Stocking Catfish

[BornBad]

I dunno, catfishen is not actually a strong hand for me. But for discussion sake - catfish stocking in public lakes.

I hear MDC goes overboard on stocking those urban ponds, but it seems as though remote ponds/small lakes get little attention.

Is this true ? Do you feel this is practice is right ?

On most public lakes I can sleigh panfish and bass ? limit just about anytime I want on Lg Mouths at the local public waterhole. But I rarely hook into any cats (even when I am trying).

[Wolfman]

The MDC stocks channels in just about all their CA lakes and many private ponds. They also do quite a bit of stocking in some of the smaller public lakes like fellows lake near springfield.
They stock a lot of cats in urban ponds/lakes as they get quite a bit of pressure from locals. They had a list awhile back of the lakes they stock around Jeff City, KC, ST Louis and springfield. Folks probably pull the cats out about as fast as they get stocked although some of them like fellows lake and stockton are underfished for catfish.
May need to change location/bait ect to pick up more cats.
Wish they would publish a list of the CA lakes they have stocked the hybrid bluegills in. They keep THAT list pretty close to their chest.

[BornBad]

Thanks wolf, but like my local waterhole (lil prarie lake)- there was a time that the place would be lined with fisherman along the banks - little bait store nearby, 'was not uncommon to go there and get a small mess of em in a short period of time. Now, the bait shop is gone and you just don't hear many claiming to do anygood out there as far as cats go.

As far as hybrids gills, The only pond I have heard with them hybrid gills is council bluff. I look forward to the day science can hybridize a 10lb gill

[Wolfman]

Article i had awhile back (2003) claimed lil prarie lake as a good cat lake. Said they were still stocking it as well. Could be with the baitshop gone there's just not as much conversation/info about whats being brought out. Could be the cats are getting a bit bigger and you need to change baits, start useing live bait. Never fished it so could'nt say, just remember the article mentioning it.
Council bluffs lake was also mentioned as an excellent lake for cats.
There's several CA lakes with them hybrid bluegills but they keep which ones pretty close to their chest. Guess their afraid people will fish em out if they make the info public. Them hybrid gills do get pretty big but are 99.9% sterile.

[sourmash]

Alotta the reason they stock channels so heavy in small water is that them waters ain't always set up fer spawnin cats. If ya thinks there is cats in a small pond or lake , try hittin it hard in middle may er first a june and fish it close to the banks. The cats move in on the edges ta try an spawn and feed like crazy. alotta times ya can catch em heavy then and not even think there was a cat in thar the resta the year.

[Kutter]

Sourmash, first off, welcome to the board.
I like your idea above. It make sense. Not much of that going around these days. LOL

[BornBad]