Tips On Catching Catfish In Ponds

So what's the best way to catch catfish in a pond? Sid is an expert catfisherman and has grown up fishing for catfish all of his life! Here Sid gives some great tips on catching catfish in ponds.

Catfishing in Ponds: Get The Frypan Hot!

Channel catfish is the smallest type out of the three main types of catfish that can found when catfishing in ponds. There are two others such as Flathead and the Blue Catfish. These two species grow in larger sizes while Channel catfish remain small and are most commonly found in ponds.
Flathead catfish can be easily caught due to the fact that their appetites are extreme; they readily pursue almost any food and that applies to bait as well as their usual prey, unlike the other two types. Blue catfish are more challenging to catch because of their size and eating habits. On the other hand, the smallest type which is the channel catfish is great for managed ponds. They actually eat a trash diet. Channel catfish eats dead forage fish and pick up bugs on the surface of the water. More so, the channel catfish' population does not have problems surviving after every catch, hence making it the easiest to catch in a pond.

For fishing in a pond that offers a variety of catfishes such as blues, flatheads and channel, take into consideration using a medium action rod that either has a spinning reel or a bait-casting reel. This is one of the recommended types of tackle to use. The fish will be able to easily eat the bait of a single point hook by using these treble hooks.

Another recommended option is to use an ultra-light fishing tackle. Spare rods should be taken, this way having more than one line soaked could increase the chances of being able to catch a greater number. Ensure that the drags on the reels are set loose in order to allow lines to soak. The fish will be able to swim with loose reels on the bait and in the process they will hook themselves. The rods should be tightened as soon as a change is noticed on the drag. This should be enough pressure to catch the fish.

Giving enough time for the bait to soak should generally make fishing in a pond a lot easier. There are other means as well such as tossing dog food, or tossing small specks of leftovers. This would enable the fish to swim near the location of the bait that could lead to an easy catch. It is also an advantage to go fishing in a pond during night time or whenever it is dark. The bigger ones are best caught during night time, plus putting on larger baits and more odorous baits could give better chances of a bigger catch.

On the other hand, noodling has become popular in fishing. It is a term for fishing catfish using bare hands. This may sound simple but is actually more complicated as it involves the hands. This may result from minor wounds to superficial cuts as a result of a bite as the process of noodling itself involves putting the hands in a hole and catching the fish with bare hands before removing it out from water. Although its concept sounds simple, securing the fish using bare hands is not that difficult but rather remains challenge and requires the skill of an experienced noodler.

Sid Bowen was born in Mississippi and grew up with a cane fishing pole in his hand, fishing small creeks and lakes in and around Hattiesburg. He found out about the monster catfish found in the Mississippi river and has spent thousands of hours learning the best techniques for catching catfish and has compiled his knowledge of catfishing including catfishing rigs [http://catfishfacts.net/catfishing-rigs/] into an e-book "We Have a Bite!" which can be found at his website: [http://www.catfishfacts.net/].

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Here's a good article on how to fish for catfish in a lake

A brilliant article from Mark, on the complex makeup of the catfish, for instance, did you know that the channel catfish can actually taste your catfish bait from 15 feet away, or what the chemoreception of catfish is? A great read, enjoy :)

Catfish Bait - How Many Taste Buds Do Catfish Have? Details Here! 

Catfish are an amazing and adaptive game fish that are also excellent table fare. They can thrive in small pounds as well as the strong tail waters of some large river systems. They can eat day and night either animal mater or vegetable mater and you can you can learn to use either as a catfish bait. Catfish can live in water temperatures approaching 100 degrees or live comfortably under the ice, and continue feeding in either habitat condition. You are probably wondering how they can do that? Well we are going to discuss a few of the reasons in our article today.

In order for catfish to survive and adapt to such extreme habitat conditions they need to have a special anatomy. The catfish has a highly sensitive nervous system that includes a elaborate taste system. Many pro catfish anglers know and understand this fact about catfish and prepare their catfish bait that will stimulate the big and smaller catfish's tasting senses. Catfish also have good sight and great hearing. The catfish needs their sensitive nervous system to be able to adapt to so many different habitats.

Scientists have given the extremely sensitive senses a special name that combines all of their acute senses together. This unique name is called chemoreception, and includes a combination of the catfishes smell,taste,feel,vision, and hearing. The chemoreception of catfish is critical to the catfish if they are to survive by,avoiding predators, locating fish the species as them, and reproduction at spawning time.

The catfish's sense of taste is incredible. For example the channel catfish can actually taste your catfish bait from 15 feet away! Catfish have openings on both sides of there nose and they are called "nares" These nares lead to small channels inside the catfish called folds. Catfish have more then 140 folds which enable them to taste foods from such long distances. Many catfish anglers use this to their advantage when they are concocting their special secret catfish baits. Also chumming is a very successful way to attract catfish to your area because of the catfishes exception taste buds.
The catfish is built for taste. On their head they have 7 taste buds per square millimeter. On their barbells (whiskers) they have 25 taste buds per square millimeter, On their lips they have 10 taste buds per square millimeter. On their mouth the catfish has 5 to 25 taste buds per square millimeter. On their gills they have 7 taste buds per square millimeter with some areas as high as 50 taste buds per square millimeter. Over all the catfish has 20,000 internal taste buds, and externally they have 175,000 taste buds. The bottom line this fish species is flat built for taste!

Well folks that concludes my article about catfish bait and the catfishes senses. I wish the best of luck on your next fishing trip. Have a great day!

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Catfish Bait Tips To Catch The Monsters!

Peopel will give many different answers when you ask what's the best baits for catfish? Here, Jeremy reveals a few of his own catfish bait tips, but the only way to really know, is to go try yourself and one day soon you will have all the catfish bait secrets :)

Use The Best Catfishing Bait And Catch Huge Catfish

Different types of catfishing baits are available in fish bait stores, or if you prefer you could just make them at home. If you are trying to get the best out of your fishing, you need to have a good idea of what type of bait to use. After all, the bait is the most important thing while fishing.

About catfish
Catfish are bottom feeders. This means that they tend to stay at the bottom-most level of the water hole. Catfish are generally carnivorous. They will eat any live animal, so it is best to use that type of bait to catch them. The difference between which bait you should use depends on what type of area you are fishing. Fresh water catfish are more abundant and easier to catch than other salt water, coastal catfish.

What's the water look like?
The water environment, whether there are rough waves or the water is calm, also affects your decision about which bait to use. If you plan on fishing in calm lake water, using bobbers, then your best catfishing bait choice would be using cut bait.

Different types of catfishing bait
Cut bait is simply meat or fish cut in small chunks to prepare as bait. It could be anything, starting from bologna to salami or any other type of meat. Catfish love them and you can catch them easily. Moreover, this bait tends to cling to the hook, making drift fishing easier. These types of catfishing bait are easily available, comfortable to use, and tend to have great results.
Catfish are also suckers for Crawdads and prawn. Crawdads are one of catfish's favorite foods. They go wild for them. They are the best bait except for one simple problem. You use the tail end of the Crawdads after separating it from the shells and the meat inside is soft and easily breakable. The tissues are delicate and, after you put it on a hook, they don't stay very long. This disadvantage makes the use of these baits limited to calm waters for certain times. You cannot use them for drift fishing. Otherwise, they are perfect bait for catfish.

Some anglers prefer prawns to crawdads for baits because prawns are more abundant in bait and tackle stores than Crawdads. They both smell kind of the same, at least to the Catfish. So, the fish normally mistake them for Crawdads. That is why you could switch between the two anytime.
If you are trying to catch catfish from low-level streams that are running a bit rapid, you might consider using worms as bait. Garden worms are perfect. You can either dig them up or buy them from the store, fresh or frozen. They work great.
With average sizes ranging up to and well over ten pounds, it is easy to see why catfish are considered a good catch from any lake or stream. Try out different variations in your catfishing baits and you'll be sure to catch some great fish.

Jeremy Jefferson is a catfishing expert. For more information on catfishing bait, visit [http://www.catfishinggenius.com].

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Here's another good article with some catfish bait tips

Night Catfishing Tips Land The Trophy Catfish

Mark has some great night catfishing tips here, we all want to know the best way to catch catfish at night. Many people love catfishing at night, this article covers boat setup, rigs and good catfish bait to use.

