5 Secret Fishing for Catfish Tips
I've found to work like gangbusters for hammering the big boys.Of course you want to have the basics down before trying most of this stuff.
But when you're ready, some of the tricks below will open a whole new
catfishing world to you.
But the info below is NOTHING compared to the crazy (sometimes disgusting)
methods revealed here: Fishing for Catfish Tips
Just 3 of the things these "Old world" catfishing masters will reveal - out
of hundreds:
* How to use a secret paste, a treble hook, and a catfish sponge to rile
them into a frenzy. (A catfishes' biological makeup gives it a super
sense of smell... and this presentation keeps an enticing "stink" on your hook
for hours!)
* A crazy combination of dissolving stink bait, gagging minnows, and a tube
of sludge that attracts hungry catfish... pisses them off... and
presents a nasty minnow that will get blasted instantly! (This old secret
primes catfish to bite by taking them through their 3 natural hunting
stages...)
* How to drive catfish into a pissed off rage so they hammer you... with
common bass lures! (Yep, Steve reveals an amazing technique for hauling
'em in with plastic worms, spinner baits, crank baits... and even
plastic lizards!)
WARNING: once you start using this stuff in your local spots, there ain't
no going back.
Why?
Because the stuff is tried and true...these guys learned it all
from their dads and grandpas...and figured some of it out over the decades.
And it all works!
Catfish Fishing
Now...time to give you the "full of frill" catfish catching tips I promised.
The common idea of catfishing is sitting on a bank in a lawn chair with poles
and a case of drinks. This method can produce fish at times, nevertheless, in
order to catch catfish all day, all night and all year requires a bit more
knowledge and finesse. By necessity,this information will be very general.
Each body of water has its own unique quirks, and it helps to know the waters
you are fishing in. What works in Alabama may work differently in Maine or
Texas.
There are 39 species of catfish in North America, but only three are of any
importance to fisherman. They are the Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatas), the
Flathead, or Yellow Catfish (Pylodictus olivares), and the Channel Catfish
(Ictalurus puctatus). The other species are of little concern because of their
small size or limited distribution.
All catfish share some basic anatomical features. They all have "whiskers" which
are actually very sensitive sensory organs, an incredible sense of smell
that can detect food concentrations of as little as one part per million, and
'taste-buds' along the entire length of their body. They all have sharp, mildly
venomous spines on each pectoral fin and on the dorsal fin.
The venom is not normally harmful to humans, but if it stings too much for
you, here is a little known trick to make it go away. Simply rub the
catfish's tail over the wound and it will stop hurting. The mucous that all
catfish secrete has an antidote for the venom in it.
Blue Catfish are primarily big-river fish indigenous to the Ohio, Missouri,
and Mississippi River systems, ranging from Virginia south through Tennessee,
western North Carolina, Georgia,Alabama, east Texas, east Mexico and Guatemala.
They are popular 'stockers' in pay lakes. Blue Catfish differ from the other two species in that they are active and aggressive in the winter.
Blue Catfish run large, up to 100 pounds and more. 50 pounders are not uncommon.
In appearance, they are heavy-bodied, but streamlined. They are slate blue on
the back and sides fading to white on the belly, with no markings of any kind.
They have a deeply forked tail and 30-35 rays on the anal fin.
Smaller specimens are often confused with Channel Catfish where their
habitats overlap.
Blue Catfish spawn when the water temperature reaches 70-75 degrees F.
They lay their eggs under logs, brush,debris, or along undercut banks without
making a nest of any kind. Blue Catfish prefer sandy bottoms and moderate
current. The largest specimens are usually caught on trotlines using live
bluegills, goldfish or other baitfish.
They can be caught on cut-bait, nightcrawlers and 'stink-bait' as well.
They are active feeders all year long and make wonderful table-fare.
The rig I am about to describe is easy, quick to set up, and works everywhere,
from a boat, the bank, or a fast river. This is a variation of a rig the
commercial 'Long-Line' fisherman use.
Attach 3 to 5 1/8 oz. split shots, depending on the current, to the bottom
of your line.
Make one dropper loop 18" above the highest sinker and attach a #2 Aberdeen
hook, or a #6 treble hook for 'stink'bait. You can make one, or even two more
dropper loops at 18" intervals and attach hooks to them.
It is called a Fish-Finder rig and allows you to fish several different baits at different depths. A major problem with fishing rocky bottoms is that the sinker will
often get wedged in crevices between rocks, causing you to lose your rig,
and/or your fish. With this rig, if a sinker becomes wedged, it will pull off,
saving your rig and fish.
In the Deep South catfish will tend to maintain their fall habits because the
water does not get that cold. Blue Catfish still feed actively and this is
a good time to target them if you are in their region.
Otherwise, you might want to consider pursuing white bass and freshwater stripers. They love the cold water. This is the time of year that I concentrate on trout. If you are determined to catch catfish at this time of year, small baits and infinite
patience is the rule.
If you plan to fish rivers, there is a skill you must master if you are to be
consistently successful. Trout anglers call it 'Reading the Water', and it is
just as important for catfish.
Fishing for Catfish
There are certain features you should look for to locate catfish.
1. Bottom Slope-the slope of the bottom determines the current speed and bottom
composition. A sharp slope indicates a fast current with a hard or rocky
bottom. A mild slope indicates slow current with a bottom of silt, and or
mud.
Most rivers and streams contain the entire spectrum between these two
extremes. Look for Flatheads and Blue Cats near mild slopes with deep holes.
Look for Channel Cats off steep slopes with holes, riffles and eddies.
2. Rapids-Rapids indicate fast, shallow water, or a shoal. At the downstream end
of all rapids, there are deeper Pools, with slower current, which contain even
deeper Holes.
Channel Cats will be in the holes of the pools, usually on the downstream end,
waiting to grab anything that drifts by,because it will usually sink in the
slower water. The current here will contain dazed baitfish, wayward insects
trapped in the current, organic trash,invertebrates, and all kinds of things
Channel Cats consider yummy.
Toss your bait in at the end of rapids and allow it to drift into the holes and hang on! Most of the time, the strikes will be savage.
3. Current Seams-This is a junction where fast water and slow water meet and
run parallel to each other. Usually it is where an inlet comes in, or the water
has changed direction due to and obstacle such as a bend in the river,
where the outside water is faster than the inside.
Channel Cats will find a place to patrol along the slow water and wait for something to pop out of the faster water. Or, if it is a particularly appealing morsel, they will rush in, grab it and move back to the slower water.
Toss your bait right between the two currents and let it drift. Strikes will be hard and fast, and with the Fish Finder Rig, it is not uncommon to hook two catfish at once.
4. Eddies-Eddies are where the water has reversed direction and created vortexes
(whirlpools) at the point of the change and to either side. This is most
commonly seen at sharp bends in the river, or near Tailraces close to the dam, where the river becomes restricted in width.
This is sometimes referred to as 'back-flow'. Eddies are great! They usually contain some catfish. Look for eddies, especially along the walls of dams, where the current is stopped and has to go somewhere.
Toss your bait right in the middle of the eddy and let it spin. Strikes will be hard and fast.
5. Other features to look for are fallen trees, large rocks, undercut banks, and
anything that breaks the current. Catfish will be found on the downstream
side of these obstacles and will usually attack anything possibly edible that
drifts by.
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