Early summer finds them moving deeper until the summer
heat eventually drives them to the deepest water depths.
There they swim along the thermocline, the lowest level
at which they can suspend themselves during the dog
days of summer. In the fall, the seasonal migration
pattern reverses. When water temperatures cool, the
cats move back in mid to shallow river channels, creeks
and coves. With the winter freeze, they go deep again,
as in summer, or they find refuge in the warm waters
of the power plant discharges.
 |
| Fishing
Pro Mac Byrum with a trophy catch. |
Migration patterns
of catfish and stripers are similar, but different.
Cats can tolerate higher water temperatures and lower
amounts of dissolved oxygen. Stripers, on the other
hand, prefer cool water and require a higher content
of dissolved oxygen. Spring thru early summer,
and again from fall until early winter, finds stripers
and cats sharing common water. On the coldest days of
winter, stripers swim throughout the water column, while
cats will be deep and will congregate where water temperatures
are less oppressive. Catfish don't hibernate as some
fishermen do. They eat all year, especially in winter
when the shad die. Should water temps drop to
extreme high thirties/low forties, they will become
inactive until waters begin to warm.
Catfish
have been known to eat almost anything, dead or alive,
in lake waters. Popular baits vary with the time
of year and availability, but mainstays are shad, herring,
bream, perch, and various prepared baits. Cut and live
baits are effective, but fresh dead baits seem to work
best. Artificial baits will take catfish at times.
Usually, these strikes occur incidentally when targeting
other species. Jigging spoons, however, tipped with
cut bait, are credited with catches of large summer
flatheads and blues.
Big baits are fine when seeking world records, but small
baits will attract catfish of all sizes. A bream
head, half of a shad or herring, or a small body section
of white perch, will tempt any size catfish. Mussels,
bloodworms, nightcrawlers, Vienna sausage, and chicken
parts are used by anglers who cast from shores and docks.
Popular live baits to use include gizzard shad &
blueback herring during spring and fall, goldfish in
the summer, and golden trout cut to slowly bleed, during
the winter months.
Anglers fishing for cats from boats
will either anchor or slow drift. Those who anchor,
generally use two anchors to prevent the boat from swinging
and lines from tangling. Once securely in
place, baits are cast in all directions around the boat. Some
use as many as thirty rods rigged with a variety of baits. Odors
reeking from the large number of baits act as chum and
attract fish from far and wide. To find fish, either
drift slowly when winds are light, or slow troll with
an electric trolling motor.
Terminal tackle consists of a hook, a length of monofilament
leader, a two-way swivel, and a slip weight. When slow
trolling or drifting, an inline float, positioned between
a two way swivel and a hook, keeps the bait from dragging
bottom and getting covered with mud or silt.
Long handled light action rods, seven to nine feet in
length, are popular with cat fishermen. Most use
fiberglass rods and baitcasting reels with smooth drags
and bait clickers. Reels are spooled with twenty,
thirty or forty pound test line. Large nets will land
most fish, but gaffs are more effective on cats that
weigh more than fifty pounds. If you plan to release
a big fish, lip or shallow gaff it in the back.
Better yet, cut the line and allow the fish to swim
away.
A catfish takes bait very slowly, so allow time for
the fish to ingest the bait. Set the hook only
after the rod tip is severely bent. A light hook
set is all that's needed if a laser sharpened hook is
used. Keep the line taut when reeling the fish
to the net and enjoy the tug! Pay close
attention to other rods that might go down, as catfish
swim together and multiple hook ups are common.
Additional information is available on the Carolina's
Catfish Club web site at CarolinasCatfishClub.com.
This group of devoted fishermen meets the second Wednesday
of each month at Jones Fish Camp on Highway 16 in Denver,
NC.
I look forward to seeing you at the next Carolina's
Catfish Club meeting. |
