# Always Getting Snagged?



## G.P.

When ever i fish for cats down at the local dam i always seem to get snagged, and end up loosing my whole rig. What rig allows me to fish the bottom but not get snagged all the time? The current is pretty strong so i dont know how to efficiently fish it.


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## schultz345

i stay away from dams for that very reason. If i do fish them what i do is when i reel in i jerk my rod as high as i can and reel as fast as i can, it seems to cut down on snags.


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## drjongy

If you're not snaggin' you're not braggin'


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## Scott Schuchard

if your gettin snagged what i do i let out a little line and then just let it sit there if there is a fish in the area that is hugery it will take it and free you from the snag


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## MossyMO

Set your rig 4 - 6 feet off shore, cats are everywhere (ecspecially if your bait is stinky and ripe) and then if you snag you can retrieve it with out getting wet.....hopefully.


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## Southwest Fisher

Mossy, you say that cats are everywhere, are you getting some currentlly in all of this high water? I was told they are spawning right now, I have had one keeper in the last two weeks. But a whole bunch of snags, this high water has brought all kinds of new foliage to spots that were clear a few weeks ago.


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## MossyMO

I have only been out once this year, that was about a month ago. The river was too high as it still is now. My suggestion is what I have done previous years even when the river is low. Seems no matter what I do, when I cast out I get snagged and have to retie quite often. So I stay near the shoreline and jig for walleye's and have another rod set up on the shoreline for cats.


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## Southwest Fisher

Yeah, that's what I've been seeing, too. Now that we have clear skies for a few days the water's too damn high to go after anything!

Let me know when you are feeling brave enough to try again and I'll go get snagged with you.


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## NightWarrior

Yes the spawn is on so bites will be slow...

As for the snags there can be a few causes...

1) You play with your pole to much... CAST IT AND LEAVE IT ALONE... Set drag according to current or like some others leave drag tight and hope for the best.

2)The way you cast can effect if you snag right away... Try to lob it so the weight comes straight down into the water. Don't be the guy who has to cast as hard and far as they can... All your doing is making the weight go in at an angle and if thier is anything to snag on you will...

For fishing the dams don't unless you are down stream a bit from the down side of the dam...

With the high water it is possible to catch cats on the red, you just have to know how to fish it and what to look for...

Craig


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## tim.sirek

Like NightWarrior suggested, it's often the weight that gets snagged, so I've changed my rig so I can drop off the weight but keep the rest of my rig.

Cut a length of stovepipe wire and bend it in half like a bobby pin, so the folded over length is longer than your egg sinker. Be sure the bend is a rounded loop too, instead of a sharp kink. Thread the double length of wire through your egg sinker, trim the ends to 3/4 inch or so from the lead, and bend each end flush to the sinker in opposite directions. You've just turned your egg sinker into a bell sinker.

Thread your line through that loop you left in the wire, tie up the rest of your rig, and cast away. When you get snagged, a steady pull on the line will straighten the ends of the wire, allowing the sinker to drop off. The wire may or may not come back with the rest of your rig. All I fish kitties with is 17# Silverthread on my muskie rods with ood baitcaster reels, and the wire will straighten before the line breaks.

The length of the tag ends of the wire is fairly critical, and depends on the size sinker you're using. Too short, and the sinker may fly off during the cast. Too long, or not flush to the sinker, and your leader will want to hook on the wire and tangle you up.


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