This is meant to serve as a general guide for finding
fish, patterns will vary slightly by water bodies and seasons, as well as
water temperatures and time of the day.
Rivers and Creeks
Look for holes and changes in the bottom depth
where swift water stops or starts and forms pools, look for the deepest
parts of these pools. Rocks, trees, rip rap, brush piles and other structure
around these holes often hold kitties. Look for breaks in currents where
baitfish hold up, catfish lurk in these areas and wait for an easy prey
to ambush. Undercuts in banks where creeks and rivers turn and bend are
common catfish hideouts.
In swift waters channel cats will position themselves
in spots to feed and rest - generally near structure that breaks the current.
Focus your fishing efforts around such structures. Look for feeder creeks
and changes in bottom depths that catfish may follow. Catfish love to follow
paths on the bottom of the water and will often run smaller creek channels
on the bottom to feed. Any place where two waters feed together are often
prime spots.
For channel cats, fish shallow water during the
spring and as the days heat up in the summer remember that they will often
move to deeper water during the heat of the day, and return shallow at night.
They typically will still hold to structure and changes in bottom depth.
Lakes
When fishing lakes look for shallow waters that
have access to deeper waters. Shallow waters with structures such as trees,
brush piles and rocks and changes in bottom depth hold fish. Old creek channels,
river channels, stock ponds, roads or train tracks are common paths that
fish will follow to feed.
Submerged structure such as buildings and foundations
harbor catfish also. They often cling to this underwater structure.
In spring fish will be feeding in this shallow
water. As the weather warms up and we have very hot days move deeper during
the day if you have no shallow water success, they will return shallow as
the day cools.
Sloughs, creeks and channels feeding from the lakes
that have good lots of submerged trees and structure are catfish havens.
Fish along this structure especially along the edges where bottom depth
changes.
Look for Cormorant roosts. You will usually find
these roosts in flooded trees over water. Large groups of these birds roost
after dark. If you are fishing during the day and the birds are gone, just
look for trees over the water that are covered in white bird droppings.
When you locate the roosts, be gentle in sliding your boat into position
and slide in under the roosts. Be quiet because the kitties are likely feeding
under these roosts and are easily spooked. The roosts can usually be found
from December to April.
Dam Tailraces
Tailraces of dams are excellent catfishing locations,
especially when the dams are releasing water. This is where many of the
people who fish monster flatheads fish. Fishing below dams you can use a
large slip rig or 3 way rig with a heavy sinker and cast in between the
gates where the water is not as swift or you can use a bobber style rig
and let your bait drift.
These areas produce nice catches of all different
kinds of fish when they are letting out water because the fish feed on the
dead/shocked baitfish after it comes through the dam.
Drift Fishing
Drift fishing is good way to catfish if you have
a boat. Every so often the fish are finicky, chumming is not successful
and you just cannot seem to get on the fish. If you have a boat, drifting
can work really well.
When drifting, you keep your bait of choice off
the bottom. Using a bottom
bouncer rig is the best option. You simply drift across the water in
areas where you suspect would hold catfish which lets you bait cover large
areas without you having to pickup and move spaces.
Many people freeze concoctions of ground up shad
or shrimp in water and tie a rope through them which they suspend in the
water for dirfting, this can help attract or "chum" for fish.
Drift fishing works very well in deep waters especially
around dams or rocky areas. You have a tendency to get hung up a lot while
drifting but using a bottom
bouncer rig will help with this. The other option is to use a slip bobber rig and
keep your bait 12-18 inches off the bottom.
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Regardless of whether you are fishing a river,
lake or pond pay close attention to where you are fishing. Watch your surroundings
and pay attention to depth, structure and everything involved when you are
successful. Remember these conditions for future trips, because these are
the places that will typically hold the fish. Don't rely too much on electronics
and learn to spot the catfish hideouts, and it will pay off in the end.
