Lack of a boat shouldn’t hinder your catfishing efforts too much. With the right tackle and tactics, you can fish from the bank and still expect to catch plenty of whiskerfish, including some trophy-size catches.
Bank-Fishing Tips
Story and photos by Keith “Catfish” Sutton
No boat? No problem. You can still catch plenty of catfish if you use the right tactics.
Catfish anglers fish from boats significantly less than crappie, bass and walleye anglers. In some areas, 70 percent or more fish primarily from shore. If you are part of this group, employing the following tips could greatly improve your catch.
First, pick a bank-fishing site near prime catfish holding areas—perhaps a shore clearing near a river’s outside bend, a spot beside a pond levee or a gravel bar adjacent a deep hole in a small stream. The best sites have flat, brush-free banks where casting is easy. Ideally, you should be able to walk from one good bank-fishing spot to another. Fish for 30 minutes at the first spot, and if a bite isn’t forthcoming, move to another. When hungry cats are nearby, they’ll quickly find your offerings.
If you’re confident trophy-class cats inhabit the water you’re fishing, it may prove beneficial to remain in one locale and fish longer. Cast to the best-looking spot you can reach, place your fishing combo in a rod holder, put the reel in free-spool, flip on your bait clicker and relax until the action starts. This technique may not produce lots of catfish, but it’s excellent when targeting often-roaming heavyweights.
The tailwater areas just below big-river dams rank among the best bank-fishing areas. State and federal agencies often provide riverside walkways at these locales to accommodate anglers. Catfish concentrate below dams in huge numbers, especially during upstream runs in spring.
Ten- to 14-foot fiberglass rods allow the long casts necessary to reach prime fishing areas. Use a simple bell-sinker rig: a 2- to 4-ounce bell sinker allowed to slide freely on your line above an 8/0 circle or octopus hook. Try shad chunks for bait. Cast toward the dam into a groove of slackened water between open gates. Let the rig sink and remain in one spot for 15 minutes. If you don’t get any bites, raise your rod tip high to lift the weight, let the current wash it downstream a few feet, then let the weight down again and repeat. This allows covering lots of bottom from a single bank-fishing spot.
When bank-fishing on small streams, use a sliding-bobber rig to thoroughly work the stretch of water you’ve chosen to fish. In heavy current, or when medium or large baits are used, use a larger, rounder, more buoyant bobber. In low or moderate flow, or when small baits are used, a smaller cigar-shaped bobber is OK.
Position a bobber stop so your bait hangs a foot or two above, not on, the stream bottom. Add just enough weight to hold the bait down, then allow the rig to drift naturally, guiding it alongside catfish-attracting cover and structure. Night crawlers, crayfish and sunfish are good baits to try.
With a long rod to keep your line up off the water, you can become adept at steering a bobber rig past holding areas without hang ups. Drift down one side of a hole, then down the other and, finally, right down the middle. If nothing happens after you’ve worked an area thoroughly, move your bobber stop up and drift through deeper. Or move to another spot and try again.
Fishing piers also offer excellent bank-fishing prospects. Look for buoys around the pier marking man-made fish shelters where catfish are likely to hold. If there are no buoys, cast a small jig a few times to determine where shelters might be. Surrounding fish attractors are usually the best fishing spots, but you should also fish around nearby stumps, trees and other cover. The bell-sinker rig and sliding-bobber rig both work here.
No matter where you bank fish, don’t drop your guard when landing a big cat, even if the fish appears subdued. A long-handled net is best for landing large fish, but, at times, beaching the fish may be necessary. If you anticipate this possibility, use heavy line, keep your drag properly set and pull the fish up on shore as far as possible before attempting its capture.
Carry some folding chairs, drinks and friends on your bank-fishing forays. Build a campfire, kick back and chew the fat. The camaraderie and relaxation are what make this form of fishing so much fun. Catching cats is just a bonus.
(Keith “Catfish” Sutton lives in Alexander, Arkansas with his wife Theresa. He has written four books on catfishing, including the latest, Hardcore Catfishing: Beyond the Basics from Skyhorse Publishing. In 2022, he was one of the inaugural inductees in the American Catfishing Association’s Catfishing Hall of Fame.)
