Fishing For Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish

The "channel cat" is one of the most popular gamefish in the midwest and throughout much of the U.S. They can be found readily in many bodies of water ranging from the small farm pond to the Mississippi River.

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Fishing Methods:

Channel catfish can be caught using a rod and reel, bank lines, jug lines, trot lines and limb lines.

Live baits:

Night crawlers, minnows, shad, drum, small bluegill, and crickets are all great live bait choices.  However, I have found one of the best live baits for channel catfish is grasshoppers.

Cut baits:

Channel cats will bite on just about any cut bait that is presented to them including shad, carp, shrimp, chicken livers and even hotdogs and spam.

Artificial baits:

Because channel catfish have a superb sense of smell, many "stink baits" are very effective when pursuing them.  There is an enormous variety of stink baits available including On occasion they have even been known to bite on crank baits.  When using a dough bait it is best to use a treble hook.  I prefer using spring hooks.  These are treble hooks with a spring wrapped around the shank.  The spring allows you to press the dough into it and helps to prevent throwing the bait off of the hook while casting your line.

If you prefer, you can easily make your own dough baits.  One simple recipe can be found here.

By experimenting with different methods and bait combinations, you will be able to learn what works best in the area you will be fishing.  In turn you will become more successful in your pursuit of the channel catfish.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day

Smallmouth Bass

Photo courtesy of Missouri Department of Conservation

Smallmouth bass are a popular gamefish which are typically brownish or greenish in color with dark colored bands that run from the top of the fish to the belly along both sides.  The smallmouth bass has an upper jaw that reaches back to just below the middle of its eyes red colored eyes.

Smallmouth bass thrive in streams, rivers and other bodies of water that are relatively clear.  They prefer to hang out around cover areas such as sunken trees and brush as well as large rocks. 

As with largemouth bass, smallmouth bass will eat just about anything they can get in their mouths including other gamefish, minnows/shiners, crawdads, frogs, snakes and water dwelling insects.

Smallmouth bass will bite on an array of artificial lures including plastic grubs and worms, topwater lures, jigs, spoons, spinnerbaits, plastic tube baits and buzz baits. While spawning these fish will attack nearly anything you flash in front of them in an effort to protect their nesting areas.

One of the biggest reasons for their popularity is the fact that the smallmouth bass will put up a tremendous fight making them extremely fun to catch.

- Any day in the outdoors is a good day