How to Catch Catfish
The short answer
Catfish hold on ponds, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams. They peak Apr–Sep. Start with cut bait: Chunk of fresh cut bait on a bottom rig in the deepest water — smell does the work. Evening into night is prime.
When Catfish bite
Year-round, best in the warm months
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
around | around | around | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | around | around | around |
What to throw for Catfish
Best first. The retrieve matters more than the lure, so each one says how to work it.
- Cut bait — Chunk of fresh cut bait on a bottom rig in the deepest water — smell does the work.
- Chicken liver — In a bait-holder or on a treble on the bottom; cheap and effective.
- Nightcrawler — A gob of worms on the bottom for smaller channel cats.
Where to find them
Look for ponds, lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams.
Fish the bottom in the deepest hole, especially after dark — in rivers, the outside bends and holes below riffles. Fresh, smelly bait out-fishes everything. Rod in a holder, patience on.
Tide and timing
Tide isn't the driver for catfish — evening into night is prime.
Tackle
Medium-heavy spinning · 15–30 lb line · circle hook + egg sinker on the bottom
Check the regulations
Size and bag limits change by state and by season, and they change more often than any article gets updated. Check your state agency before you keep anything.
Sounder links the right state agency for wherever you drop a pin, and flags a fish that’s out of slot as you log it.