be so successful | | | | and they hang around all day. |
| and he said the first stringer came from trot lines he | | | | The old timer told me he catches about thirty to |
| had set up over night. When I asked what he was | | | | forty keepers every time he fishes. That day the old |
| using for bait I was completely astounded by his | | | | man and I caught fifty three catfish. As far as fresh |
| answer. He pulled a small bag from his tackle box and | | | | water fishing for catfish is concerned, the old timer |
| revealed to me about a dozen small cut up pieces of | | | | provided me with the ultimate total fishing tips. |
| ivory soap. I couldn't believe it, I was dumbfounded. I | | | | |