Flyin' Al: Catchin' Cats
Don't you hate it when the big one gets away?Somehow you will always remember the size of that whopper you almost got to the boat and talk about it for years, maybe even to your grandchildren. In fact, the size of the fish will grow as the years pass. Some say this is because your arms lengthen as you get older, other feel this is a result of progressively poor eyesight. Yet, no matter what the excuse, it is the size of the fish you remember.
If you ask most bass anglers about their largest bass, you may hear a story or two about an 11-pounder - maybe even bigger if one has consumed enough alcohol. If you ask those same anglers about the biggest fish they ever landed, you will probably hear a story or two about some hideously large, and unexpected catfish. In rivers, lakes, and bays catfish can be found in at least one or more species in every state in the union, and most bodies of water on the rest of the globe. Often overlooked by most fisherman, the catfish affords regular opportunities for some good fish-to-person battles if you have the tackle and the know-how.
Catfish are very hearty fish. This is good for any angler who can appreciate 'catch-and-release' methods and knows what a good fight can do to a bass or trout. While a good long fight would nearly kill most fish, the catfish is known to put up a very agressive fight and keep at it for a long time. Also, the catfish can take a rather gnarly hook in the face without so much as a drop of blood when you let them go.
For the angler that likes to dine on his rewards, catfish offer a great meal no matter how they are prepared. Some feel that the catfish is purely a bottom-feeder, and thus will become contaminated with the muck at the bottom of the water ways. Most fish are affected when the water quality is bad, and catfish are no more or less susceptible to this than any other fish. The fact that they spend a great time on or near the bottom of a body of water does not impact the catfish as one would assume. In fact, most catfish tend to eat live forage whenever possible. They also do not restrict their meals to the floor of a lake or river and can sometimes be seen breaking the surface in the early morning or late evening hours.
These two misconceptions about what and where catfish eat are very common, and thus most people catch few catfish or never try to begin with. My credo with fishing has been to have a good time, catch as many fish as as possible, let them all go, and try to learn something from the experience. This means I use fishing practices which will ensure I catch fish most of the time, and catfishing will rarely fail when all else has failed.
Be careful of what you put in your mouth:
Without a lesson in the biology of catfish, there are some kinds which you can eat, and others you probably will find are not too tasty. Two catfish in particular seem to disagree with most catfish connesuers, the yellow catfish and the flathead catfish.The yellow cats do not grow too large, and they don't taste too good when compared with the other catfish. The flathead cats, on the other hand, can be massive. Often, they are so large even light 'surf' tackle will be inadequate for the job. Most 'seafood-people' do not like the taste of flathead catfish while some do not taste any difference from other catfish. Flatheads will also be more likely to take bass-fishing tackle than the yellow cats, but this is true of other catfish species when compared to the yellow cats. Personally, I like the channel catfish the best and this is the catfish most often harvested from farms and sold in restaurants.
You cannot fish for a specific species of catfish, but it helps to know the types of catfish in your waterways and to be able to identify them. If you plan on eating catfish you will want to talk to others in the area to discover any hot spots, or find out about fish or places to avoid.
Be careful of where you put the hook:
Ask 10 fisherman how they fish for catfish and you will probably get at least 10 answers, maybe more. Yet, most of the methods will have one thing in common - fishing on the bottom, right on the bottom. To catch catfish you need to present the bait just like with any other type of fish. If you put the food on the bottom it has the ability to get in something and become hard for the fish to find. Catfish find their food by their sense of smell and motion. There are special lures to catch catfish with erratic motion in rivers, but most cats will locate the food with their primary sense of smell. It is harder to smell bait laying on the bottom with all the other smells, so it can take longer to get a bite.There are two effective ways to catch catfish in all depths of water which I have found to work with most species of catfish, in most different types of water (lakes, rivers, saltwater, etc.), and at most times of the day. One method covers fishing from the top of the water while the other method uses the bottom as an anchor point.
Top Down:
Above is an example of a slipfloat rig which can be used in a number of situations. This is a versatile setup because it can be used to fish deep water. I use this rig if I encounter large rocks on the bottom that would hang up most fishing weights. This is also really deadly on catfish during pre spawn and spawn - I don't know why, but it works at times when all else is failing. It is also preferred when the water depth is less than 7 feet. To use the slipfloat rig, you will need a slipfloat of any color. You will find that a red or green slipfloat is just as effective as a white or wooden slipfloat. The catfish don't seem to care. The slipfloat allows the line to slide through it. Thus, you have to put a bead or weight on the line to limit the slide of the slipfloat. Set this first bead or weight from the hook as far as you want the bait to hang down. Remember that you have to cast this out, so even in 20 feet of water or more, you may only get 10 or so feet out under the slipfloat - this is ok even in really deep water.You also want to ensure that the bait will hang down the whole length you intend. This is accomplished by placing two 'crimp' weights below the slipfloat and the first bead/weight about 3 feet. This also allows the line to slide through the slipfloat a bit so the catfish will not immediately know it is on a line. You can vary the distance, but do not lock out the slipfloat from sliding on the line. Otherwise the fish will hit the bait one time and leave.