Night Fishing For Catfish - Enticing Trophy Catfish Into A Feeding Frenzy!

Equipment you will need:

• Boat
• Boat Anchors
• Separate 12v Battery To run lights
• Night Lights
• Submerged Lighting
• Live Bait Keeper
• Chum bag Rod Holders
• Heavy Bait Casting Or Spinning Rig
• Insect Repellent

Night fishing for catfish can be a very rewarding fishing trip. Trust me If you do it correctly you will catch fish, not only will you catch fish but some will be lunkers! Catfish feed at night and are very active, and when they get into a feeding frenzy fishing action can be incredible! Catfish are attracted to submerged lighting And have a very keen sense of smell. So If you can locate their nightly haunts you can entice them on to your hook with some simple methods I will explain here. But first you must be setup and prepared for night fishing it is totally different at night then in the day. Things you take for granted during the day, don't apply at night.

Boat Setup for night fishing
Before you even think about going night fishing for catfish you need to have the following items:, lights for inside the boat,either battery or Coleman fuel type lanterns with two mantles. Set up your lights so they distribute light evenly inside the boat. I personally fish from a 20 foot pontoon and I have 3 halogen battery powered lights hung 2in the front, left and right and one hanging from my canopy in the rear. (I have used my Colemans but they attract a huge amount of insects)
You also will need a secondary light on your person. This light is used for re-rigging your fishing poles. Trust me, no matter how prepared you are before your trip you will loose some tackle, from line crossovers, or snags, or fish snapping your line. (you can limit this by using heavy tackle and making sure your line is fresh) I personally use a led light that clips to the visor on my ball cap.
You also will need a light to illuminate the water surface I recommend 12v halogen light that can be directed outside the boat. Mount it on the side of your boat, in the center. I personally use and adjustable halogen that I can clip to the railing on my pontoon. Direct the light at a 60 degree angle from boat to water. This will illuminate the surface.

You will need a submerged light source. You are probably asking your self right now why do I need submerged lighting? The submerged lights will generate plankton swirls that will attract bait fish. Once the bait fish start schooling The big cats will come. attract schools Submerged lighting rigs come in a variety of sizes and shapes, the one I use is 36" long about 4" in diameter. Center the submerged light in the illumination pattern of the surface water lighting you just set up. Anchor your submerged lighting about 12 " off the bottom, (without an anchor they will float on top of the water).. make sure the light completely submerged under the water. I recommend you use a 5lb weight as an anchor. If possible, anchor the submerged light about 2 to 3 ft from the boat.

You will need a secondary power source for the submerged light, the water illumination light and to operate your aerator pump for your live bait or live well."do not use your boats power source" This will drain your battery."you don't want to get stuck on the lake at night right? If you take a well charged 12v marine battery as your second source it will last through the night.
You will need all Your poles pre-rigged If you have the rigs I would set up 3 poles, per person in advance of getting on the water. The reason I suggest this is because it's real pain the "blank" To re-rig at night. You will end up doing it anyway, but if you have spare poles already set up, use them first before you have waist valuable time with poles out of the water.

Locating the cat's nightly haunts
It has been my experience the bigger cat's roam the shore lines or back waters in search of food at night. Every body of water will be different. I highly recommend you do some research on the body of water you intend to night fish for catfish on. At Minimum Get a topographical map of the area before you attempt your trip. These can be attained at any of the local bait and tackle shops in the area. (I recommend you visit one of these shops to get the local scoop anyway, if you dig deep enough these guys can pin point on the map Where to start fishing. This will save you lots of time.)

Enticing the Cats to your boat.
Once you have your water surface lights and your submerged lights set up and ready to go you don't even need to do the next step, you are ready to start fishing. The submerged lighting will get the schools of bait fish coming, but I take it step one step further because if you play on the catfish's extra sensitive sense of smell you can drive the Big cats into a feeding frenzy! OK You say how?
Well the answer is by introducing "chumming". Chumming releases a slick of dead fish smells and fish guts that the small bait fish and catfish feed on. There are many commercial chumming systems you can purchase and they work very well, but I use a simple very inexpensive method that anyone can set up. First you will need a nylon netted bag that you can close tight. (a good example would the netted bags that you put golf balls in that have a string closure adjustment) This is what I use, works perfect, very inexpensive. Next, get some good size freezer bags, 3 should do for one nights trip.

Next, Purchase about 2 dozen good size chubs and cut them in 1" to 2" slices, make sure you do this in a pan that will not drain all the juices. Fill the freezer bags pieces and juice all together, and let them sit outside in the sun all day long. Yes it will stink to high heaven by the end of the day, but that is what you want! Now stick the freezer bag in side the meshed bag that can close. Close the bag tight and tie a line at the bottom of the bag about 2 feet long. Attach about a 2lb anchor to get the bag to the bottom. Now tie a line at the top of the bag with enough lead line to get the bag on the bottom. Now before you lower the chum bag to the bottom take an ice pick, or something sharp that will puncture the bag, but not tear the plastic. Punch the freezer bag numerous times, then lower to the bottom an tie it off on the side of the boat.

Now its time to fish! But before we go there lets re-visit Your catfish rigs. There are many catfish rigs you can use, and they all work in situations they are designed for. When you are fishing at night and you have submerged a lighting setup,you want get your line about 2 ft away from the light source, approximated on the outer edges of the source's beam.
You will be fishing only a short distance from the boat, so your rigs need to be set up to fish in close proximity to the boat. You could fish tight line with a basic catfish hook and a small sinker. Or use a slip bobber system. I prefer to use the slip bobber system.
I use the single hook rig. Both rigs shown in the illustration work fine but I just have preference for the single hook rig. I do use the double hook rig when fishing for other types of fish. I use all heavy duty, open face, and spin cast rod and reels with 30lb test. When you do get a lunker on your line you want the tackle set up to handle the fight. You miss some smaller cats, but it's well worth it when you catch your first 10lb plus catfish.

Baits To Use
both Channel and Blue catfish will eat just about any small fish like Suckers, small shad, or bluegills both live or dead. I use both live bait and dead "cut bait" I will normally set one pole up with a small live gill no more that 3inches in length. My other poles will be baited with cut bait, normally LARGE suckers 6" or longer cut in 1" to 2" chunks.
Now Bait your rigs,Get Your Boat Setup and get ready for an exciting Night fishing for Catfish Trip! Once you catch a lunker 10 pounder + You will be Hooked for life! So have fun and good luck!

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Mark Fleagle Owner A well respected fishing enthusiast with 30+ years of fishing experience,who has written many fishing articles. Mark has been a online presence for fishing information for going on 4 years. my site: night fishing catfish [http://www.oldfishinghole.com] Get your free night fishing for catfish e-mail course.

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Catfish Fishing Advice

 Here's some nice catfish fishing tips from Abhishek

Advice for Catfish Fishers - 5 Simple Tips To A Successful Trip

Catfish are one of the most diverse species of fish on the planet! They range in size at maturity from 1/2 inch to giants of 8 feet. They thrive all over the world, in both fresh and salt water. Most catfish live near the bottom of rivers and lakes, but some live in the open ocean. They are bony fish that tend to sink rather than float. Named for the thin, whisker-like tactile organ (barbel) near their mouths, the catfish's "whiskers" contain its taste buds.

Catfish are a source of food for cultures all over the world, though people differ as to their taste and appeal. Because adult catfish do not have scales, they are not considered Kosher in Jewish culture. In the United States, the channel and blue catfish are a favorite food.
Catching catfish is different from catching many other species of fish. Effective methods differ depending on the type of waters fished, and different baits are used to catch different targets. Here are some simple, but proven, methods used to catch the humble catfish.

Rigging Your Line for Catfish
Depending on the bait, you should loop the bait holder or hook from your line at the preferred distance, from 18-24". Because you don't want your bait to move, you should use a weight to keep the bait still.

You can also use a slipweight to keep the bait still. For slipweight, the weight itself is not as important as long as it slides in the line. The catfish won't be able to feel the weight until they've been hooked.

The multi-bait technique will let you catch several catfish at the same time. To do this, attach a three-way swivel on your line. It will draw more strikes as you hook your catfish.

