How To Use Catfish Baits Properly

There is a huge variety of catfish baits. Catfish have no specific food preference, they eat nearly anything although they bite better on specific things. If you are up with NOT catching big catfish, are you sure that you’re utilizing appropriate bait?
Before acknowledging the kind of bait you will be using, the type of environment where you catch them should be considered. If you have an effective bait and immerse in the water but the area where you go fishing is not a good spot, the time you spent was useless.
This type of fish has no definite characteristic; however, they are fond of hiding. It is necessary to gain knowledge about the bodies of water where you will go fishing and discovering the areas where they usually keep themselves.
If you go catfishing, keep moving together with your rod and reels. If you detect a sneaking fish on the surface, grab and toss the freshly prepared shad head. Situate yourself in an area with a good current. Give a maximum of twenty minutes in a certain area. If you can’t catch any, then, it’s time for you to relocate.
If you are up for a catch, immobilize the bait. Try to minimize unnecessary movements, make sure that it is stable and steady. You can have a large catch if you have the appropriate tools and the ability and the efficiency to fish like pro.
One of the best occasions to do catfishing is when waters from the lake rise due to flood water. Catfish will rush through the freshly washed area and look for feed. Make use of the chopped bluefill and shad head in fresh preparation.
You can go catfishing anytime, however, it is recommended to go fishing late at night and early morning. What’s the difference? The circadian rhythm affects their location. At daytime, they rest in deeper portions of the water. When night starts to fall, they rise near the water surface for feeding. During rainy and cloudy days, expect a good catch. Due to elevations of water level, spring and early fall are the best season to fish for channel catfish. These are instances when catfish are highly active and catching them will often be very easy.
For game fishing, catfish would surely give you the fun and exercise you want. Try to work on different locations when fishing for catfish. There are different types of baits. Freshly prepared baits include cut shad, bluegill, perch, chicken livers, small frogs, night crawlers and many more. If you use these items and you haven’t caught anything for almost twenty minutes, try a different spot.  Go with the flow of gulls. They can help you get a good catch.  Examine Foucault currents (also known as Eddy currents); make sure they are not a deterrent to your fishing. When they are in search for food, they go from shallow to deep areas. Always remember: You should look for catfish, don’t let them search for you. You’ll be more successful if you do this.

Tips to help make you a better Catfish fisher

* The catfish is more of a night fish. During the hot daytime hours they are in the deep pools, 
hiding under debris or logs, but they can still be caught. At dusk it is usually the best time to start 
fishing. In the spring and in the fall you will find more catfish then in the summer, but you can still 
try on cool evenings. Try out one area of the lake for about 15 minutes. If you don't catch anything 
in this time period, you are probably in the wrong area of the lake. Move along and try a different 
area. When you throw in the line, start pulling it in slowly, zigzagging the path. As soon as you feel 
a slight tug, pull once hard to ensure the fish gets hooked, then steadily pull the fish in.

* When catfish fishing a lake with a manmade current or natural current, always anchor your boat 
on the upstream side of the submerged river channel. It might not even seem like there is any 
current, but if you have had high water or if they generate for electricty, there will always be a 
small amount of current flowing through the lake. Fish the submerged river channel just like you 
would any other river with the current taking the smell of your bait downstream.

* The cycle of Blue Catfish is exactly the same as the cycle of the Shad or other baitfish you have 
in your lake. Don't kid yourself: pay attention to your fish locator. The masses of Blue Catfish will 
always be somewhere around the masses of Shad. Look for the bait, catch some bait, cut them up 
and driftfish with a carolina rig through the schools of baitfish.

* Dont be scared to fish in 30 to 50 feet of water: Blue Catfish can tollerate deep water yearround.

* Always fish for Flathead Catfish with live bait and remember, there is a difference between live 
bait and lively bait. Make sure your bait is really squirming: the more vibration in the water, the 
better the chance for a Flathead find it.

