How to Catch Catfish: Beyond the Basics of Bottom Fishing

I've been pulling catfish from muddy waters for over thirty years, and I still remember the first time one of those whiskered beasts nearly yanked my rod clean out of my hands. It was a humid July evening on the Mississippi River, and that channel cat hit my chicken liver like a freight train. Since then, I've developed what some might call an obsession with these bottom-dwelling bruisers.

Catfishing isn't just fishing—it's a peculiar blend of patience, strategy, and understanding the quirky nature of a fish that'll eat damn near anything if presented right. While bass anglers fuss over color patterns and trout fishermen tie microscopic flies, catfish anglers embrace a different philosophy entirely. We're the pragmatists of the fishing world, and proud of it.

Understanding Your Quarry

The thing about catfish is they're survivors. These fish have been around for millions of years, and they didn't make it this far by being picky eaters or following predictable patterns. Channel cats, blues, and flatheads—each species has its own personality, if you will. Channel catfish are the social butterflies, often feeding in groups and hitting a wide variety of baits. Blue catfish? They're the giants, the record-breakers that make grown men cry when they snap 80-pound test line. And flatheads... well, flatheads are the loners, the ambush predators that want their meals still kicking.

I learned early on that catfish don't read the fishing magazines. They don't know they're supposed to bite at dawn and dusk. I've caught my biggest cats at 2 PM on blazing hot days when every fishing article would tell you to stay home. The key is understanding that catfish are opportunistic. They're constantly adjusting to water temperature, oxygen levels, and food availability.

Water temperature drives everything. When the water hits 70°F in spring, catfish go into overdrive. They're spawning, they're hungry, and they're aggressive. But here's something most people don't realize—catfish actually feed more actively in current than in still water. Moving water brings food to them, and it carries scent trails that can pull catfish from hundreds of yards away.

The Art of Bait Selection

Let me dispel a myth right now: catfish aren't garbage fish that only eat rotten food. Sure, they'll eat stink bait, but they're also predators that regularly hunt live prey. The trick is matching your bait to the situation.

Fresh cut bait outperforms everything else in my experience, especially for blue and channel catfish. I'm talking about fresh shad, skipjack, or bluegill cut into chunks. The oils and blood create a scent trail that catfish can follow from incredible distances. When I'm cutting bait, I make angular cuts that expose more surface area. More surface area means more scent dispersion.

But sometimes you need to get creative. I once ran out of bait on a remote stretch of river and ended up catching a dozen channel cats on Slim Jims from my lunch cooler. Not my proudest moment, but it taught me that catfish will investigate anything that smells interesting.

For flatheads, nothing beats live bait. Bluegill, small carp, bullheads—anything that swims and fits in their mouth. The key is keeping the bait lively. A half-dead minnow might catch a channel cat, but flatheads want their food fighting back.

Commercial stink baits have their place, especially when fishing from shore where you can't easily catch fresh bait. The best ones have a cheese or blood base with plenty of fiber to help them stay on the hook. I make my own sometimes, usually starting with cheap hot dogs, garlic powder, and anise oil. Let it sit in the sun for a day (keep it away from the house unless you want to sleep on the couch), and you've got catfish candy.

Rigging for Success

The beauty of catfish rigs is their simplicity. You don't need a tackle box full of specialized gear. A basic slip sinker rig catches more catfish than all the fancy setups combined. Thread an egg sinker onto your main line, tie on a barrel swivel, then add an 18-inch leader with a circle hook. That's it.

Circle hooks revolutionized catfishing. They hook fish in the corner of the mouth almost every time, which means better hook sets and easier releases. I use 5/0 to 8/0 circles for most situations, going bigger only when targeting trophy blues or flatheads.

The weight of your sinker depends entirely on current. In still water, a half-ounce might be plenty. In heavy river current, I've used up to 8 ounces. The goal is just enough weight to hold bottom without getting constantly hung up.

Here's a setup most anglers overlook: the float rig. Suspending bait just off the bottom can be deadly, especially in snag-filled areas. I use a slip float above a 1-ounce egg sinker, which keeps the bait hovering 6-12 inches off bottom. This presentation drives flatheads crazy.

Location Strategies

Finding catfish starts with understanding structure. These fish relate to edges—the edge of a channel, the edge of a weed bed, the edge where fast water meets slow. In rivers, look for current breaks behind wing dams, bridge pilings, or fallen trees. That slack water right next to heavy current is catfish gold.

