What's Up, TFF!?

New to catfishing, and trying to learn what I can from other Dallas area locals!
I plan on going out mainly in the evenings around sundown, but I don't even know if that's a good time to try aiming for cats.

Any tips on time of day, depth, bait, etc?
Also, what are some of you favorite bodies of water for catfishing?
Thank for the help, y'all!

Stubby�s cheese bait in around 24-28 FOW

I have the best luck in the Summer when the sun is starting to set up until about 11pm. I am either on the bank or out on a kayak. I tend to hit the tributaries on Ray Hubbard. Fresh Shad is always a good bait. Punch bait or any kind of animal liver is good for targeting eaters. Live Bluegill and other panfish make good bait for the bigger cats.

I suggest casting towards a fountain if the water you're fishing has one.

I'm in south Texas but this applies to just about anywhere in the state as it's the dog days of summer right now, so fishing early, and late, and then on into the night is when it's best.
Fishing deep during the day, but early morning, or night is good fishing a bit shallower, but by 10:00 I'm ready to call it quits as you can already start feeling the heat, and the Jet fleas start to come out anyway.
If I can catch shad or other baitfish early before sunrise, and if that doesn't work, I go with my go to bait which is a stink bait, or shrimp, chicken livers, chicken, etc.

I see the same on Lake Livingston.

Drifting cut shad using a Santee Cooper rig is my go to method this time of year.

For North Texas I have seen and experienced better luck fishing shallow at night (less than 20ft) with cut shad, bluegill or carp. I went out to my carp hole that is about 5ft deep with corn last week and caught more blue cats in the 5lb range then carp.

For eater size like JJ4MEL says shallow at night. For bigger cats fish deep channel ledges or drop offs. Bait is the same- cut carp or shad.

I've never used chicken but I've seen cut chicken soaked in garlic for a few hours catch a lot of eater size channel and blues.