Outside of a lake turnover fishing for blue and channel catfish is generally excellent during the fall. The falling water temperatures will put flathead cats into a feeding frenzy as they prepare to bulk up and add extra weight to help carry them through the long cold winter when they’ll not feed as heavily.
How do you catch catfish in a river in the fall?
One of the most popular ways to catch blue and channel catfish during fall and other seasons is drift fishing. In early fall try drifting baits with the wind along the shallow flats, but if the weather is calm use your trolling motor to drag baits along the edges of creek channels adjacent to the flats.
Is catfishing good in the fall?
“November is a great month to land a big catfish,” Captain Brian says. “Numbers of fish taken by anglers sometimes drop off in late October, but the potential for big fish over 30 pounds remains good throughout the winter.”
How deep are catfish in October?
The depth of this initial transition varies with each fishery, but generally consider drop off areas in the 6- to 15- foot range as the intermediate transition zone for fall channel catfish. Cats start to congregate there and can be caught along the edges of the first major depth change outside shallow flats.
How do people catch catfish in October?
How do you catch big catfish in the fall?
Is catfishing good in November?
Put aside the reputation catfish have for being a warm-weather species. A growing number of catfish enthusiasts have discovered that catfishing can be good right up until the threshold of winter.
What is the best bait for channel catfish?
While the best fishing bait for channel catfish is a nightcrawler, there are plenty of other effective baits as well. These include shrimp, fresh cut bait, livers, live minnows, prepared baits, and more. Some anglers swear by soap as bait! Channel catfish will eat just about anything at one time or another.
Can you catch catfish in November?
Once you hit on a pattern and the right tackle you can catch a lot of channel cats, even in November, as long as the water temperature stays in the 40s.” Water temperature also is the key to catching late-fall channel catfish in the reservoirs of Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
Do hot dogs work for catfish?
Hot dogs are a common food taken along on fishing excursions and double as excellent catfish bait. Points to remember when using hot dogs as catfish bait include: Cheaper hot dogs seem to catch more fish.
What time of day are catfish most active?
The best time of day to catch catfish is from sunrise until 10 am. This time window is before the sun gets directly overhead and water temperatures are still cool from the evening prior. Catfish will be more active as they seek to feed before the overhead sun warms the water and prey fish seek cover.
What is the best month to catch catfish?
Every season has its pros and cons, but if I had to pick a winner, I’d say that late summer/early fall is the ideal time to fish for catfish. Just as the worst of the heat breaks, and the days begin to get shorter, you’ll see the hunting behavior of big cats really turn on.
Should I use a bobber when fishing for catfish?
When catfishing with these techniques the sound of the float hitting the water helps draw in fish and gets them to strike. Using a streamlined float that doesn’t make a good “splash” in the water would actually work against you so the traditional bobber rig is preferred.
Where do channel catfish hang out?
They tend to move towards areas that hold some sort of structure. Structure can be a bridge, dock, downed tree, rocky bottom, etc. Catfish will also be hanging around dams, channel ledges, flats, holes, riprap, tributary/creek mouths, and outside river bends.
How do you find catfish holes in a river?
What is the best bait for catfish in a river?
- #1. Nightcrawler. First on the list is the ubiquitous nightcrawler, favored food for all fish species.
- #2. Gizzard Shad.
- #3. White Suckers.
- #4. Skipjack Herring.
- #5. Stinkbait.
- #7. Bluegills.
- #8. Punchbait.
- #9. Chicken Livers.
Do catfish bite in 50 degree weather?
What is this? Catfish may be caught in cold water, but the major spring bite requires water temperatures of 50°F or above. From there, the biting improves steadily until the spawn temperature reaches approximately 70°F degrees.
Do channel catfish bite in the winter?
The tournament angler said patience is the key as trophy catfish will continue to bite, even through colder water temperatures, but anglers need to be patient and give them more time in the winter.
Will catfish bite on windy days?
You can catch catfish when conditions are windy but you will need to take additional precautions to ensure your gear doesn’t get negatively affected by strong winds. Many catfish anglers some of the best fishing can be had during windy days because it can make catfish more active, but wind can complicate fishing.
How do you target channel catfish?
How far do catfish travel in a day?
How far do they go? Channel catfish may move considerable distances. One in the Missouri River traveled 281 miles upstream in 72 days, averaging nearly 4 miles a day.
Do catfish bite in 30 degree weather?
When considering the best catfish bait, keep in mind that although metabolism is low, most catfish will still eat. However, “Catfish” Sutton wrote that if the water drops below 40 degrees, the flathead catfish bite shuts down completely.
What is the best bait for catfish in the winter?
LIVE FISH. A frisky live fish often entices heavyweight channel cats better than any other bait. Among the best are 3- to 4-inch-long sunfish, suckers and chubs, all of which can readily be caught in winter using a small hook baited with a piece of worm. In areas with trophy-sized channel cats, even larger baits are OK …
How do you catch channel catfish in the winter?
Why do catfish like Kool-Aid?
The Kool-Aid will soak into the chunks and some of the liquid will come out of the meat to form a marinade that helps the flavor soak into the meat. This makes the flavor and sweet smell permeate the chunk and means the bait will keep its flavor and smell for a long time in the water.