Whiskered Canadian Monsters

Where I’m from, the channel catfish is likely an aspiring angler’s first encounter with a monster fish. The fertile prairie rivers have a strong forage base that allows fish to grow large. Catfish are pretty opportunistic which means they go after a wide variety of baits and even lures. They are pretty easy to catch and they fight pretty hard. To top it off they are extremely accessible. Shore anglers have as good of a chance as boat anglers to land a monster catfish.

Overall catfish have almost everything a new angler can ask for. In this article, I’ll go over how you can hook into a big channel catfish. I’ll generally talk about bottom fishing. I am aware that float fishing, fly fishing and even jigging can work for cats but we’ll keep things a little basic here.

Location

In terms of location, generally large prairie rivers produce good catfish. The most famous example is the Red River in Manitoba which is considered Canada’s best catfish fishery. The best fishing occurs downstream of the Lockport Dam. Catching double digit numbers of large catfish is pretty typical. However there are many other small rivers and streams that produce catfish. They may not be as plentiful or large but sometimes all it takes is a short walk to the river to get your catfish fix.

Generally catfish are mostly a sit and wait kind of fish. Generally they are crawling the bottom looking for things to eat so there isn’t any critical structure like bass or walleye. With their ultra sensitive whiskers, they likely can hone into the bait in murky and turbulent conditions. A good place to fish would be a dam as fish tend to be concentrated and there are eddies that often trap baitfish.

Overall, I find that time of year and water temperature do have an impact on where to fish. Generally catfish do like somewhat colder water. In the spring and the early fall, they are pretty accessible to shore anglers as catfish are shallow. In the summer they do get a bit tougher for the shore anglers as they prefer the deeper holes of the river to escape the heat. However fishing at night can improve your chances as catfish do bite at night and they come into the shallows.

Equipment

The Setup

If you ever caught a catfish, it’s a pure muscular beast that grows big and fights hard. Strong tackle is required to launch the big rigs and bring these beasts in. Though if you’re fishing a small creek, you can get away with a lighter setup.

In general, spinning or baitcasting setups are both acceptable. Personally I would go with baitcasters due to higher line capacity, stronger drags and the ability to accurately control the spool. Something like a Shimano Calcutta 400B is about the size you need. However a heavy duty spinning reel works if you’re not comfortable with baitcasting, especially if you’re more of a novice angler. A 4000 size minimum spinning reel is what I would use.

For the rod, I recommend a tough fiberglass rod around 8′ long with a medium heavy action. Fiberglass is very durable, is very bendy and relatively inexpensive. I will discuss later why you need bendiness in the rod. My recommendation is something like an Ugly Stik for catfish . I also use light duty musky rods mostly because I have them already.

Braided line will always be my line of choice. The thin diameter of braided line will always allow you to spool more on the reel. Plus it’s more durable which means you do not have to replace it as frequently. I would recommend a minimum of 50lb main line for catfish.

The Rig

All you need to catch a catfish is a simple slip sinker rig. Typically called a catfish rig, it’s generally a 7/0 circle hook with a strong monofilament or fluorocarbon leader around 12 to 18 inches long. Often these are available premade at your local store. You could also just buy the heavy duty swivel, leader material and hooks and make the rigs yourself.

Any seasoned catfish veteran will have a box full of assorted sinkers. The sinker is what will keep your bait at the bottom of a fast current. Many novice anglers tend to use a weight that is too light. A light sinker will cause the rig to slide downstream which greatly increases the chances of the rig snagging in the rocks. I recommend a no roll sinker or a pyramid sinker. Due to their shape, it’s harder for the current to move the rig downstream. I would have various sizes ranging from 1-4 oz. You can even stack multiple sinkers if you need more.

With any slip sinker rig, a bead between the swivel and the sinker is highly recommended. This prevents the sinker from smashing into your knot which will weaken it gradually. A bead is really a small price to pay to prevent equipment failure.

Bait

A catfish has a highly developed sense of taste and smell, bait is a pretty critical part of your success. A catfish is generally not picky but certain baits tend to work better in certain situations. The most common baits I know that are used include:

• Cutbait (typically suckers, goldeye or tullibee)
• Frogs
• Shrimp
• Worms
• Artificial catfish dough

I will say though to maximize your chances at a big catfish, cutbait is generally the best bait. Often catfish share the same waters as other fish like drum and bullheads. Big pieces of cutbait can deter those other fish from stealing bait and wasting your time. Shrimp is my favorite bait personally simply because it’s widely available at your local stores.

The kind of bait to use generally depends on what forage typically common in the waters. That can change depending on the time of year. In the Red River for example, suckers tend to be pretty common in the early spring. In summer goldeyes become plentiful. Then frogs appear in late summer. Generally this comes down to local knowledge. Check with your local shops and forums as to what the best baits are.

Other Equipment

A large net is highly recommended to land these giant cats. Make sure you have a deep mesh that allows the catfish to stay in water while unhooking.

Once the cat is in the boat or shore, a pair of pliers is sometimes required to extract the hook. Having a good bump board helps you measure the catfish in case you want to document your personal best catch.

If you’re using a boat, a quality anchor is required to hold the boat in fast current. What I would also recommend is a drift sock behind the boat. When a boat is anchored in current, it has a tendency to swing back and forth like a pendulum. A drift sock pulls the boat against the anchor keeping the boat relatively straight. This prevents the rigs from swinging back and forth underwater which greatly reduces the chances of the rigs snagging.

Now For the Fishing

Now for the fun part. Generally bottom fishing is really simple. Just cast your rig out with bait and wait for the bend in the rod. You can’t miss the bite of a big catfish when bends your rod all the way. Make sure you have a quality rod holder that won’t break. Simply pick up the rod and do battle. No need for a hook set. The circle hook combined with the bendiness of the rod always pins the hook in the corner of the fish’s mouth. That ensures a very easy release process.

I will say due to the forget and fire nature of catfishing, it is very beginner friendly. Passive fishing styles require little focus and generally allows for more socializing time. I have had some very good conversations with friends while waiting for a cat to bite. Of course when the bite is hot, it might be just full of mayhem. There have definitely been times where I couldn’t catch a breath as there was always someone with a cat on the line.

Final Words

If you want to get your hands on a monster fish that’s easy to catch, look further than the mighty channel catfish. This Canadian beast, while ugly, has been giving many amateur anglers fun and hectic outings.