Tips for Cat Fishing in a River

Wintertime Blues

Blue catfish are resilient fish that will put up a fight even in cold water. Try fishing for blue channel cat in the wintertime when the water is around 40 degrees or below, according to Bobberstop.com. Often the biggest of these types of fish are caught in cold weather because they continue to actively feed along submerged river channels. Use fresh bait such as shad and drop anchor at the head of the channel and cast downstream, dragging the bait along the channel. The fight will be on if you find a channel with the catfish in them and they are in the mood to snack.

Fishing The Bends

Deep holes and heavy cover are home for catfish that reside in the river. No place is better to find this kind of habitat than in the sharp bends of the river. The flow of the water erodes the land and forms piles of collapsed brush and limbs to fall into the edge of the water. The water also carves deep holes in the shallows, giving the fish good places to hide. Casting into the upper end of the bend with a strong scented bait will often find catfish laying in wait and the bait itself will draw them out to your hook rather than having to get lucky and find them.

Take A Shot In The Dark

Catfish can be caught at just about any time of day in a river, but if you have the opportunity to go at night, then you may find better results. Channel catfish are nocturnal feeders for the most part, according to Game and Fish Magazine's website. The catfish can be found in many of the same places they are caught during the day, but they come up to shallow water at night and tend to move around more. Scout out some active spots during the day and then drop anchor at a spot just upstream of the spots and begin fishing each of them.

No Open Spaces

No matter where in the river you are, the catfish are likely to remain in places that provide them good cover. They are cautious and will typically stay in areas where there are stumps, heavy brush and other thick cover. Fish in these areas and don't waste your time in wide-open spaces. Unfortunately this is also the toughest place to get a clean cast and avoid getting hung up.