| While for some it may seem like a strange idea | | | | shallower water, perhaps near the shoreline, |
| to read an article that is specialized to discuss | | | | where they can find brush cover and overgrowth |
| channel catfish fishing. However, for those not as | | | | from trees and grass to shelter them. Don't |
| familiar with catfish or fishing in general, reading | | | | expect to find them hanging around locations with |
| about what is probably the most plentiful catfish | | | | a very muddy bottom; they prefer the sand and |
| on the North American continent can be a true | | | | rock bottom areas. |
| learning experience that can be put to good use. | | | | You can usually get in some good channel catfish |
| Let's start with the basics. Channel catfish are, in | | | | fishing just below dams - these opportunistic |
| fact, an extremely common variety of catfish | | | | feeders can find lots of flotsam and jetsam in the |
| that can be found in most parts of the United | | | | area to munch on. |
| States. You may hear them referred to as blue | | | | What sort of equipment do you need for channel |
| channel cats, river catfish, or spotted cats from | | | | catfish fishing? Well, typically channel catfish are |
| time to time, as they do have spots, resemble a | | | | small, ranging from two to four pounds, and |
| smaller version of the blue catfish, and often | | | | usually not greater than ten pounds. |
| prefer rivers. | | | | However, they have the ability to grow to |
| However, channel catfish fishing is certainly not | | | | outrageous weights of around 60 pounds. |
| limited to rivers, since these catfish are not picky | | | | Therefore, you should have strong, solid |
| about their home life. You can find channel cats in | | | | equipment that is prepared for anything, including |
| most types of freshwater, as long as the waters | | | | a struggle with a monster channel cat. |
| are warm enough (waters should warm to at | | | | In terms of bait, don't even bother bringing |
| least 70 degrees in the mid spring for spawning | | | | artificial baits; channel catfish fishing won't |
| purposes). | | | | accomplish much with such a farce because |
| How can you tell that channel catfish fishing will be | | | | catfish tend to find food based on their sense of |
| good in a particular spot? Consider the habits of | | | | smell rather than by sight. |
| the channel cat. They often do prefer rivers, | | | | Therefore, you need some sort of bait with an |
| though unlike their larger cousins, they prefer to | | | | aroma (or something humans might think of as a |
| stay out of heavy current, looking for a little | | | | stench) that can permeate the waters and draw |
| shelter in natural pile ups, rock formations, and | | | | the fish to your line. This could be night crawlers, |
| ridges in the river. | | | | chicken livers, pieces of shad, or other fresh fish. |
| In lakes, you're most likely to find them in | | | | |