| Catfish in reservoirs is not a natural occurrence. | | | | reservoirs. Catching a blue catfish over 30lbs is |
| Although bait fishing for catfish in reservoirs is | | | | not uncommon. |
| booming today because of original stocking and | | | | Another key factor to catch catfish in reservoirs |
| migrations of native river catfish into the | | | | in understanding where the original series of |
| reservoirs. Reservoir building during the 1950's, and | | | | channels were located. Catfish will remain a river |
| 1960's and still today, has opened up a vast water | | | | fish instinctively even in reservoirs even in |
| areas for catfisherman. The original habitat of | | | | reservoirs. There will be good populations of |
| channel catfish, blue catfish, flathead catfish, and | | | | channel catfish, flathead catfish, and blue catfish |
| white catfish have always been in the river | | | | living in structure that is close to the original creek |
| systems of the United States and they still thrive | | | | and river channels. |
| there today. | | | | To catch flatheads locate areas near the original |
| Reservoirs are water impoundments that get | | | | river channel or original creek channels. Flathead |
| their water supply from rivers that have been | | | | catfish are not a roaming catfish like the blue |
| dammed. These new water impoundments vary | | | | catfish. If you intend to go bait fishing for flathead |
| in shape, size, depth, water color, productivity, | | | | catfish you will need to find there location. These |
| and potentially many other characteristics. The | | | | fish will not move far. |
| catfish populations as well as other species come | | | | To catch blues in reservoirs head to areas that |
| from the migration of the species from tributary | | | | have current flow, and to where the shad schools |
| feeds, you can bait fish for catfish such as | | | | are located. Blue cats do not hold as tight to the |
| channel catfish, flathead catfish, and blue catfish in | | | | original channels as do flathead catfish, but the will |
| some reservoirs, but just about all the reservoirs | | | | still be located in these areas. If you are going bait |
| in the USA hold very good populations of channel | | | | fishing for blues you can use live catfish bait or |
| cats. | | | | dead cut bait, the blues like either. Their favorite |
| To catch catfish in reservoirs takes some | | | | food sources are oily schooling fish such as |
| practice because natural habitat and structure is | | | | threadfin shad, gizzard shad, and skipjack herring. |
| abundant in reservoirs. To catch catfish you need | | | | If you can locate the shad schools in reservoirs |
| to understand the reservoir you intend to fish. It | | | | you could have a outstanding day of fishing. |
| important you get your self a Topographical maps | | | | To catch channel cats in reservoirs you can fish |
| of the reservoir. They can normally be obtained | | | | anywhere in the reservoir where there is |
| from The army core of engineers. Many times | | | | adequate catfish habitat. If there is a better spot |
| local bait shops also have maps. Also paying | | | | for channel catfish on a reservoir it would be far |
| attention to the catfishes food chain is important. | | | | up small tributaries adjacent to the main reservoir. |
| For example reservoirs almost always hold large | | | | They are like the blue cats and they will feed on |
| populations of shad. If you can find the shad | | | | live baits such as shad and crayfish, mussels or |
| schools you will locate some species of catfish | | | | cut bait. If you plan to bait fish for channel catfish |
| close by. Normally flathead catfish don't follow the | | | | through line just outside the current in structure |
| shad schools. One key indicator there are shad | | | | areas channel catfish are like flathead catfish and |
| near is multiple birds flying around. This a good | | | | do not prefer to stay in current. |
| way to locate shad schools for bait fishing for | | | | Well that concludes my article about bait fishing |
| catfish. If you are looking for trophy catfish then | | | | for cats! We wish you the best of luck on your |
| reservoirs are where you need to fish. Most | | | | next fishing trip! Have a nice day. |
| species of catfish can grow extremely large in | | | | |