Not that catching catfish from the river has to be done in the summer months. It’s just how we spent much of our leisure time when school ended. Camping, running trotlines at night, catching bait and of course tight lining with rod and reel during the day is how we spent our summers. Horseplay and swimming was liberally mixed in to fill the hours. After the appropriate amount of fish had been caught, a fish fry was not far behind. There were times when we would catch more fish from a sandbar than with several trotlines, and the rod and reel bite was always much more fun. These tactics still work great, but other methods learned since then enabled us to catch more fish in different ways and places other than the river. Whichever technique used to put catfish on the stringer, the goal is to get enough for a fry and a few for the freezer. Below is a short list of popular catfish catching tactics to aid in your own fish fry. As mentioned earlier, tight lining is basically the same set up as a drop shot rig used for bass. The major difference is the use of live or prepared bait. About 12 to 18 inches above a sinker, tie on a light wire No. 1 or 1/0 gold Aberdeen hook. Add your choice of bait and cast the rig to the upstream side of a river bend. Typically these bends will be much deeper and will have an eddy. The catfish will school up in these deep holes and follow any scent upstream. This can provide an all-afternoon bite if the right size school is present. There is also the opportunity to catch a few big ones. For those without access to a river, try drift fishing in our area lakes. Lake Palestine is a well-known hot spot for catfish, and during this time of year, a two-person limit can be had in short order. Lake O’ the Pines and Lake Fork are also great places to drift for cats. Use the same rig described above and let the wind slowly push the boat through deep flats. Lastly, baiting a hole can double the odds of sacking up quick limits of whisker-fish. Soured grain placed in several areas of the lake can draw huge schools of catfish to these areas, and making a milk run of the pre-baited spots can get the fish fry started quickly. Bait is a matter of preference. Some swear by chicken livers and others night-crawlers. Still others prefer homemade concoctions usually featuring some sort of cheese or blood. These appeal to the catfish’s sense of “smell” and the bait sometimes flat out stinks. To each his own, but the smellier the better. Check out the regulations for limits and size restrictions for the lake or river you plan to fish. Bring along plenty to drink, stay hydrated and get that grease hot!
Posted on: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 01:31:04 +0000
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