Savvy catfish anglers are well aware of the importance of Jimmy Holbrook’s tip. Holbrook fishes tournaments and recreationally with Layla Ledbetter. Looking at their success on the tournament trail, the rest of us probably ought to listen, because that favorite fishing hole does not always pay off.
“This habit has helped me a lot in my catfishing endeavors,” said Holbrook. “When I am fishing, either in a tournament of for recreation, I make myself fish at least one new spot each time. I may even fish more than one new spot if the bite is slow in my usual spots.”
Holbrook’s routine does two important things. “By doing this you learn new, promising spots to start fishing next time, and you also learn the patterns of catfish under different conditions. That knowledge will help you to find even more good spots.”
“Catfish patterns change from season to seasons,” continued Holbrook. “Sometimes they like to hold tight to ledges other times the will be up on a hump or shallow flat eating. By making yourself fish these new areas it will help you locate where the fish are and increase your catch percentage.”
“I know we all have our favorite fishing spots,” concluded Holbrook. “But, sometimes, due to the weather, the distance we are from the spot or just other fishermen in our favorite holes, we can’t always fish where we want to. It is always good to have multiple options in mind before ever getting on the water. The time to find those new spots is before you need them.”
Epilogue: Jimmy Holbrook, along with Chris Gaines, founded the Santee Cooper Monster Cat Quest. The inaugural event, with 76 boats, took place on March 31 and April 1, 2017. For more information on their tournament visit their Facebook page.
