Channel Catfish Fishing Tips

Channel Catfish Fishing Tips

The channel catfish seem to be very active during the spring to early fall seasons. It is during this time that the water levels are rising. This is when the channel catfish will hit almost any type of bait and anglers get plenty of bites and have the opportunity to reel in a lot of fish. They will be less active when the water levels are falling although no one knows for sure the reason behind this.

Don’t exclude the winter months from your fishing agenda. Ice fishing can be very productive for channel catfish as long as you present your bait correctly. It should be presented in a slow manner where they will have time to respond as they are in search of food this time of year while waiting for the weather to break.

There are a lot of different types of tackle that can be used to catch channel catfish depending on where you are fishing. For example, long rods that range six to eight feet in length or fly rods are used mainly for fishing in streams while short rods work better in lakes. Most anglers would recommend using ten pound test line when fishing for channel catfish because you are fishing on the bottom of the water where there are a lot of snags that can break your line.

The main thing that you need to be concerned with when it comes to the type of reel to use is that it is strong enough to bring in the size channel catfish you are after. When fishing for the larger catfish you will need a heavy duty reel. The type of sinker and hook that you use is important. For the best results always use the lightest weight possible and make sure your hooks are in good shape and very sharp.