Channel catfish move close to shore and are eager to bite in many lakes and the large reservoirs across Connecticut. After eating light during the winter, channel catfish go on a feeding frenzy in early spring cleaning up small fish that died over the winter.
When the ice goes off, a winter’s worth of dead forage fish drift into shallow water for channel catfish to devour. Search for actively feeding fish on the windblown shorelines and points where dead fish are piled up and the shallow water warms quickly. Keep the wind in your face and try different locations until you find actively feeding fish.
Use cut bait or golden shiners or suckers fished on the bottom. To keep the bait on the hook, try using a 1/0 to 3/0 bait holder hook and enough weight (3/8th to ½ ounce) to cast into the wind. Bring along a pair of needle nose pliers to handle the swallowed hooks and a old rag and help keep the smell off your hands and to hold the fish to not get finned.
Ice out catfishing can be good in any lake that has an abundant catfish population.
Look for tree's blown down and making a good ambush point for Mr. Whiskers and just below any dam will increase your creel. Make sure you have your outdoor grill all set for spring and I think the best way to cook them. Potatoes, I like red skin and some asparagus cooked with garlic along side the fish on the grill. The Nutmeg State has really led all New England with their aggressive stocking program and I think this spring will be on the high end of the cycle. I caught a few thru the ice and it will only get better. Take a break from the trout and bass tournaments and invite a young person, veteran or two or a older relative in a nursing home for a day to share their previous fishing days from shore for the good tasting Catfish . Basic light to medium rod's and reels and a license is all you need with no crowds or heavy bugs yet.
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Are found in almost every state in the United States,
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are popular gamefish, sought after by anglers across the country,
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grow to large sizes providing the opportunity for trophy-sized catches,
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are easy to catch from shore with simple equipment,
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and are good to eat.
Fishing for Channel Catfish:
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Channel catfish can be caught throughout the day, but dusk or night time are the best times to target them.
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Bait like these, fished on or near the bottom are your best bet:
- nightcrawler,
- live minnows,
- cut chunks of fish,
- or chicken livers, which are a particularly popular bait used by catfish “sharpies”.
E-Mail me your results. good or just the experience to me at waynewnri.com
and it just might make the live radio show broadcast of the Outdoor Scene on wnri.com worldwide livestream.
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