New to catfishing and not doing so good. I fish Ray Roberts and Cooper lake. How deep and where should I start. Every thing I read says to fish shallow but how do you fish in the flooded grass and trees without getting hung. Do you go a bit deeper or what? Any help would be great.

Right now, I would concentrate where the crappie are spawning. Channel cats love those crappie eggs.

Catfish love it near the dam and on points and humps. Use your sonar and look for the cobra shape. Keep a variety of punch and blood baits handy. Fishing shallow can mean a variety of things to different anglers. I would say fish in waters 15 to 25 feet deep and 2 feet from the bottom.

fish shallow is for wintertime blue cat fishing. fish 2-5 foot. Blue cat fishing is about over if it isnt already. Water temp needs to be low 50's and 40'S. Bait to use is shad, carp,buffalo. If you want to catch channel cats, used a punchbait or dip bait. Best luck will be if you bait out a hole with cotton seed meal, or range cubes, oe soured corn or grain

Take a 5 gallon bucket to a local feed store and buy enough maise to fill 2/3's of bucket ($6.00 roughly for maise) Go home and cover maise with water and cover bucket with lid. Check in a day or so and add more water as it will soak up water. Recover and wait about 2 weeks. Then when u go fishing use a coffee can to throw 2 or 3 cans full around your fishing spot....it will draw the catfish to you for hundreds of yards.

to the forum and good luck

Good idea on the feed. I use head on shrimp left out overnight the night before.

Good advice! I might add that if you don't set that soured bucket as far away from your house as possible, you might find your bags packed on the front porch!

Moon is right now. I've always done best for channel cat at night in shallow creeks. 8-10 ft.

You don�t, you fish in a cut or channel that leads into the flooded grass/trees...it should be on the outside edge of the trees/grass with some current and shade...blood bait is really good option, as is cheese bait...go to the catfishing section and ask around for good channel cat baits, several folks make it, or know where you can get it. We used to make our own.

For catfish, fish just off the bottom....fish windy banks (wind will be blowing water onto the bank)...fish channel areas...reeds...

For blues, fresh whole shad, cut Shad, or live crawfish...if using live crawfish hook through the head and crack the head.

to the forum. Good luck and good fishing!

Get some hand dug worms is king right now!

Personally, I like fishing in the flooded grass. Since I use heavy line I'm able to pull right through it without getting hung. flooded timber is a different story.

If you can find flood grass (that's alive) close to a creek channel, fish right on the edge of the grass in 2-4 fow. Use a santee cooper rig (basically a Carolina rig with a float near the hook) with a circle hook. Try multiple different baits to see what they like that day. Shad, bluegill, carp, buffalo, chicken, worms, livers all will work. But the first 3 on that list are best.

Oh and if you're fishing on a boat and you don't catch anything or at least get some bites with half an hour, move spots.

Just drive to lake Palestine!!!!!
If you can't catch one there you need to quit fishing and just stay home!
If you can catch one there, you can take 50 of the slimy suckers per person home with NO SIZE LIMIT!!!!

IN FACT, EVERYBODY NEEDS TO GO GET THE SLIMY SUCKERS OUT!!!!

Tell us what you REALLY think!,