On a lark I took my surf rod and a bottom rig out on a boat just upstream from Key Bridge a few years ago (late spring, mind you). I was using frozen cut herring.

We anchored and I just dropped my line and it held taught in the current.

Caught two huge cats. One was probably 6-7 lbs and the other was over 10.

That was the first and last time I've fished for cats.