Catch Spring Channel Catfish
This early season bite is the ultimate way to maximize improving spring weather conditions.
Spring Channel Catfish in the Great Lakes
Spring cats are one of my first targets ever spring. Just after ice-out in some of the local harbours and rivers, giant channel catfish can be found migrating towards shallow, warming backwaters as they prepare to spawn.
This presents an opportunity for eager anglers to tussle with big fish using simple setups from the bank, or nearshore in a kayak, canoe or aluminum boat.
The Right Bait
Using the right bait is the most critical part of having success while fishing for spring channel catfish.
There are so many baits on the market that work in the southern United States where catfish like “stink”, but great lakes channel catfish have other preferences.
Minnows and worms will take their fair share of bites when there are channel catfish around but it’s widely agreed that fresh sucker** is the king of all catfish baits around the great lakes.
From my experience, the fresher the better when it comes to suckers. I prefer to chop up the suckers on the day that I am using them for bait, and use all of the blood from the fish that I can.
Catfish have highly developed olfactory senses and this makes them extremely good at smelling blood in the water, and partial to the freshest bait.
In the early sping, pre-spawn channel catfish are focused on feeding on winterkill objects, meaning they have a lot of choice for food. The bottom can be littered with dead baitfish and other food items from a fast warm-up of the water, or a long, cold winter. Ensuring your bait stands out with a healthy blood trail and fresh scent will help you be more successful.
**Since there are many protected sucker species, so make sure you are buying suckers from a legal source (tackle shop), or are harvesting the right ones to use for bait.
The Right Rig
Rigging for channel catfish is simple and easy. A Carolina rig with a 0.5oz to 2oz egg weight, and 8 to 12 inches of heavy fluorocarbon line to a size 2 to 1/0 octopus hook is all you need.
Variations of the rig can help dial you in depending on the current or structure you are fishing around.
When selecting a weight, it is important to go as light as you can, but heavy enough to secure your bait to the bottom in the event of wind or current flow.
Keeping hooks small and weights as light as possible ensures the fish will not become wary when it picks up your bait.
When the water is cold, try small chunks of bait with small hooks. As the water warms up, catfish will inhale large chunks with aggression, but be cautious when the water and their metabolism is cold.
The Right Spot
There are catfish in almost every water system in North America. They are one of the ecological unsung heroes that keep things moving for the stars of the show like Bass, Pike, Walleye, Trout, and Panfish.
Think of a world without janitors or garbagemen. That is what catfish do, and we love them for that.
Because of their widespread distribution, there is a good chance that there are catfish within a close drive from where you live.
The big great lakes channel catfish that we target are mostly migratory from Lake Ontario or Erie that spend most of their days scouring the lake bottom, except for their seasonal run into backwater creeks or rivers in the spring.
Slow moving river systems with many bays and timber are tops on my list on places to target these pre-historic creatures in the spring.
Mud bottom, muddy water, and wood hold heat from the strengthening spring sun and channel cats love that, being cold blooded (like all great lakes fish).
Rivers
Rivers are an obvious hotspot to find channel cats (its in their names) in the spring time and can produce some of the best fishing.
When searching for potential areas to fish channel catfish, look for slow pockets outside of feeder creeks, canals, ditches, or shallow bays where warm water is pouring out. These are often the first places pre-spawn catfish show up after ice out in search of warmth and food.
Deep holes become increasingly good spots once the water warms up and catfish finish their spawn. Deep holes provide breaks from the river current and an easy spot for catfish to grab their next meal.
The Right Setup
A medium-heavy to heavy spinning or baitcasting setup is ideal for fighting large channel catfish.
Rods, Reels and Line
The old saying of “the fish can’t see how expensive your rod and reel are” is certainly true when fishing channel catfish.
I have fished channel cats with success using largemouth flipping sticks, spoon casting salmon rods, and even old downrigger rods flipped upside down to accommodate a spinning reel.
An ideal setup for me is a baitcasting rod in the 7’6” to 8’ range with a heavy or extra heavy power rating and a fast tip.
Having a bit of tip to help with hook placement is a benefit, while a stout backbone is a requirement.
Similar to how bait runner reels can be used to “lead” a fish before setting the hook, baitcasters allow you to feed a catfish line through the Carolina rig before tightening the noose.
Heavy line is also required when fishing for channel catfish, as they are strong and live in environments full of debris and snags. I like to go with 30 or 40 pound powerpro braid in yellow so I can see my line jump and where my line is laying after a cast.
Time to go fishing!
Channel catfish are a great fish to target early in the spring when the first few weeks of nice sunny weather sends the ice away for good.
I am typically doing the bulk of my catfishing in April, while in between trout and salmon trips. They provide a great option on windy days where fishing the Niagara River or Lake Ontario simply aren’t an option.
As the days get longer, after work getaway trips become possible, so take advantage!
Lyle Gayder - Hooked on Niagara Fishing Guide Service
Get Outside and Go Fishing!