* Believe it or not, but wintertime is the best time for Blue Catfish. Catching the fresh bait can be 
hard, but after that has been accomplished, look for huge schools of fish in the submerged river 
channel. It might take 4 hours to find the schools, but once you've found them, anchor your boat 
somewhere on the top side of the channel and cast your baits from the top of the river channel to 
the bottom of it. Wait 30 minutes and move. If they are there and in a feeding mode, it will be fast 
and furious action.

* The biggest blue catfish often come from water below the 40-degree mark. Most other gamefish 
are sluggish in water this frigid, but not blues - they'll bite aggressively and put up a world-class 
fight.

* One of the best baits for a big flathead catfish is a live bluegill (where legal to do so). Fish it 
under a float in shallow water, or below a heavy sinker on the bottom of a river. Use stout tackle - 
when hooked, a flathead usually heads straight for cover.

* One of the easiest and most enjoyable ways to catch catfish is on juglines. Wrap a length of 
strong monofilament line around the neck of a plastic milkjug. Pull out the desired length (6 to 10 
ft. is usually plenty) and secure the remainder in place with a sturdy rubber band. Rig a stout live 
bait hook at the end of the line and a heavy sinker (an old spark plug or wheel weight will work) 
about a foot above the hook. Use liver, worms, minnows, shrimp or prepared catfish bait. Put out 
several jugs away from heavy boating traffic, then get set for fun as catfish try to make off with 
them. Always check local regulations before jug fishing.

* In Spring, catfish often move around shallow rock banks to spawn. They can be caught using live 
minnows or prepared baits drifted shallow beneath slip bobbers.

* Catfish naturally lay and swim near the bottom 90% of the time. However some times on overcast 
summer days Flatheads and Channels can be caught 5' to 7' from the surface. Most Catfish can 
usually be caught along the banks after a good rain storm. They will come to the surface to feed 
on washed in bugs and insects. So at these times you might ignore the foot off the bottom rule.

* Channel Cats like Prepared Blood Baits and Hamburger Baits best when the water temperature 
is above 78'degrees.

* A longer Rod makes for better hook sets and longer casts. It also allows you to pick up your line 
quicker. A 9 to 10 foot long rod is usually sufficient. Most pay lakes 17 to 20 lb test line is 
preferred as long as your drag is set right. A good reel is essential because they have smooth, 
even given drag systems. The thinner the line the better in clear lakes especially because it is less 
likely to spook the fish and makes the bait look more natural in the water.

Bait Tip

If you fish with shad during the summer months you know that it's very hard to keep them alive without some fancy aerator rig and here's a little tip for keeping them fresh. Get a styrophoam minnow bucket or ice chest of some sort and ice them down ... doesn't seem to effect the way the fish bite on them like it would if you froze them and they'll stay fresh like this ... just make sure to poke a hole in the bottom so that the water will drain as the ice melts and just keep the shad on top of the ice. If you leave them in water even though it's icewater it'll affect their freshness ... the way you want them if you use them for cut bait is so that when you cut them fresh blood comes outta the cut. They'll keep like this for like 8 to 12 hours. This is handy if you have to catch your shad at another location other than where you'll be fishing like if you have to drive for an hour or so to get to your fishing hole. If you don't do something like this the shad will ruin or not be as effective in just a few hours or even an hour if it's very hot. This also works if you use perch that has died or about to die and you're using them for cut bait.

What Are The Best Months To Catch Trophy Catfish?

If you are chasing giant blue and flathead catfish, the summer months, when the water levels are generally lower, is the best time to target them. The warmer water makes the catfish more active and feed more. Another great season to catch big blue catfish is in the winter when most fishermen are waiting for spring to come. Those that know this secret are out killing themselves reeling in the big blues. It's a blast. This season is normally from November to January and sometimes extends into February.
Flatheads often will feed aggressively from late September through late October as they fatten up for the winter. The flathead catfish fishing slows through the winter and picks up again in the spring.

Cold Weather Catfishing Tips

Many anglers miss out on a wonderful opportunity to do some really great catfish fishing because they don't take advantage of fishing during the winter months. When the warm weather comes to an end the fishing gear is packed up and stored away until spring rolls around again. These anglers really don't know what they are missing. 

