05-10-2004, 08:40 PM
White Catfish
Ictalurus catus![[Image: catfish_white.gif]](http://i.timeinc.net/fieldstream/images_articles/catfish_white.gif)
[ul] [li]Category: tac [li]Average Weight: 1.6 lb. - 3.2 lb. [li]Peak Weight: 4.8 lb. [li]IGFA Record: lb. [li]Common Names: [/li][/ul]
The white catfish inhabits sluggish streams, ponds and bayous from the Hudson River south to Florida and has been introduced into many other states. It is especially popular in ""pay-lakes"" due to its willingness to bite during daylight hours.
White catfish will eat anything capable of providing nourishment. Their preference is animal matter, especially anything near the bottom where it can be found and devoured with little effort. Rotting morsels are gratefully plucked up. Should unwary forage fish or insects wander within striking range, they too will wind up as catfish cuisine.
[#800080]H[/#800080]abitat
In streams and rivers, white catfish prefer slow moving water near some type of cover, such as underwater roots or log jams. In ponds and bayous you’re likely to catch them anywhere.
FRESH BAIT
Crawlers and small bait baitfish, such as shiners and chubs appeal to white catfish. Baitfish are effective whether dead or alive. Cutting bait into chunks works well when individual baitfish are larger than necessary. Cut bait also exposes the innards of the baitfish which releases scent into the water. Keep the bait size down to 3 to 4 inches.
STINK BAITS
Many white catfish are duped by stink baits such as rancid chicken livers, rotting chunks of fish flesh, volatile blood baits and other foul substances. Most are homemade, but stink baits also may be purchased. The thinking among stink bait disciples is that catfish more easily locate a rank bait.
Whether the bait is fresh or foul, a catfish finds it through its incredible sense of smell. The barbels around the fish’s mouth are olfactory organs that can detect minute traces of odor in the water. They allow catfish to follow a scent to its source.
[#800080]Techniques[/#800080]
BOTTOM RIGS
One reliable bottom rig for white catfish consists of a 1- to 2-ounce sinker tied to the end of the line with a 3/0 hook attached 1 or 2 feet above the weight. Prop up the rod and reel the line tight enough to lift the bait off bottom. This puts a bow in the rod tip.
Keep a close watch, since any movement in the rod tip tells you a catfish is mouthing the bait. Never leave a rod unattended, or a sizable white catfish may drag the outfit into the water.
Another effective bottom rig is to thread the line through an egg sinker before tying it to the hook. Then pinch a split shot on the line about 6 inches above the hook to prevent the egg sinker from sliding down and interfering with the bait. Cast the rig, let the sinker settle to the bottom and take up the slack. Leave the reel in free-spool. When a white catfish swims off with your offering, the line feeds freely through the egg sinker. The catfish feels no resistance and is less likely shy from the hook.
A baitcasting reel that features a free-spool clicker lets you know when a catfish is taking line. A simple tin can strike alarm also works well. First place some stones in a can. Then wrap line between the reel and the first rod guide around the can. When a catfish runs with the bait, it knocks over the can, alerting you to the strike. An alarm lets you put out more than one rod at a time or leave a rod unattended briefly without worrying about a catfish running off with it.
Fishing from the bank is the most traditional method for bottom rigs. Cut forked sticks and shove them into the bank to serve as rod holders. When fishing after dark, a lantern or campfire fends off the darkness and a liberal application of bug repellent deters pesky mosquitoes.
Bottom rigs work equally well from an anchored boat. When fishing in a current, idle directly upstream from the fishing area and drop anchor from the bow. Let out anchor rope until the boat drifts back within range of the catfish and secure the line. Cast straight out from the transom--which the current faces downstream--and prop rods up on the transom or a bench seat.
BOBBERS
A slip bobber rig takes white catfish in ponds and other still water environments. Run your line through a bobber stop, then the slip bobber (also called a slip float) and tie off to a hook. Pinch split shot onto the line a foot or so above the hook to get the bait down to the catfish.
The bobber stop, a tiny piece of rubber or a knotted piece of string that slides up and down the line, is small enough to run through the rod guides and onto the reel. It lets you wind the slip bobber close to the rod tip for easy casting. After the cast, the split shot pulls the line down until the stop reaches the bobber. The key is adjusting the stop so the bait suspends just above bottom.
[#800080]Tackle[/#800080]
Many white catfish are taken every year on spinning, spin-casting and baitcasting tackle normally used for black bass, walleye and similar size game fish. Baitcasting tackle capably handles 12- to 20-pound test lines and the heavy sinkers and baits often used for white catfish.
The problem with baitcasting is the dreaded backlash. You must teach your thumb to brake the revolving spool as it pays out line. Fail to do so and the spool overruns the line, creating a nasty tangle. It takes practice to properly educate your thumb, but the effort is well worth it.
Spinning tackle also is adequate for white catfish. Unlike a baitcasting reel, in which the spool revolves to payout and retrieve line, the spool on a spinning reel remains stationary. Line peels off the end of the spool during the cast and a bail-and-roller winds line onto the spool during the retrieve.
Spincasting reels sit on top of baitcasting rods, as do baitcasting reels. Any model that capably manages 10- to 12-pound test line will handle most white catfish.
A spincasting reel has a stationary spool, as does a spinning reel, but the spool is covered with a metal or plastic cap that has a small hole through which the line passes. A button on the back of the reel lets you release the line with your thumb. Because spincasting tackle is easier to cast than baitcasting and spinning--and causes fewer line problems, as well--it helps beginners get right into the swing of fishing.