Best Bait for Catfish
Experience catfishers use chicken livers or medium dead shrimp. Remember that catfish are more attracted to bait that doesn't move. If you use shrimp, you should remove the tail and shell. The chicken liver is a bit more difficult because you have to use something to tie it to the like (one example is a piece of pantyhose). When using chicken liver, wrap a piece about the size of a quarter and wrap it in the piece of pantyhose. Leave a bit of the material at the end and attach it to the treble hook. Other good bait include dough bait, catfish paste, minnows or bloodworms, snails, and small fish. The best bait to use to catch catfish is natural. You won't have much luck with lures.
Chum for Shark - and Catfish!

Experienced catfishers have good results using chum. You'll find many different recipes for catfish chum on the internet. Basically, you prepare balls or bars of chum and then throw them into the area where you think you'll find the catfish. Use a hook to catch the fish, attaching the same chum mixture for bait. Remember to clean the water of the chum after you've finished.

Tackling with a Rod and Reel
This is the easiest way to catch catfish, but it still requires the same types of bait we've discussed. Use 6-foot long tackle with a spinning reel equipped with heavier line that will bear the weight and fight of the lively catfish. You don't have to spend a lot of money on your line. Just make sure it's heavy enough for catfish.

What Do You do With It when You Catch a Catfish
Once you've landed your catfish, make sure you grip it securely and remove the hook with pliers. Some catfish have poisonous fins that can cause a bit of damage. Grip it by sliding your hand from its tail to the belly, placing your fingers on one side and your thumb on the other. Be careful not to hurt yourself! The catfish will enjoy knowing it has caused some damage by its sacrifice!

Abhishek is an avid Fishing enthusiast and he has got some great Fishing Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 116 Page Ebook, "Fishing Mastery!" from his website http://www.Fishing-Masters.com/772/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

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Catfishing At Night Some Night Catfishing Tips

People love catfishing at night, but you need to know the tips and techniques on how to catch catfish at night. Here is a great article from Mark where he reveals some great night catfishing tips.

Night Fishing For Catfish - Tips on How to Select the Right Catfish Baits at Night! 

If you have not been catfishing at night you are missing out on some intense fishing action! It is not uncommon for me to come home with 20 to 30 2lb plus ready to fillet catfish. If you love to eat catfish you know this size of fish makes a mighty tasty meal. Catfish will eat just about anything at night but I found out through experience that some baits work better then others and I would like to share those with you in my article today.

1.0 My #1 favorite fishing at night catfish bait is the horned chub.
There are many different types of chubs that are local throughout the united states that work well for catching catfish. A chub is any one of a number of ray-finned fishes in several families. For my article today I will concentrate on chubs that are commonly found in small creeks and rivers. I am referring to the creak chub which is of the family of Cyprinidae (Minnows and Carps). The creek chub is also commonly called chub or horned chub. Creek chubs have a thick body and a broad head. Their mouth is large with the back end of the upper jaw extending beyond the front edge of the eye. They also have a small flap-like barbel that is often hidden in the grove between the upper jaw and the rest of the head. The best size chubs to use for bait are the ones that are 3 to 6 inches in length. The best way to fish with creek chubs is to cut them in 2 to three inch strips, and use a 1/0 bait holder hook. You can use the fish guts after you cut them up for a very good active chum, so do not throw the guts away.

2.0 My number two favorite night fishing catfish bait is the bluegill.
Make sure you check with your states department of natural resources to make sure it is legal to fish with the bluegill. The bluegill is also common referred to as the sunfish, and bream. The blue gill is actually classified in the family of sunfish. If you want to catch larger catfish, I have found that the bluegill are the best bait to use. I always set up one heavy duty catfish rig with a blue gill for bait. The best size gills to use are small 3 to 4" in size. I will push a 4/0 bait holder hook just under the dorsal fin, so the blue can swim freely. I Use a slip bobber set so the blue gill can roam just off the bottom. You won't catch a lot of catfish with blue gill but the ones you do catch will be of the large variety. I have caught many 10lb plus catfish using gills. You can also use them to catch smaller catfish cut up in strips just like fishing for chubs.

3.0 My #3 favorite catfish live bait is the gizzard shad.
When I use shad as a night fishing bait my preference is the threadfin shad because they are small and you can use the entire fish with a 1/0 bait holder hook. The threadfin shad is normally only 3 to 6 inches in length and a perfect size for fishing for catfish. The other shad I will use is called the gizzard shad. They are much larger in size normally 6 to 15inches in length and must be cut into to strips from 3 to 6 inches in length. For larger catfish you can use much larger strips to fit on a 4/0 bait holder hook. You can catch your own shad with a minnow seine, or you can purchase them from a local bait store.
Well folks that concludes my article on night fishing for catfish,catfish live bait,catfish baits,fishing with gizzard shad for catfish,catch catfish with bluegills,catch catfish with chubs,catch catfish with horned chubs,catch catfish with creek chubs. Stay tuned for more articles on the subject of night fishing. May your next fishing trip be a success!

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Here's some more great information on how to catch catfish at night

Catfish Bait Tips

Tim covers reveals some catfish bait tips here, also bass and carp. So what is the best bait for catfish fishing?

Making Your Fishing Bait For Catfish, Carp Or Bass Work! 

When you smell or taste food you generally eat what you like and reject what you don't like. In many ways fish are just the same with our fishing baits. In fact the palatability of your bait is often the deciding factor in whether you get a bite or not at all!

But what makes a fish bite at a bait and get near enough you hook to get caught anyway? There are very many reasons a fish will investigate and sample a bait or common object. Fish are very highly attuned to their aquatic environment having lots of specialised cells inside and outside the body to detect things like electric fields, sounds and pressure waves, light, movement, smells and tastes of things in the water giving-off myriad signals for the fish to detect.

It is any wonder that we get bites at all with all the aquatic clutter of distracting signals that fish experience all the time. But fish do respond to many things in very tiny levels. Many fish can detect the movements of tiny food items like water fleas swimming around them, and detect their size and density in order to decide whether they are worth the energy expenditure of feeding on. Many omnivorous fish are also opportunistic predators and many is the time carp have been caught on spinners and plugs.

Worms are a very successful bait for many species like catfish and tench, not least because of the movements they make in the water, and any angler who has ever used live bait will agree it works better when it is still actually moving and active! (Dead maggots on the hook do not match-up to fresh live ones for example.) In the case of worms and maggots it is obvious that many species will reliably instantly chomp on them with no need whatsoever of introducing any free baits into your swim beforehand and this might pose a good question.

Apart from movement there are other things going on. Many fish species have good eyesight up close to things even if they do have an area directly in front of them that might be blind. As long as there is sufficient light then various colours and shades of bait can improve your catch rate and at night luminous glowing baits can make a difference.

Many fish depend on movement instead of sight at night but other signals are used such as reception of minute electrical fields issuing from live creatures for example. Carp depend predominantly upon chemical stimuli along with detection of tiny electrical fields and pressure waves for instance, which all enable these fish to orientate themselves in the water and to locate food. Fish can orient their preferred location by sensing the level of dissolved carbon dioxide (carbonic acid) present in the water, and they are very sensitive to water pH changes. (Fishing bait substances that can elicit pH changes when realised into the water column certainly impact upon fish nearby.)

In the case of bass for instance, they utilise whatever ambient light there is the atmosphere by sitting in dark shady position in the water and waiting for prey fish to silhouette themselves so giving themselves away to the predatory bass. Some fish have more highly developed radar which is similar to the side-scan radar of a submarine. Although dolphins are mammals, you might wonder how they detect sand eels hidden underneath the sand!

Hormones are secreted by fish to identify themselves, to find a mate, to enable tight shoaling behaviour essential for survival, as in young big mouth bass for instance.

But 2 of the most significant aspects of how fish experience their world which we can use to exploit in order to catch, are the olfaction and chemoreception systems. They sound complicated, but basically olfaction is the smell sense and chemoreception is the taste sense and although there is far more to this simplistic description, when combined together, the taste and smell of your bait can truly determine if you will catch or not.
Fish have special receptor cells both externally and internally which electrochemically interact with water-born chemical stimuli. It may not come as a surprise that you can sniff and taste a beef burger and love it one minute, then when you've had 10, a biofeedback mechanism from your stomach to your brain tells you no more please.