However, as word is spreading about all the benefits winter catfish fishing has to offer it is beginning to grow in popularity all the time and more anglers are taking advantage of the great fishing the cold weather has to offer.

Some of the advantages to fishing in the wintertime include the lakes not being as crowded as they are in the warmer months and there will be less noise to scare the fish away. Wintertime also provides a great opportunity for you to catch some really large catfish which is always a pleasant way to end a fishing trip. Here are a few winter fishing for catfish tips to help you take advantage of all the benefits it has to offer. 

Selecting the Right Bait for Winter Catfish Fishing
Selecting the right bait for winter catfish fishing is not as difficult as you might think. You will always have good luck with bait that imitates the natural food source of the water in which you are fishing but having a variety of different options available will ensure your success. 

Below is a list of the bait that is among the most favorite of many anglers when fishing in the winter:
Stink Baits
Chicken Blood
Chicken Liver
Dead Minnows 
Cut Bait

If possible you should take along a variety of bait when you head out catfish fishing so you will have the option of switching off if they are not taking the bait you start off using. Sometimes the catfish will respond better to one type of bait than another and you have no way of knowing in advance what they will be in the mood for. 

When choosing the best bait to use consider the average size of the catfish in the body of water you are fishing. Bait that is too small will be ignored by the larger catfish and bait that is to large will not be taken by the smaller ones. 

Using the wrong size bait can keep you from getting the most from your fishing trips and keep in mind that normally fishing near the bottom of the water will get you the best results when you are winter catfish fishing.

You also need to be aware that the catfish will move slower during the winter than they do during the spring and fall so you have to compensate for this by moving the bait at a slow even pace. Like most all species of fish the catfish will gather together in groups even in the wintertime, so your first job is to find where they are congregating together.

Cold Weather Catfish Fishing

When it comes to hooks you first need to make sure they are good and sharp. Normally, the hooks that are designed with the bait holder made onto the shank will work the best. When cold weather catfish fishing it is recommended that you use stink bait and remember, the stronger the better. This is because the smell will not travel as far or as fast in the cold water as it does in warm water.

Location

The second biggest difference between warm and cold weather catfish fishing is the location. During the warm months the catfish move out further into the water where the bottom of the lake or river is deeper. Here it is much cooler for them than around the banks and so forth. You will have the most luck when you use a boat to go out in the middle of the body of water where it is the deepest.

In the winter you can find the catfish closer to the banks, which makes it easier for you to get to them. You can fish off banks, piers, bridges or anchor your boat in coves and so forth with great success. Due to the fact they are closer inland they are more accessible making it easier for anyone to fish for catfish whether you have access to a boat or not.

Patience is always a quality needed when catfish fishing but you will need even more when fishing in the cold weather. As mentioned before the catfish move a little slower in the cold than any other time. They will feed but they don’t have any desire to chase so keep this in mind and take your time. You will be rewarded for your patients. However, if you have been in the same location for more than half an hour and you are still not getting any bites, then it is time to move to a new spot.

big catfish bait

Here is a shad cut up and ready to be put on hooks. The head and larger midsection should be cast out to the main deeper target such as a boulder or deep end of a wing dam. The smaller pieces should be cast to a shallower shoreline target and the other out in the channel for smaller fish to get some action! Always throw the tail away as it will tend to spin the bait and also pull it off the bottom.

Flathead Catfishing

One of the native species of catfish in United States is the Flathead catfish. They originate from the rivers of Mississippi and bigger rivers rushing through it. Due to their original location and their usage they were relocated in the bodies of water around the country. They are popularly known for game fishing and as a meal. They usually dwell in sluggish flowing water such as huge rivers, streams, lakes and ponds. They usually stay in deep bodies of water with surface structures such as logs and rocks as their habitat.

