Toman fishing tips.

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Kishore
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Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

1)I use live cat-fish as bait for toman fishing.When i get a bite,i let the reel pay out until the line stops(bail open).(Close bail)Re-coil slack on line and wait till i get a tuck on my line.Strike and i miss. A quick check on my cat fish and i can see bite marks on the tail end,or sometimes the cat fish is bitten off at the tail end.What is the reason?
2)All the time the live cat-fish swims freely and tangles my line.How do i keep my line tangle free.
3)When i get a bite,how do i get the fish to come to me as directed my me?
What i meant was,when the Toman is on my hook,how do i keep the fish away from rocks,trees,etc?
4)Which is better,one hook on the cat-fish or 2 hooks on the cat-fish's back?

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Peace »

Hi Kishore, welcome to HLF.

1) I've not tried using catfish to catch toman before but I've certainly observed several anglers doing so. It seems like a hit or miss thing, even the pros experience quite abit of what you've described reeling back the catfish with bite marks on it. I've asked an angler before and he told me that the toman usually won't swallow the catfish until it feels safe, so the wait can take up to a minute or more of swimming around before an actual strike can be executed. Sometimes, it's because its a relatively small toman trying to take up the catfish so it has trouble swallowing it. Don't be afraid to use big hooks when using catfish, you need the hook point to protrude out of the catfish for better hook setting.

2) Not sure if there's an effective method, maybe you can watch the your line and where your catfish is swimming. Anglers usually add a running float just for this purpose. If it's swimming back causing lots of line slack you will be able to see it and reel back some line or recast the catfish.

3) To control the fish, you need a rod with heavy power and sufficient reel drag to stop the fish from dashing into cover. If it's just weed or vegetation, it shouldn't be much of a problem as they will most likely come out from 'suffocation'. If your spots has obstacles that will cut your line, then you should consider using heavier than typically necessary to steer them from it.

4) I'd personally go for two hooks, better grip for casting compared to a single hook and also better chances of hook settings as well. The catfish may probably die faster and maybe the hooks will be more visible to the toman?

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Kishore
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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

Good Morning All,
Did i forget to mention that i fish for Toman in a Lake in Johore,that place is called Tasek(lake in Malay)(half hour by foot to get there from the main road)It is in Sri Alam on the way to Pasir Gudang,Johore.
Anyway,what i wanted to say is,I find it very hard to understand the eating habits of the Toman.Sometimes when it bites on the cat fish it takes it for a ride on the whole lake and then lets go,then sometimes swollow the whole fish,sometimes bite off half the cat fish at the tail.This morning i lost the whole head of the cat fish,needless to say,i did not land the Toman.
I have a very strong feeling that i am not doing something right.
Could somebody help me out on this.

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by weaver »

ahh i very interested in the fresh water lake in johor... :lol: i will try finding it when i go to the lake..
is there a lot of toman there?
can we use lures??
AND welcome to HLF :nod:

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Kishore
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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

Weaver,
1st of all,a very big Thank You to Peace and yourself for Welcoming me to HLF.I am happy to be here on the Forum.
Sorry to say that noboby and i mean nobody on that lake use lures.Everybody
use live cat fish as bait.Yes,there are alot of Tomans in that lake.
Somebody please advice what i am doing wrong in Landing the Toman.

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Peace »

How long did you wait prior to striking the rod and what hook size were you using? Because it's not easy to determine when the fish will exactly swallow the catfish, it's not always possible to get a hook set.

What about using circle hooks, did you try experimenting with it? Circle hooks works rather good when fish turns away from you, of course it requires the hook to go deep enough (ie. beyond its jaw) to work. Unlike normal hooks, it does not require striking that may possibly have the hook slip out during a strike.

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by patrick2405 »

Peace wrote:How long did you wait prior to striking the rod and what hook size were you using? Because it's not easy to determine when the fish will exactly swallow the catfish, it's not always possible to get a hook set.

What about using circle hooks, did you try experimenting with it? Circle hooks works rather good when fish turns away from you, of course it requires the hook to go deep enough (ie. beyond its jaw) to work. Unlike normal hooks, it does not require striking that may possibly have the hook slip out during a strike.
i have the same problem too. but i was using a float, 60lbs steel leader and a 3/0 circle hook on a catfish. there was a take but there wasnt andy hookup. should i let the line slack or reel in to make the fish try to run and possibly hook itself?

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

Peace,
After casting out my cat fish,i leave my rod with the Bail open.When i get a bite,i let the reel pay out,until the line stops.Close Bail and take up slack on line.Wait till i feel a strong tuck on my line(sometimes the waiting time is really long,sorry cannot give waiting time in figures),and i strike.
I am using size 7/0 Owner hooks(style SSW,all purpose bait hooks) with a 40lbs steel leader.(nylon coated)
I have even tried treble hooks(Mustad)in the front of the leader and followed by a 7/0(Owner hook) as the second hook on the cat fish's back.Still no luck and i miss.
What i can see here is the Toman,does not take the cat fish into its mouth.
It only holds it in its mouth,that way the hooks are always outside of its mouth.
Please Advise.

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

Patrick,
I would like to try fishing Toman with a float.Please tell me how long is your leader under the float.
Am i correct to say,cast out the cat-fish and keep the bail open,until i get a bite,pay out line until it stops,then close bail,wait and strike?

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by patrick2405 »

Kishore wrote:Patrick,
I would like to try fishing Toman with a float.Please tell me how long is your leader under the float.
Am i correct to say,cast out the cat-fish and keep the bail open,until i get a bite,pay out line until it stops,then close bail,wait and strike?
i just clipped the swivel on the steel leader on the bottom of the float and ring my hook on the other end of the steel leader. i bought it pre-made :o
for my case, i was using circle hooks which would hook the fish itself if it tries to run. i just casted out and leave it (bail closed) till my float goes under the surface then reel in the slack in hopes that there would be a hookup

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

Patrick,
Could you please give me the length of the pre-made Leader in figures.

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Peace »

Your setup and method should be fine, what are your success rate so far? ie. how many successful hookups in 10 tries or none at all? If everything is executed perfectly as you've mentioned, then success rate shouldn't fall below 50%. It is possible the toman felt the resistance of the fishing line, and is reluctant to swallow the catfish whole. The resistance may not be from your reel but from the line brushing against weed or whatever is in the water. Have you tried using smaller catfish to see if it helps?

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

Peace,
Eversince i fished in that Lake,i have landed 3 Tomans.One was 4.5 kilos,3 kilos and 2 1/2 kilos.All landed with hooks(size 7/0) almost at the end of the Toman's mouths.None of the 3 Tomans swollowed the bait.All bites were on the second hook and the 1st hook was just dangling.I had almost 13 misses.
I have used live cat fish from small to really big as bait.In figures,small will be 6 ins long and really big will be 12ins and above.
The bite rates on really big cat fish is much more than small cat fishes.

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Peace »

What about consulting the local anglers there on what might be the problem? There must be a reason why the tomans are wary of your catfish but not theirs, unless they too experienced the same problem. 0.o

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Re: Toman fishing tips.

Post by Kishore »

Peace,
Spoke to the Locals and they cannot give me a Logical Explaination.(not to mention,everyone of them have a different story to tell)They have almost the same amount of misses as myself.(Win some,lose some)
Nobody use Lures,it is an open secret that live bait is better than Lures.
Appreciate all the valuable tips you have given me.I will keep knocking at it.
The only words i can tell the Toman is......YOU CAN RUN,BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE.READY OR NOT,HERE I COME.

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