The Mississippi River may be experiencing record flooding this year, but it’s bound to come down. As the water leaves the swamps and river ponds, the fast moving bubbly outflow from the temporary streams creates perfect locations to hunt one of my favorite fish, the choupique.
High water can really spread out the fish, but these drain offs are what concentrates the fish. Right when the natural banks begin to expose themselves is when the rest of the trapped waters flow through the tiny gaps connecting to the river.
River monsters
I grew up catching bowfin in the swamp to make patties, but it wasn’t until setting limb lines in the big waters of the Mississippi River and its oxbows that I started catching really big choupique that commonly exceed 10 pounds. I now stick to setting my lines in the river because it’s where all types of fish grow extra-large.
Most of the time I enjoy going on foot-only missions or using my 8 foot kayak unless my wife or some kids want to join; then we take a larger boat.
Still with the bay boat I’m getting out to set and retrieve most of the lines in the water. A kayak doesn’t flip as easily as a pirogue when battling large fish in the deep water currents.
The 100% bank mission just takes this task up to an extreme challenge. These river banks are usually lined with huge rocks or steep nearly straight up muddy banks. Climbing up those tall near straight-drop soft mud banks is a challenge. Doing it while bringing a big fish to the truck is extra tough.
I only keep enough fish to eat, so with the size of these river fish that usually doesn’t take very many. The rest I just catch and release for the sport of seeing what’s lurking out there.
I’m often targeting flathead catfish on these missions at other types of locations, but I always find a few running cuts to seek out the big bowfin.
Favorite bait
My favorite bait is live bream hooked through the back or huge live crawfish hooked through the tail. The live bait will often result in a few flathead catfish every trip even in my choupique spots.
Getting live bait by land or kayak can be a challenge during the summer heat. I use a large ice chest with iced water and an aerator in the back of my truck. Then, I transport the fish in a small floating minnow cage by hand or tied to the kayak.
When that isn’t an option, fresh-cut bream chunks works very well. Choupique don’t seem to be too picky about what they eat. Just be sure to pick a tough bait that stays on the hook well.
Denizens of the deep
Big blue and channel cats and tasty gaspergou often come up from the depths to these shallow running cuts at night to feed in the trainasses. The biggest softshells and snapping turtles visit looking to feed as well.
I set my limb lines on limber roots and limbs that are strong and have some flexibility. I try to set my lines late in the evening or at night. The garfish will steal most of the baits if left during the daylight hours. Also, on nighttime sets, I’m on the lookout for big river bull frogs to jump on. Alone at night, setting the lines in the river and the slop mud is what I consider a peaceful evening of relaxation.
Adrenaline rush
It’s the next morning that the real adrenaline takes place. There’s nothing like seeing that limb or root tugging. Still, be prepared on slack lines that look untouched, often they go berserk when you pull awakening the creature below.
Sometimes the fish can be pulled up without any issue, but usually they are tangled underneath. That’s when I dive down to feel around and see what’s hooked.
I start by using my foot to see if it’s a big alligator gar or turtle before sticking my hand down the leader into awaiting jaws. Alligator gar may have the biggest teeth, but the choupique have super sharp teeth and gill plates to watch out for. Luckily the bigger catfish’s stickers are dulled down so I bear hug those to the surface.
Even though I’m a great swimmer, since I’m often alone and near the deep strong current, I always wear my fanny pack inflatable life vest. I also have a dive knife on my calf and a backup tiny folded knife on a lanyard for when I get in the water.
River gear
Having a long push pole rigged with a gaff hook helps bring up the tangled debris and fish all together. However, getting in the water and untangling the fish by hand makes the trip the most fun. It also ensures a landed fish once my hands get ahold down below.
I use heavy duty 8/0-10/0 circle hooks with heavy over 250-pound braided nylon twine. I make most of my heavy-duty fish lines Carolina style by using about an 12-18” leader tied to a large strong swivel. Above the swivel, I use 8 – 12 ounce of weight from old broken cast net weights threaded on with a knot above the weight to keep them in place.
The strong river current means a lot of weight is needed to keep the bait down and from washing up against the bank or staying at the surface. The circle hook and swivel is very important to keep the fish from twisting off.
I try to set lines about 3-6 foot deep directly under a limb. Since that’s not always possible at certain spots, I keep some longer suspension-rigged lines with me too.
These longer lines have a heavy rail road spike or nearly 16-ounce of weight tied to the end. I use with the same leader, hook and swivel combo but tied halfway up. When using live bait having the bait suspended away from brambles is very important.
Most of my spots are in rarely visited locations, so instead of wasting time tying complex knots and having to remember each branch my lines are on, I use pool noodles on the ends. They only require a few wraps and quick single overhand knot to stay on the limb. This makes setting and untying to the limb a quick 5 second task, which allows me to save time and set many more lines.
A couple years back I did an article and video on swim noodling to get the big flathead and blue cats from under the water which can be found here.
Finding the fish
When driving in the truck or boat or jogging, I’m always looking for birds. Just like speckled trout fishing by spotting diving seagulls, where they have flocks of any long-legged birds standing in the drain-offs, they have big fish feeding there as well.
To find these running trenasses online, carefully search Google Earth during the lowest river level dates and seek the dried out light colored run offs. Once found, use gps imagery of higher river levels to dates on rivergages.com to see how that location correlates to various river levels. This way no time is wasted checking spots when on the water.
The deeper cuts have the longest fishable time as the river drops. The more narrow the cut the better odds I have since my few lines are concentrated within the run off. Fishing right next to the deep drop off into the river is where I try to set lines.
Bring your bass pole
Also bring a bass pole. The bass tend to stack up at many of these cuts and a limit can be had in no time if the bass are there. The river may be muddy, but when the clean swamp water is rushing out there’s a perfect mixture for feeding bass that school up during the summer. I pack a telescopic travel rod n reel that fits into my backpack on these long hike trips.
One time I was fishing a running trenasse where I had set some limb lines. After catching a nice bass, suddenly my 6/0 hook set into one of the biggest alligator gar I’ve ever seen. The over 6 foot monster swam straight just under the surface acting as if the tight drag it was spooling didn’t even phase this submarine of a fish, swimming out into the river. Needless to say, the 65-pound braid suddenly popped.
When targeting the rushing river cuts in the summer, catching fish is nearly a guarantee; the question is just what type and how big of a monster will you have hooked. If looking for a way to stay cool in the heat of summer, try giving this ultimate wading-style limb lining mission a go.