Knowing what to use and where is key in catfishing. The specific bait and where you are fishing it is vital. Other determing factors in your success will be the weather and at what time you are fishing. If it is hot, chances are the bite is going to be slow. The early morning and evening hours are most notably the best time to catch catfish.

The most commonly sought after catfish in the United States is the Channel Cat. They are regularly caught in most bodies of water. Rivers, lakes and ponds are literally full of them.

The most popular bait for Channels is worms, or more specifically, nightcrawlers. Channels bite better when it's cool outside, but usually can be caught at most times of the day depending on where you are fishing, and with what bait.

Other popular baits include, liver, shad, guts or sides, and prepared dough baits. The most rank of baits will usually get you results with Channel Cats. They are avid feeders on just about everything. They tend to feed more heavily during or after heavy rain. Places that have inflow after a rain are really good for catching Channels, as there are things washing in that they feed on. If you know a body of water with a river or creek running into a pond or lake, this can be an excellent place to catch them after it rains.

The Flathead catfish is another highly sought after fish. They are mainly fished because of their sheer size. Trophy Flatheads of 80 pounds or more are known to be caught. They are a little bit more of a challenge, because they are regarded as nocturnal predators. Meaning, they feed at night mostly on live bait. Perch, goldfish and shad are some of the best baits to use when going after Flatheads. Limb and trotling are the more traditional methods, but pole fishing has been making an upward climb as of late.

Every catfishermen wants one of those trophy Flatheads. Flatheads are also know to reside in hard to reach places, such as in logjams, or a body of water that isn't easily accessed. They are also very territorial, meaning they like to stay mostly in one spot, but are known to travel up to a mile at night when feeding. Your best bet at catching one of the brutes is to find a logjam or some type of obstruction, and wait until the evening and nighttime hours to go after one of these fish.

Blue Cat or aka the White Cat is the most heavily commercially fished of the catfish species in the United States. They are loved by fishermen because of their size, raw power, and active feeding habits. It is not uncommon for them to feed three or four times a day, and another two or three times a night. They prefer deep water as opposed to shallow, and running water is usually a plus. The most popular baits for Blue Cats are shad, cutbaits and perch. Notably the most preferred bait is taking a shad and cutting it into "chunks". The scent from the opened and bleeding shad attract Blue Cats quite well. They usually are caught in deep water in the daytime. At night they can be caught just about anywhere, but shallow water with cut shad, or a live bait will usually yield you results. It is not uncommon for Blue Cats to get to over eighty pounds in weight. The record set last year was over 120 pounds.

Bullheads are another type of catfish in North America. They are mainly fished because of their tasty meat. They can be caught in almost any type of farm pond. A popular bait for Bullheads are nightcrawlers. Usually when you catch one Bullhead, chances are you will catch more there. You can regularly catch them in the late afternoon hours. On an overcast day with worms, will usually get you good results, depending on whether the location you are at has Bullheads.

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Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Fishing
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