Fish have many biofeedback mechanisms and rhythms related to feeding habits and efficient food digestion. Like humans, they regulate how fish get turned on by food, in this case our bits.
What if you could get inside their heads and influence their behaviour from there, that would be cool right!? Well we can easily make baits impact upon fish senses and on their brain chemical and hormones to incite a favourable feeding behaviour response to our baits and hugely improve our chances of catching fish. Just consider this; when you drink plain water why do you prefer a sweet fruit juice or can of Cola. That is the principle I'm talking about.

In carp fishing, there is an over-used phrase that supposedly describes what baits fish prefer: "Sometimes they want ice-cream instead of roast beef." But why is this an interesting phrase? Well fish can be stimulated into feeding by at least 6 obvious types of stimuli, from sound and movement to hormones and electrical fields, to sight, and others too, but more specifically these.
Fish feeding is stimulated by substances which approximate or mimic substances found naturally in their environment and also those that are not. So teamed with the substances they naturally respond as in their natural diet for instance, there is a gigantic range of substances you can use in your baits.
The trick in many respects in making fishing bait more exciting to fish is to match the stimulating substances found within their specific natural foods and use these perhaps in more refined and much more concentrated form. For example, when fish are processed one stage produces the water soluble fraction which is often high in quality easily digestible fish protein and fish oils. These 2 substances when used together in a dough or paste, pellet or boilie fishing bait work wonders as they are such naturally potent fish feeding triggers. Other aspects of fishmeal can be analysed to see what turns your fish on. Betaine is used very frequently in carp and catfish fishing baits for the same reason.
But do not forget that flavours substances impact upon and enhance the mass of flavours already inherent in a bait. These flavours and their individual components can be detected by the fish in various concentrations and depending on the fish species. One of the most important substances both flavours and betaine interact with and enhance are the amino acids.

If you add gravy or black pepper or salt to a steak it helps you enjoy it just as much as real ice-cream with that rich Tutti Frutti favour that makes you want more and more. The funny thing is that there is far more vitally essential nutrition in the steak and if you were lost in a jungle you would choose to eat a steak rather than eat an ice-cream as soon as you got out. Why you prefer the steak over the ice-cream is because a steak has nutrition you essentially need to stay alive and without the amino acids and trace minerals needed you body would start to rapidly deteriorate.
The fact that over the decades countless big fish from carp and catfish, to bass, trout, pike and even sharks, have fallen to protein based baits rich in fish essential nutrients means that this is a proven basis for big-fish baits. Add to this the benefits of flavours from natural to synthetic, nature-identical to mixtures of many forms, fishing baits can be made to be constantly unique to keep ahead of the fish and keep you catching!
This fishing bait secrets ebooks author has many more fishing and bait edges; just one could impact very significantly on your catches!

By Tim Richardson.
For the unique new expert bait making and bait secrets bibles :
"BIG CATFISH AND CARP BAIT SECRETS!"
And: "BIG CARP BAIT SECRETS!" And "BIG CARP FLAVOURS AND FEEDING TRIGGER SECRETS!"
Visit:
http://www.baitbigfish.com
Tim Richardson is a homemade carp and catfish bait maker and proven big fish angler. His unique bait making and enhancing fishing secrets guides are seriously multiplying their readers big fish catches in over 45 countries so visit this unique secrets site right NOW!

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 catfish bait

Catfishing Rigs And Baits Hooks Swivels Lines Etc!

Hooks swivels lines, catfishing rigs and baits is a HUGE subject, but George seems to be able to simplify everything so anyone can get to grips with this massive area of catfish fishing!There are hundreds of catfishing techniques and as many catfishing tackle, so the more research you do, the better!

Catfishing Rigs - All About Hooks, Swivels, Baits, Lines and Much More

Most Southerners use a Palomar Knot - and slider weights for setting up their catfish rigs. Here's the lowdown on how you could set up a rig for yourself. There are plenty of other techniques too; you just need to experiment with them until you find the one that suits you the most.

Setting up catfish rig involves a little research and a trip to your local fishing equipment store. Pick up some medium to large hooks from the hooks on display. Sizes 2/0 and above will be good to start with. You can buy Kahle hooks or treble hooks. Circle hooks are good if you are planning to catch and release your monsters. The catfish rig line ought to be able to stand high tension and support big weights, because catfish can grow to enormous sizes and can put up quite a fight.
You will also need a swivel. It helps to keep the line snag free. You should also attach slider weights to your line just above the swivel. These weights cause the line to sink to the depths where all the catfish hide.

If you need to tie a catfish rig line, you need to learn how to tie a Palomar or Dropper loop Knot, or any other kind of Knot that will securely tie your hook to the line. The idea is to make the Knot so strong that the line would break before it comes loose.
Another excellent idea is to attach two hooks to your leader line. That will be twice as nice. Attach two lines to the swivel or two hooks on the same line. See what works best for you.
The leader ought to be 12 to 18 inches long. Put your line through slider weights like no-roll weights or roll weights so that it can free roll if the drag is set to lose and you get a bite or even a nibble of interest.

The catfish rig line can either be a monofilament nylon line or a fluorine bonded fluorocarbon line. I prefer a fluorocarbon line because it is practically invisible underwater. Make sure that your line can carry loads over 20 pounds. Catfish can grow up to be really big. Trust me you do not want to come home shaking your head in disbelief because you couldn't bring in the biggest one because the line snapped and the monster swam away with the hook and the bait.
Some people set up live bait rigs for catfish fishing. You will need smaller fish like bluegill, shad, or goldfish to set up a live bait rig for catfishing. You need to use a 7/0 or bigger hook to hook the bait fish. The bait needs to be hooked just below the dorsal fin; when you hook them just below the dorsal fin, they struggle more and send out more distress signals. These signals are then picked up by the cats, which swallow them with the hooks. You can get similar attention from catfish with chicken liver bait if you find working with live bait too yucky or cruel.

People ask me. What else can be used to catch a catfish? Here you can find more secrets about Catfishing rigs [http://www.catfishingpoint.com/catfishing-rigs/]. Click here and discover techniques [http://www.catfishingpoint.com] used by pros. Talk to you soon.

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UK Catfishing Tips How To Catch Wels Catfish

Here, Chris gives some great uk catfishing tips on how to catch wels catfish. A great read and who knows? After reading this, you may even get the wels catfish uk record!

Catfishing in UK - 5 FAQs About Catfish In This Area!

Catfishing is now becoming a well renowned sport in different countries. Catfishing in America is a sport where most people love to do. Catfishing in UK, on the other hand will give you a one of a kind experience in hunting catfishes; when fishing, baits and the right fishing gear is all you need to be successful.
OK, so let's get started catfish fishing in this area. Make sure that you have your pen and notes beside you. All of the informations you will find out are the frequently asked questions by most anglers who want to try catfishing in UK.
Question number 1. What is the catfish that's common in this place?
You will find a lot of Wels catfish in United Kingdom.
Question number 2. How much does this catfish grow?
In case you don't know, Wels catfish are large enough to give you great time fishing. In fact, some Wels catfish can grow for up to 187 lbs. And at present time, 200 lbs is something you can brag into your friends.

Question number 3. How can you identify the characteristics of a Wels Catfish?
Welscatfish is more like an eel. They have a large mouth and head with long scale less body. The mouth this catfish contain a hundreds of small Velcro like teeth on both of the bottom and top of its jaw. The reason why they have lots of tiny teeth is to hold their prey before it passes to its 2 sets of crushing pad, which is located at the back of its throat. In addition, this catfish also have six barbells. The first two barbells of this cat are positioned on its upper jaw. Its purpose is to detect the nearest prey to his location, while you will find the rest on the lower jaw.
Question number 4. What are the most prepared baits for these cats?
You can catch this catfish either by using live baits or dead baits. But, between these two, live baits are commonly use. Be careful when using live baits. Catfish will definitely bring up a tough fight before you catch them. However, if you're not used to live baits, dead baits will always be available for you. Choose from carp, roach, eels or Rudd as dead bait.
Question number 5. Where do these cats usually live?
Welscatfish like to live in dark places. So, searching for old stream beds, deep holes and marginal shelves is great place to cast your bait.
All of these 5 questions regarding catfishing in UK, might help you to find the answers you want to know with some of the questions you've got in mind.