SINKERS
White catfish anglers need a wide variety of sinkers, from small split shot to egg and bank sinkers weighing up to 2 ounces.
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Ictalurus catus
[ul] [li]Category: tac [li]Average Weight: 1.6 lb. - 3.2 lb. [li]Peak Weight: 4.8 lb. [li]IGFA Record: lb. [li]Common Names: [/li][/ul] The white catfish inhabits sluggish streams, ponds and bayous from the Hudson River south to Florida and has been introduced into many other states. It is especially popular in ""pay-lakes"" due to its willingness to bite during daylight hours.
White catfish will eat anything capable of providing nourishment. Their preference is animal matter, especially anything near the bottom where it can be found and devoured with little effort. Rotting morsels are gratefully plucked up. Should unwary forage fish or insects wander within striking range, they too will wind up as catfish cuisine.
[#800080]H[/#800080]abitat
In streams and rivers, white catfish prefer slow moving water near some type of cover, such as underwater roots or log jams. In ponds and bayous you’re likely to catch them anywhere.
FRESH BAIT
Crawlers and small bait baitfish, such as shiners and chubs appeal to white catfish. Baitfish are effective whether dead or alive. Cutting bait into chunks works well when individual baitfish are larger than necessary. Cut bait also exposes the innards of the baitfish which releases scent into the water. Keep the bait size down to 3 to 4 inches.
STINK BAITS
Many white catfish are duped by stink baits such as rancid chicken livers, rotting chunks of fish flesh, volatile blood baits and other foul substances. Most are homemade, but stink baits also may be purchased. The thinking among stink bait disciples is that catfish more easily locate a rank bait.
Whether the bait is fresh or foul, a catfish finds it through its incredible sense of smell. The barbels around the fish’s mouth are olfactory organs that can detect minute traces of odor in the water. They allow catfish to follow a scent to its source.
[#800080]Techniques[/#800080]
BOTTOM RIGS
One reliable bottom rig for white catfish consists of a 1- to 2-ounce sinker tied to the end of the line with a 3/0 hook attached 1 or 2 feet above the weight. Prop up the rod and reel the line tight enough to lift the bait off bottom. This puts a bow in the rod tip.
Keep a close watch, since any movement in the rod tip tells you a catfish is mouthing the bait. Never leave a rod unattended, or a sizable white catfish may drag the outfit into the water.
Another effective bottom rig is to thread the line through an egg sinker before tying it to the hook. Then pinch a split shot on the line about 6 inches above the hook to prevent the egg sinker from sliding down and interfering with the bait. Cast the rig, let the sinker settle to the bottom and take up the slack. Leave the reel in free-spool. When a white catfish swims off with your offering, the line feeds freely through the egg sinker. The catfish feels no resistance and is less likely shy from the hook.
A baitcasting reel that features a free-spool clicker lets you know when a catfish is taking line. A simple tin can strike alarm also works well. First place some stones in a can. Then wrap line between the reel and the first rod guide around the can. When a catfish runs with the bait, it knocks over the can, alerting you to the strike. An alarm lets you put out more than one rod at a time or leave a rod unattended briefly without worrying about a catfish running off with it.
Fishing from the bank is the most traditional method for bottom rigs. Cut forked sticks and shove them into the bank to serve as rod holders. When fishing after dark, a lantern or campfire fends off the darkness and a liberal application of bug repellent deters pesky mosquitoes.
Bottom rigs work equally well from an anchored boat. When fishing in a current, idle directly upstream from the fishing area and drop anchor from the bow. Let out anchor rope until the boat drifts back within range of the catfish and secure the line. Cast straight out from the transom--which the current faces downstream--and prop rods up on the transom or a bench seat.
BOBBERS
A slip bobber rig takes white catfish in ponds and other still water environments. Run your line through a bobber stop, then the slip bobber (also called a slip float) and tie off to a hook. Pinch split shot onto the line a foot or so above the hook to get the bait down to the catfish.
The bobber stop, a tiny piece of rubber or a knotted piece of string that slides up and down the line, is small enough to run through the rod guides and onto the reel. It lets you wind the slip bobber close to the rod tip for easy casting. After the cast, the split shot pulls the line down until the stop reaches the bobber. The key is adjusting the stop so the bait suspends just above bottom.
[#800080]Tackle[/#800080]
Many white catfish are taken every year on spinning, spin-casting and baitcasting tackle normally used for black bass, walleye and similar size game fish. Baitcasting tackle capably handles 12- to 20-pound test lines and the heavy sinkers and baits often used for white catfish.
The problem with baitcasting is the dreaded backlash. You must teach your thumb to brake the revolving spool as it pays out line. Fail to do so and the spool overruns the line, creating a nasty tangle. It takes practice to properly educate your thumb, but the effort is well worth it.
Spinning tackle also is adequate for white catfish. Unlike a baitcasting reel, in which the spool revolves to payout and retrieve line, the spool on a spinning reel remains stationary. Line peels off the end of the spool during the cast and a bail-and-roller winds line onto the spool during the retrieve.
Spincasting reels sit on top of baitcasting rods, as do baitcasting reels. Any model that capably manages 10- to 12-pound test line will handle most white catfish.
A spincasting reel has a stationary spool, as does a spinning reel, but the spool is covered with a metal or plastic cap that has a small hole through which the line passes. A button on the back of the reel lets you release the line with your thumb. Because spincasting tackle is easier to cast than baitcasting and spinning--and causes fewer line problems, as well--it helps beginners get right into the swing of fishing.
SINKERS
White catfish anglers need a wide variety of sinkers, from small split shot to egg and bank sinkers weighing up to 2 ounces.
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