Catfishing

[SDHaze]

Is anyone trying for Catfish? I normally don’t go Catfishing but I have a friend who loves to go. We went last week on the pea gravel shores of Clevenger Cove but no luck. We used bluegill, and dough baits on rods & reels.

When do they start spawning? At what water temp?

Most of the Catfish I have caught has been while Bass or Crappie fishing. It’s hard to leave the boat at the house and fish for mud fish, but its fun once in a while. They do taste good.

[Kicknbass]

My father has run trot lines on Table Rock for years. He typically spends 2-3 weeks starting Memorial weekend and catches lots of catfish. Mostly Flathead, but a few blues and channel as well. He has used a variety of bait through out the years, but has had the best luck w/ blue gill caught from the lake. My wife and kids will typically spend one week with him and my mom. Each day, we will spend the middle of the day with the kids fishing around the dock catching blue gill to add to his bait supply.

The fish he catches during that one vacation will supply his freezer w/ enough fish to have several fish frys though out the year.

[CO woodsman]

Wow, Dad sounds like he plans his vacation time wisely. My Dad does the same thing, but does not take vacation time for it. He Jug fishes though. And yes he too is able to have a fish fry just about anytime he wants. Those Dads sure are smart!!!! (sometimes lol)

[SDHaze]

Thanks Kicknbass for the info. Sounds like it’s getting to be that time. I probably won’t go a lot since Bass takes priority but I’ll post if we have any luck. I probably won’t use trot lines either since that is work, although we’ll have one ready if we feel spunky to set one out.

[Kicknbass]

This will be the first year in many that Dad won't be going for 2-3 weeks. He is going for only a week this year. He says hes getting too old to run the trot lines. So he's just planning on relaxing. I'll be down with my family with Mom & Dad June 7-11 and may encourge him to put out at least 1 line and run it with him. I think the fishing bug will bite when he see's the lake. He will turn 79 in June and is starting to show signs of alzhimers, so is ability to go is fading. Very sad.