Fishing For Catfish
Techniques for Fishing for Catfish
Article and Video by Peter Egan
I live on and regularly fish the Tchefuncte River. Due to over-fishing, the bass population has taken a steep decline along with that of both alligator and spotted gar, over the past 12 years.
Catfish on the other hand seem to be doing well enough to still be worth investing anywhere from a few hours to an entire day fishing for them. My perception of catfish population may be skewed however, due to the fact that I am constantly chumming for catfish. It's a luxury I can indulge because I live on the water. I am able to keep scent in the water at all times.
I use a variety of chumming methods depending on my goals for the day, if I'm fishing from a boat or from my back porch, and the extent to which I am willing to deal with turtles on any given day.
There are three major southeastern United States catfish species: channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish. I've caught plenty of each of the three, although I've caught more channel cats than blue cats and more blue cats than flathead catfish.
Anyway, there are a few different ways to fish for catfish. I always use chum. If the water is moving, fish downstream from the chum, near it but not too close.
Catfish Fishing Methods
- Weighted bottom fishing.
- Bottom fishing - no weight.
- Just below the surface using a bobber to keep the bait at the desired depth.
- Fishing near the bottom using a bobber or sliding cork to help identify when a strike occurs.
- Jugs/Noodles/Trotlines
- Noodling
1. Weighted bottom fishing
These techniques are used when there is fast-moving water or a strong current and you need the weight to keep your bait in one place. Remember, catfish are primary scent feeders, so if your bait isn't sitting still in moving water they will have trouble finding it provided it's moving.
2. Bottom fishing - no weight
This method would be used in bodies of water with no or almost no water movement or current. The purpose of this method is to avoid losing fish that strike while method #1 is deployed, but spit the bait out when they feel the tug of the weight.
3. Just below the surface using bobber to keep bait at the desired depth
The main advantage to fishing closer to the surface than the bottom is that you're far less likely to get your hook caught on debris on the bottom.
Unfortunately, this method generally is less successful with catfish considered to be well above-average in size, but can be a great way to catch as many 1-4 pound fish as one desires (provided they're chumming effectively).
4. Fishing at or near the bottom with a bobber or sliding cork
This method is useful when you know the approximate depth of the water being fished. It's a combination between methods 1, 2 and 3. The purpose is to give the fisherman a slight advantage by being able to watch the cork or bobber as opposed to feeling for a strike.
5. Jugs and noodles
Jugs and noodles are literal empty milk, 2-liter soda and detergent bottles, or pool noodles cut up into 3-4 pieces. They are used because they float and even the largest fish can'y keep them submerged for long.
This method requires a boat, as the fisherman attaches twine or fishing line with a hook at the end and baits each jug, spreading them out across a wide amount of water, then driving the boat towards any that start moving (with a fish on) and using a net to scoop both jug and fish.
Another option is trot lines, wherein a line is run either across a river or across a stretch of the shoreline, with individual lines with hooks every 18" to 24". This method leaves too much time for the fish to remove themselves from the hook in my personal opinion, as the line is traditionally left baited in the water overnight. Some people swear by trot lines, but I've had far more success with jugs and/or noodles when fishing without a rod and reel.
6. Noodling
This is a dangerous form of fishing popular in Oklahoma involving people wading into the water, feeling around until they find an ideal habitat for a large catfish, then attempting to catch the fish with their bare hands, usually by gripping it at the jaw. Louisiana waters where freshwater catfish thrive also happen to be full of alligators, so I've never tried this form of catfishing.
Which method is best for you?
Which method of catfishing is best depends primarily on the water conditions in a given body of water. If the water is still, you can afford to stay off the bottom more often than not. If the water is moving rapidly or if there is a strong current, you'll need to put enough weight on your leader to keep your bait in place, with the amount of weight necessary depending upon how much it takes to keep your bait in one spot without the water being able to move it.
If you'd rather not deal with a rod and reel (and you have a boat or at least a canoe), maybe jugs/noodles or a trot-line are for you.
Baits
Which bait to use depends on what the fish in your area prefer, and your willingness to get your hands dirty.
It's hard to beat Canadian nightcrawlers, but you'll be washing your hands every time you bait up. The same goes for pre-packaged stink-bait like Magic Bait.
Other options include shrimp, hot dogs, chicken and beef livers, artificial lures that are hollow and designed to be filled with a foul-smelling paste with one large hole to insert the paste and a few smaller holes to let the paste's scent escape the rubber container. There are also sponges with hooks attach that are designed to be dipped into a commercial catfish bait product that smells worse than anything you've smelled before.
I keep large nightcrawlers, raw shrimp (perhaps slightly rotten), Magic Bait's "Chicken Blood" flavor bait and Magic Bait's Dinner Bell Catfish Chum on-hand for fishing baits.
