Drift Fishing

[banksidebandit]

Going to try some drift fishing this year for the first time. We have a small 14ft boat so wondering if it might be a little difficult. Should I run 4 poles off the back or try to stay parallel? And if I drift parallel do I need 2 drift socks?(at the front and back). Also, what size drift sock should I use? I saw a few different drift rigs that I'll experiment with and switch around depending on where I'm drifting. Is a trolling motor necessary to have to stay straight? Any tips or suggestion would help out. I'll probably be targeting channels in lakes mostly. I'll eventually try to drift for blues in the Ohio River but don't live close and normally only make it down there once or twice a year and always bank fish, although this year I might give it a try.

[Smoothkip]

Usually when i drift its a controlled drift with the trolling motor. I run 4 rods out the back two close on the outside then the other two ill run at different distances straight back. I will run what i call a drop shot rig. Sinker on the bottom and hook tied up a foot or two up the line. Id say this is our most productive way to catch lake channel cats. I also will drift with the boat sideways if theres some wind. usually after the sun goes down the wind will die down. I have never used a drift sock but we made buckets with holes in them and they work just as good for smaller boats and save you a lot of money.

[banksidebandit]

Thanks for the info Kip. I'll definitely try the bucket tip. I'll have to mount a few more rod holders on the back before season. I always thought I did well just anchoring off until last year I entered a small catfishing tourney at Buckeye Lake and got smoked! Saw that the front runners were doing a lot of drifting so I'm determined to learn how and go back again this year for redemption.

When drifting should I target the same areas I would anchoring, like structure, holes, and mouths of coves or creeks?

[Smoothkip]

We usually drift the channel edge, Flats and points. We rarely anchor up while fishing channelcat tourneys. Be sure not to drift to fast and dont be afraid to repeat the drift if your catching fish. This info is for fishing lakes. I have never did much driftng on the river.

[Smoothkip]

Heres a link to Catfishrollos blog. Scroll all the way down to check Rollos homemade drift buckets out.
catfishrollo.blogspot.com/p/how-to.html

[banksidebandit]

Yea Rollos bucket idea looks nice and a lot cheaper than buying a drift sock. I'll probably take one or two of them when I go and see what works best. I wouldn't mind trying some drifting in the Ohio river once I get the hang of it but I'm mainly targeting lake channels.

[Seanstone]

Get on you tube and look up drift fishing by steve douglas. Be prepared to watch for hours. He goes by aqualung sometimes because he started making aeriation systems for livewells, etc. Theres videos on that too...lol. He has videos on free drifting....with current or wind....controlled drifting...with motor, etc. He tells you where to look, what rigs to use, etx. Hes from Kentucky so most of his stuff is relavent.

We have a 14fter as well with over a dozen rod holders now, we only drift fished a few times last year but like you i would like to do it more. We fish the ohio river quite a bit as well. If you wanna give it a shot sometime let me know and we could met up somewhere. I live in peebles, ohio....adams county. We fish the ohio river near rome, and aberdeen....but i'd be willing to try new spots.

[banksidebandit]

Thanks for the info Sean. I've watched a bunch of videos of his and others and I think I have a pretty good idea of how by now. I'll just have to see how it works out when it warms up.

I live in Columbus so the big river is a pretty far drive for me but I'm going to make sure I make a few good trips down there this year. I've never really caught blues of any size and it seems like a lot of ppl drift for them with good success. I'de definitely be interested in meeting up down there sometime this year and hopefully get on some nice ones.

[katfish]

If you drift the Ohio river please remember that it takes a while to retrieve drift socks/buckets. It might take a little longer to get out of barges way

I hope this method works for you and you catch a bunch.

[Seanstone]

Yeah Columbus is quite the haul. They say, the experrts, that the best time to drift for blues is when water temps hit 50 to 55. That makes the best time around mid March down here. Might be mid april up your way.

If you do wanna meet up some time let me know. No one i fish with wants to drift, i guess cause we do decent anchored and they dont wanna waste a day experimenting. Drifting seems to put more fish in the boat for everyone else so i think its worth the time to learn.

[Seanstone]

P.s everytime i fish wiith people from up north we get skunked or have a bad rip. Just ask kip....i think out of three trips together weve managed 2 maybe 3 fish...all dinks. And we got wet on all ocasions. Lol.

[banksidebandit]

Thanks Katfish, I'll make sure I have a knife handy if I head down there on the boat in case I have to just cut the rope and leave the drift sock...or anchor.

Yea Sean I always have better channel cat luck earlier in the year when the water is still pretty cold. One of my best days fishing was at buckeye lake while casting onto the ice and pulling it off and fishing right on the edge. Could't keep two poles in the water.

I'm definitely down to do some drifting on the big river this spring regardless of what luck we have. Like I said I don't get to fish the Ohio very often but when I do it's always more exciting just knowing that there's huge ones lurking. It seems like all the fishing stories I tell are about the worst nights of fishing I've ever had. People always seem to get a kick out of my bad luck.

[Skyline1506]

dont be afraid to simply troll for channels. we do a ton of strolling and trolling for channels and have great luck. driftin is great too i just like to be able to control the boat a little more so we use the motor or troller more often than not and i like keeping the boat straight.

but drifting a big bay on a nice lake can produce crazy numbers

anytime you are channel catting i think the more water you can cover the better so the moving boat options increase your coverage rather than fishing a bunch of different anchors. just like kip said though all my drifting is on lakes we fish anchors on the river

[Skyline1506]

oh and hey sean shoot me a text with your name in it. old phone broke and i lost all contacts.

[banksidebandit]

Thanks for the info skyline. I plan on hitting some of the local lakes as soon as it warms up a little bit and try to get the hang of it. Seems like everybody does it a different way or uses a different rig. I'll have to take a day to see what works out best with my boat and what water I'm on.

I defintely will be hitting Buckeye Lake a few times because I'll be out for redemption in the tourney this year.