Early On Catfish

By Fred McKnight

Once the weather breaks in the spring, there are just so many things for the outdoorsman to do that golden opportunities are often overlooked. It took a look into the record books of last year to get that fact across to me. While browsing through the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission's website in search of information, I came across the link that showed the top fish caught in the commonwealth during the 2005 season. Browsing over the species, I was looking through the section concerning catfish when one factor really came to my attention. If you want to catch a big fish of any of the three species of catfish found in Pennsylvania, now is the time to do it.
Of the top five bullhead cats, 2 were caught in either May or June. The same can be said for the big flatheads as well. Channel cats were another story, as all five of the big fish came in this same time period. That means that 9 out of the biggest 15 catfish documented last season came during a two-month time span and that time is right now.

These catches prove that the catfish are active, but where do you go to find them? That can be as easy as the nearest lake or stream right now, but if you want a chance at a really large fish, the best bet to take is a large river. Of those big cats listed in the Pennsylvania angler awards program, the Monogohela, Allegheny, and Ohio rivers were frequently the places listed for the big channel cats and flatheads. The bigger bullheads came from various locations, but that can be attributed to their widespread distribution.
Any angler worth his or her salt knows that fishing below a lock, dam, or other large river obstruction is an ideal place to catch fish of any species. This can be particularly true of catfish as well. They often tend to travel in schools, meaning that if you catch one large fish in a certain area, there are bound to be others in that general location, as well.
Remember that we are talking about fish in excess of 20 pounds, and that means you need big enough equipment to handle the job. Since catfish are generally bottom dwellers, one of their first defenses when hooked is to head for the nearest source of cover. Your gear must be up to the challenge of keeping these fish out of such tangles, or all you are going to be reeling back is what is left of your line. For big catfish, 20-pound test or better line is standard, along with stout hooks and larger-than-normal weights. This type of equipment will get you to where the big ones are and, once you hook up, it will get them to the net as well.

Baits for these big fish vary as much as the angler's gear. Since catfish find much of their food by smell, typically the baits used will be some type of stink bait. That works well with the bullheads, and somewhat with the channel cats, but flatheads prefer live bait or freshly cut bait. This being said, an angler will do well with any of these species by sticking to some sort of cut bait to attract all three.
When seeking out actively feeding catfish, look to the upper and lower reaches of the large slack water areas. Fish tend to hold in the deeper haunts until their bellies tell them it is time to be fed, and then they venture to the shallower waters and use the current to allow feed to be washed by them. They set up ambush locations where they will attack passing schools of baitfish, pick up morsels washed their way by the current, or track down the scent of a meal. If you have your bait in the proper location, you can expect action in quick order.
That is one part of catfishing that many anglers fail to realize. Once you have caught a few fish from one location, you probably have taken out most of the active fish. For consistent action, you need to keep moving from one good location to the next and keep repeating this procedure until you feel like calling it a trip. About the only way to alter this approach is by using some sort of chum sack to keep the fish in a certain area, or draw in fresh arrivals from downstream to the area you are fishing. Generally, if you plan to fish a certain location for catfish, the best action can be had if you prep the area with a chum bag at least a day in advance of your trip.
While the big rivers are places where the big cats are typically caught, many lakes offer the same kind of excitement, as well. Many an angler fishing a live minnow for other species has tangled with a large catfish at the end of the line. I know of many lakes where anglers are using shad or trout as bait for stripers and they catch an incredible amount of larger-than-average catfish, yet few anglers are keying in on this pattern to take these fish. There is enough evidence out there to point them in the direction they should be going, but few are getting the hint. Once again, they are so distracted by the numerous opportunities at this time of the year that catfish are thought about very little when they should be one of the priority targets.

Though the bigger catfish often get the bulk of the attention from anglers, if you are thinking about deep frying a batch of catfish fillets, you need to think in smaller terms. Anyone who has ever cleaned a large catfish can tell you the mess they found with all of the layers of fat. Normally, when targeting fish for the fryer, it is best to stick with the smaller bullhead cats or channel cats in the 2 to 3-pound range. This size fish is much easier to handle, with fillets just the right size for cooking. In my opinion, the smaller fish are much better eating because they lack the oily taste of their larger cousins.
The regions I tend to fish have a great mixture of catfish waters, but it is the smaller streams that I often target when seeking out these fish. I grew up on small stream bullheads and know many great locations to catch them with consistency these days. They may not grow large, maybe a pound or two at best, but they can be caught in great numbers from small spots. They make a great fish to get youngsters started on fishing, taking little in the way of tackle to catch them. A simple, medium action fishing outfit with some hooks, splitshot, and bait will do the job.
Catfish will not win much in the way of beauty awards, that's for certain, but when it comes to an angler's chance at taking a truly large fish, this species is one of the most likely candidates. When your species of choice decides not to cooperate this spring, why not shift gears and focus into the world of the catfish? They may just be your trip-saving species!