Catfish Diner...

[jinman]

Catfish Diner...Buffet served daily...Watch out for hookers hanging about.

Here is a picture of my catfish feeder I made from spare 3" sewer pipe. It's 10' square and I have line attached to anchors so I can bring it in close to the shore, fill it, and float it out to the center of the channel. I have to move it fast because the 4 and 5 pound catfish don't like to wait until I ring the dinner bell.

I think I may fill it about half-full of water because the food tends to escape when the feeding action gets going. Gosh, is it ever fun to watch those big fish making the water boil.


JimI

 

[FarmerBob]

Nice rig Jim. I loooooooooooooooooooove catfish /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. I used to run multiple trotlines on the Tennessee River. Had to buy extra freezers just to keep up with the catch. That was a while ago and I sure miss it. Nowdays I just jump in the truck 'n head down the road to "The Crooked Hook" for catfish 'n hushpuppies /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif.

FarmerBob

 

[jinman]

FB, I'm lucky I have my own lake. I can be fishing anytime I want in about 5 minutes. A couple of times while feeding the catfish, I dropped in a hook with stink bait and almost immediately hooked a fish. Usually they are the perfect size for eating (3 or 4 lb). I feed every night I am at my farm and currently that's about 100lb of feed per week. Later this year, I think I may catch a bunch and have a big fish fry. Do you want an invitation?/w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

JimI

 

[FarmerBob]

Jim...

Needless to say I'm very covetous of your lake. I'm thinking about putting in a small pond (1/2 acre) at the back corner of my 10-acres. Problem is that you can't do a lot with a small pond. My neighbor has a track-hoe and dozer and said he'd help me, but it's probably one of those "round tuit" kinda things that'll never happen /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif.

Let's see now... Texas borders Arkansas... and if Wise County was in the Eastern part of Texas... hmmmmmmmmm... I'd go an awful long way for some good fresh caught catfish /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif...

FarmerBob

 

[MarkV]

Jim,

Help this city boy out. Is the feeder an open bottom thing that just keeps the feed from floating away? I'll bet it is a sight when those guys start having at the feed.

MarkV

 

[jinman]

That's exactly what it is, Mark. It's just a simple device to keep the feed in one place and also train the "cats" to come eat when/where I want them to. If it is windy, it doesn't do me or the fish any good to put out food and have it quickly drift to shore or into very shallow water. I need to fill the pipe about half full of water (by drilling a hole in the top) and sink it down some. When the catfish really get going, they often push the feeder up 1 or 2 inches out of the water. When that happens, the floating food escapes. I think a heavier unit would be a much more stable feeder. I'm currently buying 50lb bags of catfish food (30% protein) for about $11. That equates to the price of dogfood at WalMart. It's not expensive, but I can't see letting any of it go to waste. I may try to add some weight to it this weekend./w3tcompact/icons/cool.gif

JimI

 

[jinman]

Well, FB, I'm sorry to say that Wise Co. is actually northwest of Ft. Worth, TX. We are quite a ways from AK. If you were to try to drive here, you'd probably stop at all the catfish restaurants on the way and only want beefsteak when you get here./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I've attached a picture of my big lake. I have two other ponds also, but they dried up during the past two years of drought here./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

JimI

 

[MarkV]

Jim,

What a great looking place. How much land do you have in pond? Looks like a good amount. I know what you mean about feeding the wildlife. I started putting out an apple sented corn to see if the deer would come in and feed. It seemed pretty cheap and I thought it would be fun. Now I am up to 150lbs a week, the deer need to make reservations or tip the head waiter to get in and it is getting expensive. I still think it is fun, though./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

MarkV

 

[jinman]

Mark, thanks for your comments. I have the land at the head of the lake (opposite the dam). You can see one of my ponds in this picture and another one is behind that. Also, when the lake is full, I have a slough that fills about 3-1/2' full of water. That is where the photo of the catfish feeder (which started this topic) was taken. The land behind the catfish feeder is a peninsula out into the main lake which you can just make out if you look behind my 3-wheel scooter. My land extends out into the lake about 50', so I don't lose much. Last year it was so dry that my lake frontage actually dried up./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Two of my neighbors have the most area under the water. Combined, they have about 12 acres that are under 8' to 10' of water most of the year.
My place is quite a slope and I constantly try to control erosion. It's nothing like your place you describe in Georgia, but it's just enough that I can look down across a green valley all the way to the horizon without a single communication antenna or oil well to spoil the view. Not many people can say that around here and I noticed you said you "...purchased a view..." in your bio. Got any pictures of your place? I love Georgia and the Carolinas. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

JimI

 

[FarmerBob]

Now that's what I call one helluva fine lake /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif. The drought has been pretty bad for us too. So far this spring we've had some good rains and are at about normal precip for the year. Our drought's been go'n on for 3 years now and the landscape has really changed around here. Maybe we're on the downside and things will return to normal over the next couple of years.

I don't think you really understand how much this "suthun" boy likes catfish, but if you wanted to offer some good Texas beef on the side I sure wouldn't be turn'n you down

.

FarmerBob