Hey Hall of Fame family,
Many of us spend our whole lives fishing, catching species of all shapes and sizes along the way. And, obviously, different species of fish are caught using different techniques. Locally in the Midwest, some of the largest fish species we have are catfish and carp. Many people consider these fish as bottom feeders, and use bottom rigs to target them. However, we have found much success catching these fish on the surface. We call it the "Floating Bread Trick". This technique seems to work best in small lakes and ponds where there is little to no current. We use a couple of loaves of bread, typically the cheapest we can find from the dollar store or whatever we had left from the previous outing, and start by using a piece or two as chum. Paul and I break up the bread into small pieces, and throw them into the lake as if fan casting. Now, this technique is very much dependent on bluegill or other baitfish feeding on the chum. If they are feeding, you will see and hear them pecking on the bread on the surface. This activity draws the attention of other, larger fish. You can tell if a larger fish is feeding by the way it eats off the surface. Strikes will be much louder and more violent. Sometimes there will be two or three carp or catfish feeding on the floating bread at the same time. You'll want to make a cast once you can identify where the target fish is feeding. Rig a 2-4 inch piece of bread around a 3/0 EWG hook, folding the edges entirely around the hook while still leaving the bread as in tact as possible. It's ok if the bread sinks the first time or two, it might take practice. If it sinks, leave the line out. A fish still may pick it up. If it's floating and you see a fish take it, wait a second for the hook to get into the mouth, and set! We have caught so many catfish and large carp this way. I hope this blog post helps on your next pond mission!
Tight Lines,
Erik Hoffman, Hall of Fame Outdoor Co