Their distinct, elongated flat head is the reason why they are called Flathead catfish. Some of their unique features include their flat, oval shaped eyes and a protruding lower jaw. They come in different colors. Some of them have mottled brown shades while some come in yellow color. When fishing in rivers and lakes, you can catch a Flathead catfish with an average weight of forty to fifty pounds.  There are also reported catch of Flatheads weighing more than one hundred pounds.

Flatheads grow rapidly upon hatching. If they have a measurement of fifteen to nineteen inches long, they are considered mature. Usually, their life span reaches up to twenty five years. As they age, they increase in length and weight as well. They eat nearly anything although bite better on certain bait. As long as it can fit in their mouth, they consider it as food. However, they prefer eating fish and bream is their favorite. Perch and Sunfish are also included in their preference. In smaller bodies of water or waters where they are not a habitat, Flatheads destroy sunfish clusters. When Flatheads starts to enter the rivers of Georgia, Redbreast Sunfish start to get extinct. Catfish are lively at night; however, they also feed during day time. They feed through sight. You can make use of light to entice this type of catfish. Usually, they will approach feed with a light in the bait.

Deep holes with covers on the opposite edges of river bends are one of the favorite areas of Flatheads. They usually look for fallen logs, tree base and rocks to act as their hiding place. If you go fishing, approach the edges. Manipulate your bait, float it in and dangle. If bends are too harsh for fishing, look for bends with sluggish flow such as submerged brush piles. Usually, Flatheads trek around ancient rivers and on the creeks of lakes and reservoirs. They go into the shallow surface to feed especially at night time. Situate yourself within these channels and get ready for a good catch.

A better catch happens early morning and evening and during summer months especially after dark.  You should be familiar with the behavior of the water and the location of Flatheads. By doing so, you can draw the bait closer to them. Dangle your catfish bait on the bottom of rivers and lakes. Usually, Flatheads feed from the bottom area.

How To Use Catfish Baits Properly

There is a huge variety of catfish baits. Catfish have no specific food preference, they eat nearly anything although they bite better on specific things. If you are up with NOT catching big catfish, are you sure that you’re utilizing appropriate bait?

Before acknowledging the kind of bait you will be using, the type of environment where you catch them should be considered. If you have an effective bait and immerse in the water but the area where you go fishing is not a good spot, the time you spent was useless.

This type of fish has no definite characteristic; however, they are fond of hiding. It is necessary to gain knowledge about the bodies of water where you will go fishing and discovering the areas where they usually keep themselves.

If you go catfishing, keep moving together with your rod and reels. If you detect a sneaking fish on the surface, grab and toss the freshly prepared shad head. Situate yourself in an area with a good current. Give a maximum of twenty minutes in a certain area. If you can’t catch any, then, it’s time for you to relocate.

If you are up for a catch, immobilize the bait. Try to minimize unnecessary movements, make sure that it is stable and steady. You can have a large catch if you have the appropriate tools and the ability and the efficiency to fish like pro.

One of the best occasions to do catfishing is when waters from the lake rise due to flood water. Catfish will rush through the freshly washed area and look for feed. Make use of the chopped bluefill and shad head in fresh preparation.

You can go catfishing anytime, however, it is recommended to go fishing late at night and early morning. What’s the difference? The circadian rhythm affects their location. At daytime, they rest in deeper portions of the water. When night starts to fall, they rise near the water surface for feeding. During rainy and cloudy days, expect a good catch. Due to elevations of water level, spring and early fall are the best season to fish for channel catfish. These are instances when catfish are highly active and catching them will often be very easy.

For game fishing, catfish would surely give you the fun and exercise you want. Try to work on different locations when fishing for catfish. There are different types of baits. Freshly prepared baits include cut shad, bluegill, perch, chicken livers, small frogs, night crawlers and many more. If you use these items and you haven’t caught anything for almost twenty minutes, try a different spot.  Go with the flow of gulls. They can help you get a good catch.  Examine Foucault currents (also known as Eddy currents); make sure they are not a deterrent to your fishing. When they are in search for food, they go from shallow to deep areas. Always remember: You should look for catfish, don’t let them search for you. You’ll be more successful if you do this.