There are more to know about catfishing in UK. Learn more about catfishing at http://www.catfishanswers.com.

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How To Catch Monster Catfish In The Winter!

Catfish fishing techniques from George are always worth checking out! Where most people think the summer is the only time to catch catfish, George is out there in the winter landing monsters! Here he explains how to catch big catfish in the winter!You are ging to love this, if you are one of those who are always looking for best way to catch catfish.

Catfishing Techniques - How To Catch Your First Monster

Most fishermen give up on the idea of fishing once the temperature drops to announce the arrival of fall. "What's the point?" they ask, "the fish are so sluggish they won't bite." They are all wrong. Catfish fishing in cold weather is just as good as fishing in the summer months. You just need to know where to find the catfish and what to hook them with.

You needn't buy a different tackle for the winter months; the summer tackle will do just fine. A good graphite and fiber-glass rod labeled medium to heavy action, a good transparent line that can hold weights over 20 pounds, and big hooks like 4/0 Kahle hooks are all you'll ever need to set up your rig. You do need to consider that this is late fall and it can get really cold, so you will need to take some warm clothes with you when you go fishing. It's also a good idea to take your fishing buddy with you. Also bring a thermos filled with chocolate milk with you. And don't forget the munchies!
If you've been refrigerating your prepared bait to make it stick to the hook, you needn't do that anymore; the cold weather will help keep it hard. Cut bait works the best during fall and winter. Most fishermen I know use cut up eels. For some reason the catfish just love eels in late fall and winter. One person tried hotdog chunks and got two decent sized cats in 30 minutes! You can get good catches even with smaller chunks of bait. The water is cold and the fish are hungry and this makes them go after smaller baits too. It is also easier to get a bite during winters because there are fewer fishermen out fishing that time of the year.

It is good to fish for catfish when the sun is warm. Park your boats near the bank and load your lines with roll-weights. The fish will be likely hiding beneath the surface, soaking up all the sun they can before it gets dark. You might get more bites in winter when the food is scarce. Be patient, sooner or later the monster cats will get a whiff of your bait and come up to investigate. Always set the drag to loose; in the winter time, the cats love to take the bait and move to deeper waters before they ingest it.
Both drift fishing and trolling work during winter time, but you can get some decent catch even when you are standing on the bank or wading into the waters. The fish are slow due to the cold and often hide near the banks in the cold winter months. However, you might not like wading into the water because you might catch a cold. If it is tolerably cold that day, you could try noodling for catfish too. A word of caution: it is an extreme sport; always have two or three guys around to help you with the catfish when you go noodling. I've heard urban legends of men being dragged and drowned by the monster cats.

People ask me what if the recipe does not work for them. They also like to know what else can be used as bait to catch catfish. You can find more information here [http://www.catfishingpoint.com]. Click on the link to find a step-by-step guide to cat-fishing and discover the techniques used by pros. There is a catfishing course available for free download.

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you may also be interested in ice fishing for catfish

Catfish Fishing Techniques To Net Many!

I love reading catfish fishing articles, where experts reveal their closely guarded catfish fishing techniques.In this article Jim reveals some great catfishing tips to help you land the big catch!

Catfishing Techniques For A Big Catch

The guidelines and ideas from catfishing experts are always needed by people wanting to learn basic techniques and effective tips.

What are the basics of fishing for channel catfish? If you consider and apply the said techniques, a big catch will be likely. Here are some basic fishing tips for channel cats to help you learn to catch more on your next trip.

1. What are the effective baits for channel catfish?
Natural baits such as worms, grasshoppers, and tiny frogs can be used. You can also go for processed baits such as stinky or dipped baits. Usually, people do their own baits because they often find it's more effective. They also use pungent odor on the bait to attract catfish.
What are stink baits? These are homemade preparations and are often used if a large quantity catch is what the fisherman is after.

2. Can chicken livers be effective baits?
It seems that this type of bait is not as popular as others. Experts say it's hard to keep this bait on the hook because of its consistency. Anglers find it difficult to get it to stay on the hook. If you don't want to use this kind of bait then that's no problem because there are more effective baits available. Do away with messy and muddled baits because it can make your fishing day less fun.

3. Is there a need for durable gear and tackle?
A 20-pound test line is appropriate to use with a good quality reel. This is very effective if you're up for channel catfish. There is no need to have a spare heavy-duty gear if you're only up for channel catfish. If you would like to go for other kinds of fish, a better fishing gear can be used instead.
The rigs you will be using vary depending on your application. Usually, a slip sinker rig or a slip float rig is recommended. When it comes to treble hooks use either a #4, #6 or #8. If you find them ineffective, consider going to smaller sizes. When you're done setting up, make sure you start fishing from the bottom of the water area using slip sinkers. This is an area where most of the fish eventually come to for feeding. A slip float is recommended for shallow fishing.

4. How to identify the location of channel catfish
Fishing at daytime or nighttime doesn't make any difference. You can even catch them in shallow areas. You don't have to go too deep to expect the best catch. Since the channel catfish hangout in shady areas, you can throw your line around big rocks and submerged logs and you'll likely catch fish there.

Jim Lower is a fishing expert. For more great information on catfishing techniques [http://www.catfishingsecrets.org/catfishing-tips], visit [http://www.catfishingsecrets.org]

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catfish fishing usa

Catfish Pole Article

Which catfish pole? There are many types of catfish fishing poles available. In this article by Chris, he talks all about the catfish fishing pole.

Do You Know Which Pole to Get? Read The Info About Different Catfishing Poles Before Buying One!

Another way of catching catfish effectively is done by using fishing poles. Make sure that your pole can easily adapt to your needs. This way, you can avoid waste of time and money. There are several things you should consider before you buy a pole for cat-fishing

How often you will use it?
Will it fit into your personal needs
Does it suit your skills?
Where you usually do your fishing
Is it affordable?
Always keep these 5 things in mind before buying your own catfish fishing poles.
Materials That Made These Poles Worth Buying
Poles are made out of different materials. Visit nearby fishing stores in your area. Check out for the available poles they have. Look for what poles they are offering. Make sure that the cat-fishing poles they sell are always in good condition. Listed below are the top 3 materials that are mostly used for creating a reliable pole.

Fiberglass Poles - this pole is best used for amateur angler. At the same time, it doesn't need high maintenance and very durable as well. This is the advantage of this pole among other poles for catfish fishing.

Bamboo - it is an excellent pole for cat-fishing packed with good qualities. This is also referred to use as fly fishing that are made by hand.

Graphite - this is perfect for catfishes which are known to put up a great fight when catching them. If you are up for catching trophy cats, then this pole is what you need. It is very durable and rarely to break. This is the reason why it is appropriate for every angler to use.
Whether these poles are so durable, reliable and comes in reasonable prices, it is still important that it will match your personal needs. In addition, think about what other anglers view on this method of cat-fishing. As a result, you'll be one step away in choosing what polesto take.

Types Of Poles Available
Check out where your pole is made of. By doing this, it will allow you to know if you have a reliable fishing pole or not. Yet, poles for cat-fishing are not limited. There are lots of available poles you can choose:
Shakespeare ugly sticks
Quantum big cat
Ugly stick
Berkly glow stick
Rhino night vision rods
Michelle catfish spinner rod
All of the said poles for cat fishing are great depending on how you will use them.
To make it simple, choosing on what poles to use is not a so-so activity. You need to think about where these poles are made of and their types. This way, satisfaction is guaranteed on the pole you will choose.

Aside from catfishing poles, there are so many things to consider in catching monster catfish: Which baits to use, and much more. Go now for more information to http://www.catfishanswers.com/

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catfish fishing tips here

Catfishing Rigs You Can Choose From

Catfish rigs are always a topic of conversation with catfish enthusiasts. Three-way, two-hook, the slip bobber and the slip sinker, which one when? Here's a really good article from GP about catfish fishing rigs.

