Anglers targeting big blue catfish must adapt to
changing seasons and daily conditions.
Details Matter for Big Blues
Story and photos by Terry Madewell
Catfish are complex creatures and a favorite target of anglers everywhere because they’re often caught in large numbers and trophy sizes. One of the favored species for tournament and recreational catfishing is the blue catfish, and its ability to grow to outlandish sizes is a primary reason for its popularity.
Sometimes catching blue catfish seems easy, until it’s not. Even the top guides and tournament pros are often perplexed because what seemed so easy yesterday is creating confusion today.
But top catfish anglers level up their game by keying on details in these situations, a tactic many anglers fail to do. They focus on the small-print facts because they’ve learned that on some days, details really do matter.
Presentation is a Moving Target
Successful catfishermen employ various tactics to catch catfish, and typically, any or all can be effective on a given day. An endless number of subdivision tactics exist, but anchor fishing, drift fishing and vertical spot-lock fishing are three proven techniques. Many top anglers learn to utilize all of the above, plus minor variations.
Minor variations are a key to the “details matter” concept. When anglers encounter a unique situation that doesn’t fit a standard process, they think outside the box and adapt their approach. That’s often the most fun type of catfishing, because the basic presentation formats are just templates; the angler needs to take it to the next level to succeed in some situations.
Avoid Random Fishing
Never randomly fish an area. Fish a specific target. Ensure forage is present to attract catfish, and confirm a pathway for fish to move to you is identified, such as a “neck” or funnel. If they’re not already at this chosen spot, make sure you’re in a place they will want to be. A good example could be a shallow flat loaded with forage in the late evening, with a ditch leading to deep water.
Take Time and Spend Time
All productive professional catfish guides and tournament catfishermen share two qualities that set them apart from most anglers. It’s not having a sixth sense for catfishing success, although that’s a story I need to write at some other point.
In the scheme of the “details matter” concept, all of these top fishermen have an abundance of patience and perseverance. And these two Ps don’t mean fishing a spot until a catfish swims by. The patience part is that they do their due diligence in selecting the specific location to fish.
They rely on electronics to locate forage and catfish in an area. And it’s not just a general area. They’ll decipher a specific pattern and procedure that allows them to work that target successfully.
Once that mental plan is locked in, they’ll physically commit to the area, giving it ample time to work. It’s not necessarily an all-day commitment. It may be an hour or two, depending on the specific situation. But they don’t get impatient after 20 minutes, because while they’re fishing, they’re constantly fine-tuning their presentation by changing baits and checking different depths. Sometimes the answer is a minor shift in tactics.
It’s not always a game of patience. All these pros said it’s not unusual to hook up with big blues before they get half their rigs set up. But that same fast action may occur 90 minutes after initial setup.
Patience and perseverance matter, too.
Current is Cool
Whether fishing lakes or rivers, current is crucial to success. In a river, you may find success at junctions of feeder streams where eddies occur. These areas attract forage, which attracts blues. But also, large bottom obstructions and scoured holes provide great ambush spots. The fish allow the current to bring forage, and they’ll wait behind a current blocker, such as a large rock, downed tree or in a scoured-out depression, to ambush passing prey.
On many trips with expert anglers, they’ve determined that the fish were almost solely relating to current-blocking bottom structure, and by targeting them individually rather than drifting randomly, our catch rate soared.
Size and Type of Bait Matter
Catfish are found in many aquatic habitats, so their natural bait selection varies geographically. But the point of most top anglers is that using baits unique to the area improves the odds of success.
A big blue can be caught on about any bait of any reasonable size. Still, one that’s natural to the area being fished, a tidbit that blues are already hunting and eating in the course of their daily feeding, provides confidence. And when seeking big blues, confidence is really a “thing.”
The size of the bait also matters, and it can be a daily factor. But it often is a seasonal factor. Big blues are opportunistic feeders, and their primary diet shifts. So, when they’re eating small critters, feed them small critters on a hook. Ditto for big critters.
Good Gear Equals Better Outcomes
These pros use quality gear and tackle capable of handling the upper end of the trophy fish they may hook. Part of the task is hooking a big blue, but you must put it in the boat to claim success. To do so, rely on quality equipment up to the task. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does need to be durable to bring a big blue to the net.
And a bigger-than-you-think net is a good idea, too.
Details Matter for Big Blues
Close is often not close enough for big blue catfish. Whether you fish lakes or rivers, the small details matter in terms of catching big blue catfish. Fishing for these beasts becomes a science-and-art combo during the trip, and efforts should never be random. Many details must be considered on any trip, certainly more than listed here. But these are a few that’ll get your mind geared for the task at hand.
(Terry Madewell of Ridgeway, S.C., has been an outdoor communicator for nearly 50 years. He just completed a book, “Minnow Bucket Memories,” a collection of stories covering many outdoor topics, including stories about catfishing. Books are available on Amazon and can be found by title or author. If you want a personalized copy with a note/autograph, contact him at tmadewell50@gmail.com.)
