Hidden Fishing Tips

Usually when you get into the spring months of March and April, the spring bass spawn will begin. But don’t think it hinges on the month or day of the year, it hinges on the water temperature.

The ideal water temperature for bass spawning is 63 to 70 degrees.

But, the smart anglers will begin their spring fishing season when the water temperature is cooler than this, perhaps in the 58 to 60 degree range, as the bass will be in the pre-spawn, and will be preparing their nests for spawning activity.

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So yesterday, we talked about how to catch catfish, and in particular, how to find them. Today I want to go over the part that is a little easier, and that is what catfish bait to use, and some gear suggestions. Remember, catfish instinctively feed mostly by scent, so using baits that are real, or that contain a lot of odor, blood, etc. will be your best bet. And also, the bait needs to be protein or cheese based. Just throwing something that stinks at them will not necessarily catch the fish.

Using the Right Catfish Bait

So once you have located the fish, now it is time to bait them up. Selecting the right catfish bait is really not that difficult. If you are fishing for larger catfish, use shad or perch. If you really want to go after large flathead (yellow) catfish, then use live perch, and drift fish or setup on the bottom. If you want to catch the big blue catfish, use live shad wherever possible.

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At the end of the day, catfish are animals, and how to catch catfish is all about finding them, and presenting them with pleasing bait. Catfish are instinctive, and they feed mostly by scent and smells, not by sight. However, as you get into the larger catfish, you’ll find that they tend to feed more on fish than they do on scavenging. That’s why when you use baits that more closely align with fish, you’ll tend to catch bigger catfish, than you do with baits that just have a pleasing odor to the catfish. So let’s look at some tips that can help you to become a better fisherman, in essence, how to catch catfish.

There are two things that contribute probably 80-90% of your catfishing success. And they are fishing in areas where catfish are, and using the right catfish bait. That may seem elementary, but it really is the most important thing. The gear that you use, the time of year, weather conditions, and other things play a role in your catfishing experience, but when it comes right down to it, if you aren’t using the right bait and fishing in an area where catfish are located, you just won’t catch fish.

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Today I want to look at a few simple catfishing tips. Catfishing is extremely fun, and the really neat thing about catfish, is that you have the potential to pull in a monster fish. Catfish have been known to get up into the 100 pound range, and although it is rare to catch one that size, it can be done.

I have personally seen a jug a line where a large catfish straightened an Eagle Claw 9/0 circle hook (that’s a pretty big hook). It was our estimation that the fish was at least 40 to 50 pounds to be able to straighten a hook of that size. How did we do it? Let’s take a look at some of these catfishing tips.

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Selecting the right crappie rod is extremely important to catching good crappie. Crappie often bite more like perch than they do big game fish, so sensitivity in the rod (especially the rod tip) is significant. The most important thing about getting a rod that will be the most effective in crappie fishing is to think lightweight. Getting an ultralight to lightweight model is the first and foremost thing you want to look for when you are looking to add rod specifically to your crappie tackle.

Crappie Rod Length

When you are thinking about the length of the crappie fishing rod you need, think long. When you are fishing crappie, you are usually going to be using a vertical jigging technique (often with crappie jigs) to attract the fish. So if you have a long, lightweight, sensitive rod then you can easily move the bait around as you are jigging. This will provide better action for your crappie lures, and give you a better chance at catching the fish.

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