Make Every Cast Count With Catfishing Rigs

Catfish fishing is a big hit among all types of anglers because it offers great entertainment and excitement. For many years now, this type of fish has been providing a challenging sport to its hunters, and it is considered a prize catch because of its sheer size. There are many classifications of catfish and each type possesses unique traits that make it different from its cousins. One of the most effective ways of capturing this giant fish is by using catfishing rigs.

Depending on how you want to catch your fish, there are different types of catfishing rigs you can choose from. The rig is an essential tool every angler must have because it can influence the outcome of your fishing adventure. You can use it in tackling any kinds of catfish you fancy hunting. It doesn't cost much and you can purchase a rig from any bait and tackle shop. However, devising your own rig is also a smart option. The rigs are designed so that you can nab a catfish off the bottom with a sinker or snag the prize from the top of the water with a bobber.

Some of the most used types of catfishing rigs are the three-way, two-hook, the slip bobber and the slip sinker. Using the right design is crucial to the success of your venture. Although it is easy to pick out the one that fits your purpose, there are still some factors to be considered like the location, the season, and the kind of bait you want to attach with it. The two-hook rig is a versatile device, which can provide satisfactory results under any circumstances. The slip sinker suits drift fishing while the slip bobber works excellently in shallow water. You can use a three-way rig if you want your bait to penetrate just above the riverbed.

Using rigs to snatch a catfish provides plenty of benefits. They are cheap, replaceable, and give you a good chance at success. They're great for beginners and whether you are fishing in a lake, stream, river or pond, the rig can perform well in any situation. To get better results, be patient when setting your line. Catfish will come to you if it wants to, but most of the time, it can take a while. With the help of a rig, you can expect more bites to come your way.
The weight of catfish requires that you use a quality, sturdy gear to prevent it from snapping and breaking when you pull the fish out of the water. After a long wait, the last thing you want is to watch your prize swim away because you failed to use the right kind of gear. You can find many of these species in submerged debris, sandbars, and other places where they can hold up and prey on other fish.

GP HOWLETT is a catfishing expert. For more great tips on catfishing rigs [http://www.catfishinginpondstips.com/catfishing-rigs/], visit [http://www.catfishinginpondstips.com].

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Which Catfish Fishing Rigs?

Catfish rigs are always a hot topic and something I’m constantly asked about. So if you want to catch more catfish, then looking for the right rigs is essential. Here's a really good article from Chris about catfish fishing rigs.

Catfishing Rigs: Improve Your Catfishing Techniques With The Help Of Time Tested Rigs!

There are certain things you must consider when catfish fishing. It includes catfishing-rigs, using the right bait, where to fish and fishing gears.

There are different types of catfishing-rigs to choose from. However, you still need to determine the type of fish you want to catch. The result of your fishing adventure will depend on the rig you will use. This is the reason why a rig is a very effective tool for every angler. Providing yourself the right type of rig is really essential when fishing. At the same time, it doesn't cost too much and you can buy it from any tackle and bait shop. Feel free to devise your own rig.

Normally, two-hook, slip bobber and the three-way are the most type of catfish fishing rigs to use. One of the most critical parts of fishing depends on choosing the rig with the right design. The season, location and the bait you want to attach to your rig is another important factor you must consider. The two-hook rig is a flexible tool, it gives satisfactory results under any conditions. Three-way rig, on the other hand allows you to go through just above the riverbed.
Heard about Slip Sinker Rig? As a matter of fact, this rig is the anglers favorite. It works with catching a flathead, blue or channel catfish. This rig is really amazing. It's because the fish moves together with your bait while moving your main line without any hassle. Normally, the leader ranges from 12 - 18 inches with a swivel and hook affix to it.

However, if you love to catch Channel catfish, then a Slip Float or Slip Bobber rig is a must. It is because that Channel catfish are known to have shy bite. Using this rig will allow anglers to notice even the slightest bite of this cat.
Rigs provide lots of benefits in catching catfish. They are not just replaceable and cheap, but they also give you good chances of catching these cats. Rigs are excellent for beginners. It's not important whether you are fishing in rivers, streams, lakes or ponds, a rig can play well in any condition. In addition to that, patience is really vital to get better result when casting your line in the water. If the catfish wants to come to you, then it will. But most of the times, it takes a while before a catfish bites on the bait.
If you want to catch more catfish, then getting a closer look for the right rigs. It will definitely help you.

There are to many rigs available. I can't go over all the catfishing rigs in this article so for more great information and specs visit http://www.catfishanswers.com

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Catfish Fishing In The Fall

Becoming great at catfishing techniques, involves understanding everything about catfish! Here is an excellent article from Robbie, giving some brilliant catfish fishing advice about catfish fishing in the fall.

Fishing for Catfish - Fall Fishing

As I steered the pontoon out of the no wake zone, it was a welcome relief not to feel the muggy heat of the morning on my face. Fall fishing had finally arrived and I headed out to a chilly 64 degree morning. All summer long while fishing for catfish, I had complained about the heat. Now as I head out for a full day of fishing I had a grin on my face just like a kid. I have loved fishing since as early as I can remember, but over the last 15 years I have been obsessed with catching big trophy catfish. During the Fall fishing season is some of the best times to catch a true trophy sized catfish. Now everyone has their own classification of a trophy, and I am no different. My idea of a trophy is any fish over forty pounds, but the area I fish is known for many 20 to 30 pounders. Your trophy may be smaller in weight or larger, but no matter what the size, the cooler water during the Fall fishing can mean exciting fights with mister whiskers.

One thing to remember when the seasons are changing from the hot waters of summer to the cooler waters of fall, is that summer patterns will continue to work for a while. Do not totally change your method of fishing just because you get a 60 degree high temperature one day. In the beginning of Fall fishing the fish will start to become more active during the day. This is due to the fact that baitfish start to move around more. As the weather continues to cool down, the bait fish will gather in schools. When this starts to happen, it makes fishing for catfish a little more predictable. Catfish, especially Blue cats will hang out under these schools of bait waiting to grab the ones that venture to far away or the ones that may be dying. You should also pay attention to any schooling activity from striper or largemouth bass. When these fish school and attack the baitfish, catfish will usually be under this activity grabbing all of the wounded baitfish.

To begin locating active catfish in the first onset of Fall fishing, start by finding the deeper water near your summer time holes. As I said in the beginning, this is not an overnight change, so the catfish will not be far from where you normally catch them. Find some creek channels, or ditches, or even just a deeper depth near some shallow spots. Watch for feeding fish, or birds diving in the water. You can also watch your fish finder, because schools of bait fish will show up very well on the screen. Once you locate the schools of bait, then try to match your presentation with the same size as the baitfish. No matter what bait you are using, you want to keep it close to the same size as the baitfish in the water. When catfish are actively feeding on schools of baitfish, they are focusing in on the kill. If you present bait that is larger while fishing for catfish they may possibly swim right by it in order to get the schooling bait because they are easier prey.
As the water continues to cool down, the summer pattern will not work nearly as well. At this time you will need to focus most of your day on your fall fishing patterns. Change your locations to deeper waters, and if you can find deep water structure it will be even better. Give these ideas a try when you're out fishing for catfish this fall and that trophy cat might just be in the boat this year.

There is nothing like the feel of a catfish tugging on your line waiting for you to set the hook! Once you decide to go fishing make sure you are prepared, stop by my site where I try to update often and help you Catch more fish [http://www.moonlightfishing.com]!

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Catfish Fishing At Corona Lake

I just wanted to share with you another one of Southern California's catfish fishing (Hot Spots). Today is Jan. 06, 2008, now is the time to catch the big one. I fish at Corona Lake as often as I can because the fishing here is excellent. I always catch the limit which is (Five). This is one of the lakes that are stocked two to three times a week with very large trout, channel catfish, wiper, (Hybrid Striped Bass) sturgeon, large mouth bass, crappie and bluegill. Corona Lake also held the State Record for the largest Catfish at over 61 pounds. It also held the State Record for the largest Channel Catfish at over 52 Pounds. There is no fishing license required

Using the right bait is probably the most confusing part of fishing, and there are nearly as many concoctions as there are anglers. Bait selection ranges from night-crawlers, garlic corn, chicken liver, crickets or fish eggs, crawdads, grasshoppers, frogs, live and dead minnows, cut bait, and a multitude of prepared baits and stink bait. The prepared baits most often have one thing in common that's cheese. All of these bait preparations and many others are excellent and all will catch catfish. Selection of bait from this lengthy list may seem difficult but from my experience selecting bait can be made into a rather simple process.

