How Do You use Willowcats

 I've been using willowcats for 2 years . I catch some eyes but I'm not good with them .Can you educate me ? I use egg sinker or bottom bouncer . A lot of the time I see the willowcat upside down or twirling . To me this isn't natural or good . Also I lose a lot of willowcats to snags . I don't like that because of their price . Sure would appreciate help on how to fish them . Thanks 

Mnvikings,  I finally had a chance to stop at Captain Hooks in Genoa and asked about the willow cat tubes.

 Unfortunately they are out and had bought out the fellow that had made them. So they won't be getting any more of them. Sorry.

Great ! Thanks 

Was brought up using a three way rig by rocks and holes. 

Been a long time since I've tried them. We used to trap them by our place when I was a kid for my uncle. 

I thought I read that there's a tube that they sell at captain hooks in Genoa so you don't get stung, I'll stop in there in a week or so and ask.

Very useful information ! Thanks .  Yesterday I didn't do well on wingdams but marked fish on a rocky flat. I stopped over them and had many bites . They were small saugers and I had trouble hooking up with them but I'm slowly catching on I think . Willowcat fishing it seems to me is finesse fishing. I'm anxious to try again today. --Two ways I tried with no success was drifting along closing dams trying to stay under .5 mph  and jigging . Seems to me that should work but not yesterday. Have you guys tried those ways and had any luck ?? One thing for certain , spinners with crawlers are working great right now. If the River doesn't get messed up with flooding or weeds, Fall fishing should be great.

Does a 1/4 oz weight sound about right ? 

lindy rigged hooked in the face walleyes take em head first, its a catfish kinda like a mad tom and trout

Do dead willowcats  Work ? Lots of dead minnows used on Lake of the Woods so I'm thinking they might . Any one with experience on that ?

did not jig it,  you could feel the bite,  had to let them run with it for a while to work it around in their mouth before setting the hook.  they must get grabbed by the tails first as we had them baited/hooked through both lips

kind of like when using live crayfish for bass

we've tried them in other waters away from the Mississippi with no luck,  seems like a Mississippi thing

 Mr Greensand, Thanks for your reply. I'm full of questions : When you "bottom fished" with Willowcats does that mean you threw the WC out and left it sit on the bottom or did you slowly move it. Could you feel the bite ?  Any beads or spinners ahead of the WC ?  Appreciate all the info !!   gg

I fished with a guide 2 times where we used willow cats.  First time was on pool 10 and we didn’t catch anything.  2nd time was pool 9 and slayed them. Caught 2 man limit we kept and released 7 or 8 slots

each time we used them was bottom fishing with a slip sinker rig

i think to troll them is not a natural presentation 

Thanks Tim for your reply ! I appreciate it. I am trolling them with the Minnkota. In the current it's hard to slow them way down. When you cast them , do you want them to go over the wingdam and drop into the hole below the dam  or do you want them to stay in place pretty much ?  I've been hooking them through both jaws. What's your feeling on that ?  Finally , do you ever jig them ?   Thanks again   gg

Sounds like you are trolling with them hence the spinning.  Try going slower.  The way I use them, I use an egg sinker and about a 3' lead.  I cast them up on the upriver side of wingdams, and let them swim around.