Catfishing for starters- any advice?

I am a beginner when it comes to catfishing. I think I have the rigs and bait figured out. The only things I am missing is knowledge of where to find catfish and on waiting times.

Since I have limited experience, I think I will just go for smaller, non trophy catfish, nothing special for starters. I am also fishing from the bank in east Texas.

Where should I start looking? Maybe under bridges, or where creeks feed into lakes? As for timing, how long should I leave the bait in the water before moving on, if I don't get any bites?

Lastly, what is the best time of the year and day to catch catfish? I'm thinking springtime, like many other species. I'm not too sure about the when is the best time of the day.

Hi there,

I am fairly new to this catfishing game, but the best advice I have for you is to go cast baits in the water!

Seriously, just getting stuck in and having some patience. Catfish like 'structure' and what I mean by that is underwater features, like deep holes, or old roads, big rocks, bridge pools, in fact anything that stands out. Try and cast your line out to where that structure is. It doesn't have to be far, in fact sometimes they are close to the bank.

You might have more luck with advice if you specify the venue, as local knowledge is priceless.

I caught my first catfish casting jello chicken breast on the hook from the bank off of a point.

In my boat I normally wait no more than 30 minutes for a bite. On the bank I would wait an hour but no longer.

Good luck!

I am still learning too. Just keep tanking nuggets of wisdom. It will come.

You are close to one one the best times to catch the smaller ones from the bank. When the crappie start to spawn in shallow water, the catfish come in to eat the eggs.

Get some Cj catfish bait and sour some milo and fish in shallow water with small trees

I see from your comment on my calendar thread that you have discovered my Catfish Calendar to use in assistance. Everything in this physical world has a pattern. You simply must step back & see the pattern unfold.

I hope I answered your question on the calendar thread. In case you did not notice, I finally made a comment or "share". More YellowCat info can be found in previous years of the calendar posts. See January for their links going back to mid 2010 here on the TFF.

My advice....watch out for snakes!

https://youtu.be/iaARzN9gENg

I've been looking at this post and thinking about where to start. I could write for a week on this and just scratch the surface...

1. You say you have the rigs and bait figured out, I'm curious as to what that means. What rigs and what bait. The bait changes based on time of year, weather, water temp, and sometimes just what they like and how they like it presented.

2. I am partial to fresh bait, natural bait; what they eat when it's not on a hook. I don't like the store bought baits. Chicken, etc. I know some guys on the forum that use prepared baits with great success. Stubby's is legendary. So when you say you got it figured out, we need a little more information so we don't give you bad input.

3. I will use a Santee rig 100 times out of 100.

4. When you bank fish, I think you are limited by where you have access to the water. I don't know what body of water you fish but look for areas with deeper water where there is access to shallow water. Right now as the water is warming, look for the fish to be coming shallow to seek out the warm water.

If you can, target structure where the fish can hole up when they are not feeding. As the water warms this time of year, the fish should be pre-spawn feeding up so they have fat stores to get them through the spawn.

5. It all takes time. You need experience more than anything. Time on the water. Every time you go out, you have an opportunity to learn. Take advantage of that. Start putting your experiences together. When did you have success, when did you not, what was the difference? Keep a log. Pay attention. In time you will see pieces fall into place and you will recognize patterns.

Good luck, and good hunting!

GB & TL...

I’m in 100% agreement with Tim.

I think I will use a fish finder rig (like Carolina rig but with sliding sinker), maybe add a float if needed. Otherwise, a 3 way rig with float. Hook may be a 5/0 size

I have chicken giblets in the freezer. Livers, lungs, hearts, etc. I do know livers are a popular bait. I know cut fish will work as bait, but I do not have any at the moment.

I am planning to fish around bridges and overpasses, unless any of you thinks I shouldn't otherwise. Waiting 1 hour for a bite is a bit too long for me. Maybe 30 minutes?

Year round, spring they will be shallow around rocks and other structure, warm weather they will be deep. Early season it’s hard to beat a worm under a cork alone rock points and such.