The most important points to consider when selecting bait is to determine the size of the catfish you want to catch and the water temperature of the lake. The rule of thumb is to use cut-bait for the best luck in late winter and spring. The cut bait of choice is mackerel and should be used when the water temperature is less than 60 degrees. Catfish usually feed on minnows and crayfish that die during winter and sink to the bottom. Bait scent is the key here, Fish in deeper portions of the lake then shift your efforts to shallow water afterwards. The shallow water warms faster and attracts catfish into the nearby shore line.

The keen sense of smell possessed by channel catfish make it one of the few species of game fish that can be readily caught here at this lake during the spring, summer, and early fall. During the warmer months most anglers will tell you that this is usually the best time to catch catfish and I agree. Catfish seem to be more active when the water temperature is above 70 degrees.
The most popular catfish bait used at this lake is eagle claw and nitro bait. As water temperatures warm to 70 degrees and above, many anglers use these baits. This bait is most effective for catfish fishing during June, July, August and September. Anglers seeking larger catfish during this period use large sized baits such as live bluegill, hog wild, crayfish and frogs. Large catfish like a good sized meal and the movement of these creatures will attract their attention.

The tackle you need to use here is 7ft heavy rod and conventional or spinner reel with 30 pound test line. If you are fishing for large catfish, be sure to match the reel to the fish. Light duty reels are made to catch small fish and heavy duty reels have the power to land trophies. Light tackle will catch small catfish but may not handle trophy size catfish. The thing to remember is that catfish may be in brush or in heavy cover in the lake and after the strike the catfish will fight so prepare your self.
The most important part of the tackle is the sinker and hook. Always use the lightest weight necessary, and always use a slip sinker. The slip sinker rig allows a catfish to pick up the bait without feeling the weight of the sinker. With any resistance on the line whatsoever, a respectable channel catfish will leave one bait morsel in search of another. Always use a sharp hook. Hooks with bait holders on the shank are preferred by most anglers. Use sponges or plastic worms when fishing with one of the soft, prepared cheese baits. No matter which hook and bait you select, present it to the fish in the most natural manner, which always requires the use of a minimum amount of weight. So if you should visit Corona Lake in Southern California, be sure to try the above catfish fishing methods for the best of luck.

For more fishing articles, fish recipes and tackle information from or post to our fishing blog; KC Carson visit Catfish Fishing in Southern California
[http://www.carsonaffiliatemarketing.com]

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Channel Catfish Fishing Tips

If you are planning on going channel catfish fishing, in the article below there are some great catfish fishing tips, where Mark explains how to catch these beautiful creatures in Spring, Summer and Fall!

Bait Fishing - Catching Channel Catfish in the Spring, Summer, and Fall - Details Here!

Channel cats are the most studied species of catfish, but compared to other game fish studies the amount of data available is minimal. Most of the data that is available about channel catfish's seasonal movement is based on just a few rivers, lakes and reservoirs that have been watched closely.
One factor that remains constant when you are talking about seasonal movements of catfish is the fact that the length of daylight effects all species of catfish. Some species such as the channel cat are effected more then other species such as the blue catfish and flat head catfish. Actually the length of day effects small organisms and all animals up the food chain to include game fish. The intensity and length of light effects drives the yearly migration and spawning and feeding patterns of channel catfish, blue catfish, and flat head catfish. If you can learn these patterns you will enjoy more productive channel catfish bait fishing trips on a regular basis.

The channel catfish's movements can be analyzed by using a very good the catfish calendar that the In - Fisherman developed. This calendar can be obtained by purchasing their book In - Fisherman Critical Concepts. Basically the calendar divides North America into the Southern range, The Mid range, and the Northern Range. The calendar has ten periods which include catfish pre-spawn, spawn, post-spawn, pre-summer, summer peak, summer, post-summer, fall turnover, cold water, winter. Each of these periods is posted on the calendar through all months of the year in all ranges, so you can predict where catfish will be and what kind of catfish bait you can use in your local area. Or if you are planning a trip to catch a mess of catfish out of state you can use the calendar to pick the best time of year.

The winter period includes the cold water and winter periods. This period is classified as long periods of time that the water temperature is below the normal range for catfish. Channel cats will continue to feed during this period but they won't be as active when compared to other times of the year. If you plan on going bait fishing to catch some channel catfish at this time of your look for deep water holes that is where they will be holding for the winter. Temperature ranges in the winter average from 32 degrees to 39 degrees in Manitoba to 40 degrees to 50 degrees in Florida.

The spring coldwater period arrives right after ice-out in the north and when the water temperatures in the south start to rise. Channel catfish will still be located in deep holes. Unlike walleyes, pike, and sauger, who move quickly into their spawning period, channel catfish, blue catfish, and flat head catfish do not spawn for tow three more months away when water temperatures rise to 75 degrees. When water temperatures rise above 50 degrees channel catfish, blue catfish and flathead catfish will begin to move out of there deep holes looking for the years winter fish kill. This is an ideal time to use gizzard shad and skip jack herring as your catfish bait. All catfish species will be aggressively eating the deed fish kill, even the flat head catfish who normally feeds primarily on live bait fish, such as bluegill, perch, and other catfish and forage fish.

The pre-spawn period is when the channel catfish will start it's migration to smaller rivers, and tributaries to look for food and to find good spawning areas. In lakes or reservoirs this migration may be to the mouth of any incoming creeks or rivers into the lake or reservoir. This time of you're a good catfish bait would fresh mussels and large live creek chubs and large shiners. The main difference between the pre-spawn and early spring period is that the channel catfish's metabolism is increasing and they are becoming more active so they are aggressively looking for catfish bait.
As the water temperatures rise to 75 degrees catfish such as the channel catfish, blue catfish, and flathead catfish enter the spawning period. Channel catfish will spawn for over a month so bait fishing efforts will not be effected. Channel catfish are extremely active and aggressive during the spawning period. A good catfish bait would be cut baits such as gizzard shad, soured mussels, or creek chubs.

The settling period includes the post spawn and the pre-summer periods when water temperatures rise to about 80 degrees and above. The channel catfish has the same activity level and feeding patterns during the summer as they do during the spawn period and your bait fishing methods and catfish bait can remain the same. As the water levels start to drop the channel catfish will start their move to deep water areas down stream or deeper areas on a lake or reservoir. They will still feed aggressively during the night hours in shallows but move deeper during the daylight hours.
The summer period which includes summer peak, summer and post summer periods occurs when the water temperatures rise to 80 degrees and above. The summer period includes much of July, August, and September. Summer is the prime time to fish for channel catfish because they are predicable and actively feeding. You can continue to catch channel catfish while bait fishing using cut bait for your catfish bait selection. Some common bait fish to use for cut bait are gizzard shad, skipjack herring, shiners and creek chubs.
As the cooling period starts channel catfish and blue catfish will head for deeper holes in rivers and lakes. And will be less active as the whole cycle of life starts over again.

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Tips For Catching Channel Catfish

Here is a great article from Mark, giving some tips for catching channel catfish.

Bait Fishing - How to Locate Channel Catfish in Reservoirs, Details Here!

The channel catfish is often thought of as the smallest of the catfish that are sought after in reservoirs. They may be the smallest but you can catch many 1½ to 3 lbs good eating catfish fairly easy. This catfish may be smaller when comparing to the other blue catfish and flathead catfish in reservoirs but these catfish can grow to well over 50 lbs in these freshwater impoundments. You won't find many of these monsters because channel catfish grow very slowly but they are there. Also catfish catches over 8 lbs are not rare in big reservoirs.

Channel cats are affected by the seasons and there is enough of a migration with the season changes to make them predictable. As the seasons change you can target different migration areas once you learn where they are. As spring breaks and the water starts to warm you will find channel cats mixed in with blue catfish chasing a variety of bait fish along the banks. Normally they will be holding on the windward side. There main food source in early spring are the winter kill of shad. If you can find multiple dead shad in an area most likely there will channel cats feeding on them. Once the shad kill is depleted the channel catfish will travel up the small tributaries located around the reservoir and will stay there feeding aggressively in a pre-spawn mode until early summer.

