i have been getting frustrated, i have been trying to catch catfish for two weeks. mind you, i go at least 3 times a week. i have used, cut bluegills, cut shad, live worms (2 per hook), raw headless unpeeled veined shrimp, stink bait and just for giggles gummy worms. i got one monster bluegill on the worms and thats all.

only 2 rigs i have used are the slip sinker rig and "dropper" rig aka kentucky or three-way rig.

i dont use bobber because of current and i have chucked baits from 10 ft to as far as i can throw them maybe 50 yards.

did the catfish get fished out or am i the one doing something wrong?

Catfish are spawning around the area lakes now and will be in shallow water from 1-4 ft deep near shorelines, bulkheads, etc. They will follow shad schools for the first two hours of light for the next few weeks...or so. Find shad schools by watching the herons on the banks if you have any there. Fish your bait from 6" to 1 ft from the bottom under a float. Fresh shad, chicken livers, and cheese baits work best for me on these channels. Save the cut baits for the blue cats. I use a no.4 or no.6 treble hook with a slit shot sinker 6" above it with cheese baits and chicken livers. No.3 straight shank or Aberdeen with the live shad.

If you can find an accessible bulkhead with 6 fow or so, fish the first two feet out from the bulkhead.

Get you some cheese bait (stubbys or Sonny's). Sponge on a treble hook with a split shot a foot above the hook. Fish inn2-4 fow in back water and you'll catch all you want right now

Spooley has good info lol

If you're using that much of a variety of bait and not catching, most likely the fish aren't there.

Find some good structure in shallow water, flooded grass is great. No bites in an hour... move spots.

Yep. But I think I'd move sooner than that. If you waited an hour to catch a fish, you are catching fish at the rate of 1 fish per hour. I ain't got time for that.

FaithMurr, I'd reconsider using a float! Floats can be awesome in current. Think about it. Cast upstream and let it come back down with the current. You can cover a lot of water that way, and you'll know where they are biting.

Try a New body of water ...

going out right now and going to get husband to get some baits with the cast net and gonna buy some livers. i have sonny's dip bait, rotten shad yummie.

ill update tonight.will try shallow and current areas. im looking for dinner tonight

Well if you spend an hour at the first spot trying 3 different baits and catch a fish... then you can switch to the bait that's working and catch more. Mostly though, I'm just too lazy to move that many times lol

i think the place i go to is fished out. i spent 4 hours and nothing. not giving up though, will head out next week until i get myself dinner lol

i will keep all the advice in mind

Once the heat gets here in late spring/early summer, the fishing should get a lot easier, at least for eaters.

my family and i just started a year ago and we got addicted to catfishing as well as gar fishing. i hope it does pick up though. we have learned so much and hope to make this year better than last

Where you fishing? Sounds like river. Find a steep bend and fish the slack water. Pretty simple,if your not catching,MOVE. Adapt and overcome. See some boulders,fish near them. 3 way rig with lighter weight sinker line. See some grass,cork and float it. Brush pile,3 way and heavy sinker. Good stuff,good luck.

Also, use my Catfish Calendar. See the thread. I just posted April. If you are fishing by bank, you can do like my Grandfather did. He would put out set hooks. Poles with a line & hook stabbed into the ground. You don't have to buy can poles, but can even use youpon & such for poles. Willow branches are very flexible.

Old school Willow Branch fishing is cool.

Hipsters are all over this.