Autumn Catfish, Everywhere You Look
Fall is a season that speaks to every angler’s instincts. Cooler nights and shorter days stir fish into action, and suddenly the bite feels alive again. The shift from sluggish summer to active autumn isn’t just welcome—it’s a reminder that opportunities are everywhere, often closer to home than we realize.
That’s the heartbeat of Brad Durick’s feature this month, Small-River Channel Cats. For decades, most articles and videos have spotlighted big rivers and reservoirs, the ones with reputations as trophy factories. Brad pushes us to look differently. He revisits the lessons of “Catfish Fever” and the wisdom of anglers like Doug Stange and Toad Smith who showed us years ago that a catfish is a catfish and a river is a river.
Through his conversations with Jeff Miller, a North Dakota angler who fishes the Sheyanne River, Brad illustrates how much small rivers can teach us. Miller’s approach is simple: right-sized gear, attention to current seams and holes, and a willingness to move often. He targets eaters, not giants, and finds plenty of action with dip baits, cut-bait and lightweight setups. His experience is proof that anglers don’t need heavy tackle or legendary waters to succeed. What matters is understanding how catfish relate to current and structure, and that knowledge transfers perfectly to larger systems when the time comes.
Small-River Channel Cats by Brad Durick Photos courtesy of Jeff Miller
Jeff Miller holding a 29-inch Sheyanne River channel cat. Small-River Channel Cats by Brad Durick Photos courtesy of Jeff Miller Small rivers are all over the United States and often overlooked for great catfish action. For the past three or four decades, magazines that carry catfishing articles usually feature stories about big famous bodies of […]
Big Catfish Lessons from Small Waters by Terry Madewell
Small waters such as ponds can provide excellent catfishing action if you know where to fish. Big Catfish Lessons from Small Waters by Terry Madewell Small waters are often overlooked by catfish anglers because their limited size seems to convey limited resources. Granted, with trophy-sized fish swimming around in big water, the concept that […]
Big River, Big Blue Cats By Brent Frazee
David Magness often has his hands full after spending a day fishing for blue cats on the Mississippi River. (Photo courtesy of David Magness) Big River, Big Blue Cats By Brent Frazee David Magness’s fascination with the Mississippi River has changed little since he first fished it 45 years ago. He remembers fishing on a […]
Coosa River Adventures by Richard Simms
Coosa River Adventures offers overnight trips on the Tallapoosa River. The 51-mile trip consists of flat and swift-moving water. Bring your camping gear and spend the night on one of the numerous sand bars. Coosa River provides the shuttle to the put-in on the Tallapoosa River and take out is at historic Fort Toulouse. (Photo […]
Kansas Angler Releases Potential World-Record Blue Cat By Keith “Catfish” Sutton
Jesse Lance cradles the Missouri River giant moments after the fight of a lifetime. His decision to release the fish reflects a growing commitment among trophy catfish anglers to catch, photograph, and release their biggest catches. (courtesy of Jesse Lance) Kansas Angler Releases Potential World-Record Blue Cat By Keith “Catfish” Sutton On a cold, [...]
Catfish Basics: Hooked Up? Here’s What to Do Next! Story and Photo by Keith “Catfish” Sutton
A bent rod and tight line—sure signs of a hooked catfish. Keep steady pressure and let the rod do the work. Hooked Up? Here’s What to Do Next! Story and Photo by Keith “Catfish” Sutton So, you’ve got a bite. Now what? When a catfish takes your bait, you might feel a sharp tug, […]
Operation River Raid
Kentucky Fish and Wildlife game wardens recently executed 10 search warrants as part of a seven-month investigation into the illegal commercial harvest and sale of catfish. (Photo courtesy of Kentucky DFWR) Operation River Raid Source: Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources On September 12, 2025, game wardens with the Kentucky Department of […]
Catfish Gear: Driftmaster’s New Trophy Rod Holder By Keith “Catfish” Sutton
The Driftmaster Trophy Rod Holder combines stainless-steel strength with a smart release design—just lift and fight when a big cat hits. Available in 15°, 30° and 90° angles to match your setup. Driftmaster’s New Trophy Rod Holder By Keith “Catfish” Sutton When big catfish hit hard, the last thing you want is to wrestle [...]
Record Holder Dethroned by His Wife
Brandi Holt with the 43-inch flathead catfish that broke her husband’s previous state record by an inch. (Photo courtesy of Idaho Fish & Game) Record Holder Dethroned by His Wife Source: Idaho Fish & Game Friendly competition among outdoorsy couples can come in many ways, shapes and forms: who shot the biggest buck last […]
Why We Catfish: Bonding Families, One Trip at a Time By Owen Koch
Capturing moments like this is highly motivating for a dedicated catfish guide. (Photo by Owen Koch) Why We Catfish: Bonding Families, One Trip at a Time By Owen Koch “Oh my gosh, I’m so excited! I can’t wait to catch a fish!” the boy blurted out as he ran up to my boat, his […]
CFN How-to Video—Picking the Right Circle Hooks
Want to know more about some of the different types of circle hooks? Listen in as hook expert Ron Stallings talks about a few of the variations you might run across.