The channels will seek out cutbanks, riprap and hold there for unsuspecting bait fish. Channel cats also love mussels and if you can find sandy flats that hold mussels and that are close to deep water, you can go bait fishing with mussel meat and catch some great table fare. Once the water really warms channel catfish will head back to deep water. They normally do not like open water structure so look for deep water on the main body of the reservoir at the mouth of large creeks and rivers that dump into the reservoir, channel catfish like to hold there. For example if you can find the mouth of creeks and rivers that have structure and is adjacent to deeper water you can catch channel cats and blue catfish.

Look for points or a bar that drops into the creek near where the creek empties into the main reservoir. Also if you can find a large flat that is close to the opening of the creek you will catch channel catfish. A flat at these locations are ideal setup locations for night fishing for channel catfish and blue catfish.

Well folks that ends my article for today about reservoir channel catfish. We wish you the best of luck on your next fishing trip.

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Summertime Catfishing Tips Part 3

In this third summertime catfishing article Justin gives some great summertime catfishing tips regarding time of the day to fish. We have several articles with tips on how to catch catfish in the summer. Click Here for part 1 and click here for part 2 of this summertime catfishing article series.

Catfishing in the Summer

The summer time is hot and fishing can be tough. Without a little help, you could be in for a long day on the water trying to catch catfish. I don't see any reason to sweat to death without having a little luck catching these great fish so I feel like this is a great topic to give what advice I have. After reading this article, you will be set with the knowledge to catch more and bigger catfish.

Catfish in the summer are picky fish. Don't get me wrong. They are easy to catch when you know how to go about it, but they can be down right tough. First, they have plenty of bait to eat. The latest spawning that happened in the Spring means that there are newly born bait fish everywhere. So catfish can feed when they wish. Second, It's hot. The water is burning up. The fish are feeling that heat and trying adjust to that heat. And third, the water has a lower oxygen level.

To beat these factors, you will need to work around them. First thing you should do is focus your efforts on deeper structure and current. Both of these types of locations offer higher oxygen levels and cooler water. That lowers the stress level on catfish and that means that they will feed more. I prefer to fish rivers in the summer time because they offer both depth and current. If you have to fish in a lake with no current, finding deep structure with cover near by is a great option. Ledges, channels, and deep points are great places to look. If you can find trees, stumps, rocks, or any other type of cover, you greatly increase your chances of catching catfish.

If you want to beat the heat and catch more catfish, you should think about fishing in the early morning or late in the afternoon. These low light periods are great for fishing of any kind, and cat fishing is no different. You see, catfish have a better ability to absorb light than smaller bait fish. This means that the catfish will see it's bait before the bait sees it. I like to get out at day break and fish til 10am for the most success. If you are not a morning person, you can fish from 5pm to dark and still do great. Some people even like to fish at night. I've done that many times before and its great for flathead catfish.
When selecting you're bait, you should use the most prominent bait in your area. My area is shad, so I will do the most of my fishing with shad. Why is this? Because catfish have grown used to feeding on these types of baits and will readily take it without questioning if its right.

The next time you go fishing, give these tips a try and I bet they work wonders for you. To learn more about Cat Fishing in the Summer, you can visit http://www.HowToCatfishToday.com.
Thank You,
Justin Mott

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Summertime Catfishing Tips Part 2

In this article Ken gives some great bait, location and tackle, summertime catfishing tips. We have several articles with tips on how to catch catfish in the summer. Click Here for part 1 and click here for part 3 of this summertime catfishing article series.

Summertime Catfishing

The spring time spawn is over. Catfish are once again on the prowl in search of their next meal. The water temps have reached 75 or maybe 80 degrees. Days are hot and more suited for swimming and sipping on a chilly one but once the sun goes down and the air becomes bearable it is time to go on the prowl for your next line stretching adventure.

Summertime is a great time to night fish for catfish. Not only is it cooler but all the ski and jet boats have gone home leaving the lake to the angler as well as the catfish that move into the shallows under the cover of darkness. Too many people focus on deep water for catfishing in the summer. By deep I mean 5 to 10 feet of water. You will find fish at these depths but usually they are moving to the shallow shorelines and eat your bait along the way. If you want to increase your success try moving closer to the shoreline and working depths of 1 to 3 feet of water. This article will focus on the common channel catfish.

Stink baits are probably the most common bait used for channel catfish. They work and if it is numbers you are after stink baits work great. I stay away from stink baits mainly because they stink and my wife just can not handle the smell that lingers after a night with that stuff on my hands so I have found that stink baits work but other baits are just as easy to come by and smell way better. More importantly they work just as well.

One such bait that has stood the test of time is chicken livers. Again, great bait and can help you fill the cooler with pan size channels with an occasional fatty. One way I have found to increase my hook ups and reduce those bites that take off like a rocket, only to be dropped before you can react, is the hook only setup. I use a single bait holder hook 1/0 or 2/0 and connect it to 10 pound test fluorescent line. No weight is added to the rig and this is key. You need a spinning reel or a spin cast reel to be able to cast the fragile livers this way but it will increase your hook up percentage. Fresh livers that have never been frozen will stay on your hook much better than frozen livers. Fresh livers may be hard to find but they are out there and once you find a store that sells them you will go back for more as the livers are so much easier to deal with.

In the meantime as you search for those fresh livers there are ways to help keep livers on your hook. One way is with common sewing thread. Break off a piece of thread about 8 inches long. Lay one end of the thread on the liver. The thread will kind of cling to the liver and allow you to wrap the thread around and around the liver. Make sure to bring the thread over the inside belly of the hook. Try looping the thread, as you come around, over loose strands of liver to create a nice tight little ball of liver. There are other methods but this one works so well I have never tried any other way. Use a black light with the fluorescent line to detect a bite and detecting a bite is not difficult with this setup I promise. With just the resistance of the line the channel catfish will hang on longer and have no problem swallowing the liver. Use the best low cost hook you can find and bring a bunch so you can just cut the line and leave the hook inside, just be careful when you clean them, if that is your intentions. Leaving the hook comes in handy because when the bite is on you don't want to take the time to dig a swallowed hook from a catfish's gullet.

If it is larger channel catfish you are after then fresh fish is the go to bait. When a channel catfish reaches more than a couple pounds it begins to seek food a little higher in protein. Where you might find dozens of small channels like shallow flats and mud shores you might find it void of any good size channels and that is because, while still not a true predator the larger channel catfish become a little more of a loner and more of a predator than smaller channels. Live bluegills where legal and live shad work great. I usually just fillet the bluegill and shad. I first scale the bluegill. I believe that this allows more smell into the water as well as a more tender bait which allows for a better hook set.
Look for some structure for the bigger channels like big boulders or large brush piles or fallen trees. Toss your fresh meat just outside this structure. They will come out and get it but don't make them travel too far just in case it don't want to. Move the bait around the structure. I usually soak my bait 5 to 10 minutes before moving it, sometimes only a few feet. After about 15 to 30 minutes I will look for another spot. I am looking for the feeders and a hungry channel catfish would have already found your bait in that amount of time.

When targeting larger channel catfish you will want to go with some larger tackle. I start with a baitcasting rig spooled with at least 20 pound test line on a Med. Heavy to Heavy rod. You need the power to move the fish away from the thick brush or sharp rocks. Anyone who has caught a channel catfish larger than three pounds know how hard these fish can fight and when they start the channel cat roll you best have heavy gear. I use an egg sinker rig above and leave slack in my line so I can see the fish running with the line. You seldom have to worry about the fish coming toward you if you are fishing heavy cover during the day because the channel catfish is going to head back to his home in that cover. So be ready and set the hook ready to horse the fish away from the heavy cover. Once the channel catfish is away from the cover then you can take it easy and play it to the boat.
I hope this article has given you a few ideas for catching some channel catfish. I know these techniques have helped me over the years and should do the same for you. Keep experimenting and you will find some tricks of your own that will help you enjoy some great outings with the family in pursuit of a great fish that provides fun as well as some delicious table fare as well.
Good Luck!

Check out my website for more fishing info and catfishing gear
Authors website
http://www.ramblingangler.com

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Here's another great series of articles on catfish fishing techniques.