Quirky, my first advice to you is to learn how to throw a cast net. You'll never have to pay for bait again and, like Catfish Tim said, fresh is best! Get a 5 foot cast net to begin with. It's easier to learn to throw a smaller net. You can't beat shad just about any time of the year maybe with the exception of deep winter. That's a time you would need to be fishing really deep which is tough for a banker but not impossible. You can catch all kinds of bait with a cast net. Bluegill, carp, drum, you name it.

My next piece of advice is to keep your rigging options open. Most cat guys will choose a Santee rig over anything else and it's proven, but at the end of April and into the beginning of May, I'll use a 5/0 hook about 18" underneath a bobber and absolutely smash blues and channels in water 2'-4' deep. We'll catch them in the backs of coves around brush and along main lake shorelines with rocks and pea gravel banks. I believe the time of year I'm talking about is when the shad spawn. If you go early in the morning, you can see them all along the banks thrashing around in less than 6 inches of water. During this particular time, I wouldn't wait more than ten minutes for a bite. Keep moving and you'll find them.

Let us know what lake you're mostly fishing and I bet we can get you some more specific info. Your biggest challenge is going to be finding the best available spots to fish from the bank. I can assure one thing though, Once you hook into a really good size cat, like anything over twenty pounds, you'll be hooked for life!

I would consider using cut carp, buff, bluegill or shad. Even live crawdads. If you do not have a cast net, you can go to a local Asian market and pick up carp, buff, bonita and live crawdads.
When fishing lakes, lots of areas to hit, but this time of year I like to find a good lake point and spread out my lines if possible. I will typically fish with 4 lines on a point. 2 just on the sloping sides of the point and 2 shallow on top of the point. 2-3 different baits too just to provide a buffet and see what will hit more consistently.

Best of luck and let us know how you do!!

Throw that bait in the slack water next to the main current.
And yeah have access to the water to land your fish.
I mish catfishing, might have to make a trip to Nebraska to hit the canal and the flatheads there.

Biggest flathead I’ve caught was on cut bluegill, not live!
Fish were patrolling a rocky bank and filleted bluegill was the ticket! Caught 2 40+ lbers on one bluegill!

I will check out about using a cast net.

Use fresh shad and stay away from gimmick baits. Follow the wind, when you follow the wind you follow the bait. When you find the bait you find the fish.

This time of year water temp is a huge factor.

Chad is 100% right. If you can't throw a cast net, you are at a huge disadvantage...

Went out on Sunday. Grabbed some crawfish from the bank before sunrise, and used them as live bait. Managed to get some drum and smallish cats. Then caught a 9 1/2 pound, just under 30 inch catfish that morning. I sent that live crawfish under a bridge and that one took it. I was using my baitcaster with 15 pound line My biggest cat so far.

So, is early morning and evening the best time of the day for catfishing? And what kind of hook are you most confident with? Octopus or circle?

Thanks for all of your tips. I still plan on catching fresh bait fish for cats, both live and dead. I will see how it goes.

Some great advice on here! Don’t get overwhelmed! To get started this time of year, a slip cork rig around bridges with rocks would be a great place to start. Especially if there is a little wind moving the water through. I have great luck with red wieners with garlic on them. No it’s not fresh shad for sure. But it does just as good as any store bought bait I have found. I know guys who really love the punch type bait. I have very little experience with it. Live perch have put a lot of good cats in my boat. They are easy to catch on a worm and use. Good luck out there! I hope you find you a good spot to fish!

Was it Azul who said if you want to be a catfish fisherman you have to first be a gizzard shad fisherman?

Get a net. Does not have to be gizzards but those are ideal. I have also done very well with cut bluegill. Threadfin will work as well but of those big three its the weakest option for me.

Store bought stuff no matter how fishy or ethnic the grocery store is just not as good compared to any of those I mentioned. If you have to go that route I like chicken breast. Soaked with jello and some dead red or just raw, it can be pretty darn effective.

Location will be where there is bait and structure or cover. I would suggest going back and reading some of the older posts on here. Tons of really detailed info that holds true at least regionally if not down to the exact hole you might fish.

Good luck! Catfishing is a lot of fun. And can have the added bonus of a tasty healthy meal! I prefer to keep only those fish at or under 8lbs or so for blues and 5lb for channels. Let the bigger breeders go to sustain the population for years to come!

Now you know all you need to know lol! Go get em tiger!