Catfish In Colder Waters

[mic]

This is probably a stupid question and worth a laugh for most of you, but I honestly don't know. Is it worth putting a line out for Mr. Wiskers in cold spring feed waters in the Ozarks...such as the trout and small mouth waters. I never fished for cats in water you could see in past a couple of feet. Additionally, if you have spot on the bank you don't mind sharing near St. Louis, drop me a PM.

[Bird Watcher]

It depends on how cold of a creek you are talking about. I don't know about a tailwater, but most of the spring fed creeks should have some channels in them, especially on the lower third before the confluence with a larger River system or lake. A lot of them will probably have a flathead or two as well, maybe even a blue if the creek feeds into the Mississippi.

I've caught a lot of them out of root wads and brush piles in the clear creeks around me as a kid. I would drop liver or hot dogs on the upstream side and let the current take it back in the shade underneath a little bit. If you don't catch something in 5 - 10 minutes move on to the next one. The tailouts of riffles at the head of big slow pools is another spot to catch them as afternoon turns into evening and dusk.

[fishinwrench]

Reservoir tribs are your best bet, you can get into them pretty good after a good gullywasher. They'll run up the creeks as soon as it begins to fall out, and will stay as long as the water remains off colored.

If you are going after them with flys its hard to beat a strip of rabbit fur (white or pink)

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[aftersh0ck]

The springs no but most of the smallmouth water have cats especially flatheads in the deep pools or the tree roots.

Go down to where all the canoe outfiiters are in the upper streams and you will see pics of them on the wall.

If you look in the background of the pics you will see what part it came out of.

Had a awesome time catching a azzload of channels out of the huzzah one june and that water was not warm at all.

[Gavin]

You can catch em pretty much anywhere that smallmouth are abundant. Keep your eyes peeled for forked sticks stuck in the gravel bars...fish for catfish there. Cheers.

[mic]

Thanks all.

[ozark trout fisher]

The Bourbeuse is a very good catfish river all the way through.Lots of channel cats in there, a few flatheads too. I catch them fairly often fishing for bass, especially when I'm using soft plastics. Pretty much all the Meramec below the trout water is decent for catfish too. Big River is a good option as well.

On the Bourbeuse there are some nice holes with plenty of channel cats in the Mayers Landing area on Highway UU outside Union...Not right at the access though, you'll have to wade a bit downstream to get to them. Not exactly your clear, spring-fed river though.

I can't say I've ever specifically targeted catfish with a fly rod, but when I have accidentally hooked them while fishing for other species, it's sure fun. A four pound catfish will give you all you can handle on a 5 weight.

[gotmuddy]

I would just about guarantee you will catch them in places like the eleven point.

[ozark trout fisher]

I would just about guarantee you will catch them in places like the eleven point.

Really. I wouldn't have expected that at least on the parts I've been on. I'm assuming not in the trout water?

[gotmuddy]

Riverton to the narrows has catfish if anywhere has them. The white river has lots of places like sloughs in the trailrace where the water is warmer.