| • Aerators
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| Catfish Tips To Help You Catch That Next Monster Catfish |
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• Catfish Bait
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Here are a few catfish fishing tips below to help you catch more fish. Move around, change bait and fish different depths when using a float.
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One axiom that has plagued the world of catfishing for years is that in order to have the most success, especially when targeting flatheads, you must fish at night This could not be further from the truth. According to a professional flathead guide, targeting flatheads in the daytime can sometimes be more productive than night- fishing. During the day, the fish move less and spend their time in more predictable locations, thus making them easier to find and catch.
Flatheads inhabit shallow feeding flats at night, feasting at their discretion and moving constantly. When daylight comes, they behave much the same as a vampire does, escaping to a secluded lair or den (typically a large snag, blowdown or undercut bank) where they remain relatively inactive until nightfall. They will not pass up an easy meal during the day, however, and often become territorial. According to one expert, the best way to catch daytime cats is to locate several of the largest timber piles on the river, usually in about 8- to 15-feet of water. Anchor your boat near or above the woody cover and place several baits into it and on its outside edges. Many flatheads will strike immediately out of sheer aggression. If you spend half an hour without a strike, bring the baits in and reposition them on the same piece of structure -- if it's still slow, change again or change locations.
You'll rarely find more than one flathead inhabiting the same daytime hole. If you catch several small fish inside a timber tangle, that's a pretty good indication that there are no big fish around, as the lunkers typically run smaller fish off.
Anglers who don't have boat access will often be able to locate and fish these daytime "dens" from shore or by wading. |
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Catfish anglers do not move or change locations nearly as much as they should. Changing spots allows fishermen to cover more water, and more often than not, they'll catch more fish. Some professional guides are notorious for changing locations upwards of 15 or even 20 times in a single day.
When targeting channel catfish or blues where they roam, moving every 20 minutes is not out of line. Obviously, if you're catching fish, you should stay until the action subsides.
When targeting flatheads, it's a different story, but not that different. Many anglers come prepared to sit all night in a single spot, but this isn't necessary.
Throughout the night flathead activity comes in waves. The two most productive times are just after sunset and just before sunrise. If you're targeting a large feeding flat and don't get a strike by the end of the first wave, move to another location before the early-morning bite starts. When targeting specific structure like a timber pile or hole, move every 30 to 60 minutes.
When daytime catfishing, changing locations often is crucial. The most productive anglers hunt for active fish; they don't wait for receptive fish to find them! |
Floats or bobbers are underutilized in the world of catfishing. This is unfortunate, as these handy little tools have a broad array of applications.
When targeting rivers or creeks, floats can be used to drift baits downstream. Simply attach a float to the line, tie on a hook and an adequate sinker, and you're in business. Set the float so it will suspend the bait a few inches off the bottom. You can use this apparatus to cover long stretches of river quickly; allowing the bait to drift through eddies, around woody structure and through riffles. Some anglers make drifts up to 100 yards long. Long rods are useful in guiding the bait where you want it to go.
On lakes, use floats to suspend your bait over and near heavy structure. If you're fishing at night, tape a light stick to the float. This is helpful when targeting flatheads with live bait or blues and channel cats using cut bait. | |