In lakes and reservoirs, focus on channel ledges, humps, and points. Catfish use these as highways, following contours while searching for food. The magic depth varies by season, but 15-25 feet is a good starting point in summer.

One spot that consistently produces is the washout hole below dams. The turbulent water disorients baitfish and creates a buffet line for catfish. Just be careful—the current can be dangerous, and regulations often restrict how close you can fish to the dam.

Don't overlook shallow water, especially at night. Big catfish will cruise into 2-3 feet of water after dark, hunting for crayfish and baitfish. Some of my best catches have come from spots so shallow I could practically reach down and touch bottom.

Timing and Patience

Catfishing teaches patience like no other type of fishing. You might sit for hours without a bite, then suddenly have three rods going off at once. The waiting is part of it, and I've learned to embrace those quiet hours.

Night fishing is traditionally considered prime time, and there's truth to that. Catfish have excellent night vision and use darkness as cover for hunting. But I've also had phenomenal days fishing the hour before a thunderstorm, when the barometric pressure drops and catfish go on a feeding rampage.

The spawn changes everything. When water temperatures hit 75-80°F, catfish move shallow to nest. Males guard the nests aggressively and will hit anything that comes too close. It's easy fishing, but I usually leave them alone during this time. Those males are protecting the next generation.

Fighting and Landing

When a big catfish hits, your first instinct might be to set the hook hard. Don't. With circle hooks, you simply start reeling steadily and let the hook do its work. The fish will hook itself as it turns away.

The fight of a large catfish is different from other gamefish. They don't jump or make blazing runs. Instead, they use their broad sides and powerful tails to bulldoze toward structure. A 20-pound channel cat in current fights harder than a 40-pounder in still water.

Keep steady pressure but don't horse them. Big catfish have surprisingly soft mouths, and too much pressure will tear the hook free. When they make a run, let them take line. When they pause, gain it back. It's a give-and-take dance that might last 20 minutes with a real monster.

Landing big catfish requires planning. A good landing net is essential from a boat, but from shore, you might need to beach them carefully. Never grab a catfish by the mouth—their jaws are lined with hundreds of tiny teeth that feel like sandpaper. Instead, grip them behind the pectoral fins, being careful of the sharp spines.

The Deeper Connection

There's something primal about catfishing that speaks to me. Maybe it's the simplicity, or the way it connects us to a older style of fishing. My grandfather caught catfish with cane poles and cord line, using worms dug from his garden. The basics haven't changed much.

I've noticed catfishing attracts a different crowd than other types of fishing. We're not usually the guys with $70,000 bass boats or custom fly rods. Catfish anglers tend to be practical folks who appreciate a fish that fights hard and tastes good. There's an honesty to it I respect.

Some of my best memories involve catfishing. Teaching my daughter to bait her first hook with chicken liver (she gagged, but she did it). Sharing a thermos of coffee with strangers at 3 AM while waiting for a bite. The time my buddy and I caught and released over 100 pounds of channel cats in a single night, laughing until our sides hurt at the absurdity of it all.

Final Thoughts

Catfishing remains one of the most accessible forms of fishing. You don't need expensive gear or secret techniques. You need bait, patience, and a willingness to get a little messy. The learning curve is gentle but the ceiling is high—there's always something new to figure out.

If you're just starting, keep it simple. Find a spot with public access, rig up with some chicken liver or worms, and give it time. Don't get discouraged if the first few trips are slow. Catfish have survived this long by being unpredictable.

And when you finally hook into a big one—when your rod bends double and your drag screams—you'll understand why some of us never stop chasing these whiskered ghosts. There's magic in that moment when a creature you can't see tests your skill and determination. Win or lose, you'll be planning your next trip before you even get home.

The best catfish anglers I know aren't the ones with the most gear or the biggest boats. They're the ones who understand that catfishing is as much about the experience as the catch. It's about those quiet hours before dawn, the anticipation of a bite, and the satisfaction of outsmarting a worthy opponent. Everything else is just details.

Authoritative Sources:

Sutton, Keith. Catfishing: Beyond the Basics. Krause Publications, 2003.

Tucker, C.S., and E.H. Robinson. Channel Catfish Farming Handbook. Springer Science & Business Media, 1990.

Miranda, L.E., and D.R. DeVries, editors. Reservoir Fish Habitat Management. American Fisheries Society, 2013.

Pflieger, William L. The Fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation, 1997.

Ross, Stephen T. The Inland Fishes of Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi, 2001.