[Roosterfish]

Anyone target cats with jigs or soft plastic lures? I caught a few accidentally, but I’m thinking of giving it a try. I would think that the scented soft plastic would work best (maybe a crayfish or large grub)?

 

[mrfish/OH]

Wouldn't try

If it was a viable bait, you could be sure someone (Berkley, etc) would be selling them for it. It sure would be nice, to open a bag of shad baits instead of castnetting for them !
I've caught alot while trolling on crankbaits too. I bet if you were to use a natural bait, and fish it like an artificial, it would work. Worm/shad on a jig, worm harness, etc. You'd stand a good chance of moving it in front of a catfish that way, rather than waiting for the fish to find it. I know the eye guys catch a few by accident that way.
Anyway, that's just my guess, seems like it would work. I've got them on spoons and jigs below dams on the Ohio and the GMR also.

 

[flathunter]

I have caught a few Channels on jigs, while white bass fishing, small ones have tried to target them with jigs with no luck

 

[cwcarper]

I've read articles about jig fishing for channel cats with soft plastics. Supposed to be a decent method certain times of the year (can't remember when, though ). I think I would go with the natural bait method mrfish mentioned, rather than use artificials. A good sliver of fresh cutbait on a jig, would probably be a good way to find active cats. I prefer to sit and wait, though.

 

[george tinkham]

i have caught some nice ones on jitterbugs and one on a l&s jointed mirror lure.all channels

 

[BottomBouncer]

I used to catch channels on almost every cast from a quarry using a crawler harness with half a crawler.

Also caught a channel on a spinnerbait.