| Introduction | | | | White Cat, gets my pick for the best all around, |
| Many of the people about to take one of my | | | | year-round Catfish. This is also the fish I target |
| guided trips don't believe that Catfish feed as | | | | with my non-typical Cat-fishing techniques. |
| aggressively as other game fish. People are used | | | | Although Channel Cats and Flatheads are caught |
| to throwing out their bait and letting it set while | | | | using these techniques, Blue Cats remain the king |
| they wait. Some days this works and they don't | | | | in mass numbers. These dudes grow big and fast |
| have to wait very long, but some days we all | | | | and will strike your bait with a vengeance. Plus, |
| know that the wait can be very long. This waiting | | | | they pull hard in the Winter, Spring, Summer and |
| is what encouraged me to try to catch Blue Cats | | | | Fall. |
| using other methods. Some techniques are passed | | | | The Blue Catfish |
| down from generation to generation and these | | | | The Blue Cat is truly an amazing fish. I have |
| tried and true methods have caught Catfish since | | | | caught these fish as deep as 96 feet at the |
| people have fished for them. I have used these | | | | bottom of a river channel in cold water conditions. |
| methods most of my life and it was the way I | | | | I have also seen them come right up to the top |
| was taught to catch Catfish. On the opposite end | | | | and smash a school of shad just as a Striper or |
| of the Cat-fishing spectrum, however, are two | | | | White Bass would do in warm water conditions. |
| newer methods that I have been using to | | | | As far as I can tell, these fish feed aggressive all |
| consistently catch Catfish, as well. | | | | year, which in my opinion sets them apart from |
| Fishing for Catfish | | | | Flatheads and Channel Cats. Reports of Blues |
| Ah, the American Catfish! The big three: Blues, | | | | falling for lead spoons, jigs, crank baits, and many |
| Channel Cats and Flatheads; aren't they a | | | | other artificial lures are not uncommon any time |
| wonderful species of fish? Each one has its own | | | | of the year. The other Blue Cat bonus is their |
| outstanding features to thrill Catfishermen and | | | | size, growing much larger than Channel Cats and a |
| women throughout the United States and even | | | | smidge larger than Flatheads. That makes your |
| worldwide. Flatheads, with their big, wide heads | | | | chances of catching a Blue Cat over 20 pounds a |
| and flat tails, have my vote as the hardest pulling | | | | big time reality. Fish over 50 pounds are not that |
| fish pound-for-pound in fresh water. No | | | | hard to find in reservoirs and rivers that have had |
| Catfisherman can talk very long without telling | | | | time to produce that size of Catfish. |
| their favorite Channel Cat story. | | | | These fish grow to be over 100 pounds - it's the |
| Channel Cats live almost anywhere in fresh water | | | | exception and not the rule, but it does happen. |
| and eat an enormous variety of baits, from | | | | That's the beauty in setting up and fishing for Blue |
| prepared stink baits to live baits. I believe these | | | | Cats: your next fish might be 1 pound, 51 pounds, |
| whisker fish are the most versatile and adaptive | | | | or 101 pounds. |
| members of the Catfish family. The next Catfish | | | | Make sure to read Part 2 and 3 of this article to |
| member, the Blue Cat, also commonly called a | | | | learn about Capt. Jeff's non-typical techniques! |