Thread: Fall/winter catfish?

Do any of you guys fish for cats in the cold months? I usually only fish for them in the summer when they seem to be the most eager fish to bite. I have a couple lakes near me with real good numbers of mostly channels, and a few blues. Also, I'm on a short drive from the Ohio river, which we have caught a bunch of good catfish out of this year. Water temps around here are around 60 deg. and falling each week I go out. Not a whole lot going on, for the crappie fishing on my home lake the last couple weeks, and was thinking about giving catfish a try, what do you think?

They will bite even in sub freeze'n temps outside. We catch them best on a rise even in the winter time.

When the water temps drop below 50 the blues are HOT!!!

Thanks guys, I will give it a try before the boat goes up for the winter!

Originally Posted by Stonewall

When the water temps drop below 50 the blues are HOT!!!

what i was going to say!!!!!

I agree that the winter can be the best time to catch the BIG blues... but the channel cats are a lot harder to catch in the winter unless you know somewhere that there is a factory with a warm water discharge pipe.
Blake

Originally Posted by bc1448

I agree that the winter can be the best time to catch the BIG blues... but the channel cats are a lot harder to catch in the winter unless you know somewhere that there is a factory with a warm water discharge pipe.
Blake

When we get a rise it does'nt matter how cold it is. Those Channels will feed in the backwater near the surface at night.

I caught two ten lb channel catfish in late November. The water temps were cold but I either lucked out or was using the right bait at the right time.

Theyre loadin up on shad this time of year. Due to the shad dieoffs. Caught a 21 pounder yesterday on tha arkansas river here, blue cat.The high temp was 33 degrees.He was in only 16 feet of water.Imo you cant get a batter time than now for big blues, but it doesnt last all winter for me, usually peters out for me by Feb. Get out there youll getem

I catch a lot of Blues while targeting Crappie in the winter, they can actually be a pest!

But when you get a nice size little one on Crappie gear it can be a fun fight and get the adreneline pumping!!!

I got 7 1/2 lb. Blue on a Tuffie minnow and #6 hook while fishin' for Crappie the last time I was out.