For a hook you do not need something the size of a clothes hanger. A simple 2/0 baithook will work fine, go smaller if you do not get solid strikes. If you are getting your bait stolen often, go to a slightly bigger hook and bait.
Baits:
There are many baits you can fish on a slipfloat rig, but cutbaits, worms, and minnows have worked the best for me. For cutbaits, you can get these small frozen whole salmon in the stores sometimes for about 3 dollars. I have found this to be the best of the cutbaits with mackerel and anchovies following a close second. Leave the skin on cutbaits and use the sections from the side of the fish. You will find that the bait is very hard for the fish to pull off, and you will only catch fish which can get the whole piece of bait in their mouth. The larger the bait and hook, the larger the fish with cutbaits. Don't go overboard either. I start with a piece about 2 inches square and see if I get any bites. I have gone up to a 4 inch square piece and still caught fish but they are fewer are farther between. They can also be real big.
With minnows, get medium or large ones and hook them through the back, just below the dorsal fin. This will allow them to swim under the slipfloat at various depths. The flashing and thrashing of the minnow will attract many catfish and a lot of other things too!
With worms things can get tricker than the other baits. Try to get big worms, like nightcrawlers or canadian worms. The best way to rig a worm on a slipfloat (or any catfish rig) is to slide the worm over the length of the hook past the knot at the top of the hook making sure only a small, live length of worm is left hanging off. This will prevent many fish from stealing your bait without getting on, and hides the hook very effectively.
Bottom Up:
Above is an example of my catfish rig. This is a variation on a rig I was taught to catch Crappie and Perch in lakes, and it is the best overall catfish rig I have ever used in any waterways. With the two hooks you can slightly increase the opportunity of a bite while doubling the amount of 'odor' you put into the water. The added odor is part of the effectiveness of this rig. Also, by keeping the bait off the bottom it will not get hung up or eaten by crayfish, and it will be more easily discovered by the catfish. The key with this rig is to keep the pole tip up and a bit of tension on the line. You want to keep the bait off the bottom so the catfish will be more likely to take it while moving. You see, when you put the bait on the bottom, the fish has to lift it off the bottom before you know anything is on. If the line is slightly off the deck then the fish will tend to take the bait while passing by and get hung up much easier. This gives more time to set the hook before the fish catches on to the 'point' of the exercise.At night you will find catfish in the shallows. Do not be tempted to strap a boat anchor to the end of your catfish rigs and cast them into the uncharted depths of your lake or river. In the evenings look for the catfish in shallower water. You can fish clearings on the deep bottoms during the day when the sun is out, or rocky ledges (rip-rap) just about any time of the day.
For hooks you will want something with the line already tied on it. I use the Eagle Claw baitholders which come with a 5 inch, 25LB leader attached. This allows the bait to float away from the tightline a bit. You do not want a leader from your hooks to be more than 6 inches or less than 3 inches - this will cause the bait hooks to get hung up on the rig when you cast it. To tie this rig it is simple. First, get your two hooks with the 5 inch leaders with a loop at the end. Now take a 5.5 foot piece of monofilament and tie four loops in it - one at each end, and two evenly spaced between the ends. Next, use one of the end loops to connect a 1OZ teardrop weight.(2OZ if it is rough or windy) Use the middle loops to thread the hooks onto, and use the top loop to connect to your fishing pole with a swivel. If you use good tough line, like Stren Clear Blue 30LB, for your leader you will find that few fish can break your tackle.
Baits:
Most catfish baits will work with this rig, but I have found cutbaits, minnows, worms, and live crayfish to work the best. Personally, I find that most of the minnows you strap on get stolen, but you will get a lot of bites in the interim. As I mentioned previously, the key to fishing a rig with a worm is to thread the worm over the hook, effectively hiding it from the catfish. My catfish rig is deadly with a set of nightcrawlers on it, and will work even in places where worms are not native forage.
So, the next time the big one gets away you can have your cake and eat it too. Just bait up for some catfish and prepare for the war of your lifetime.
Information on cleaning, and preparing catfish!
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