Would Like To Target Beaver Lake Catfish With Rod And Reel Only

[JohnF52]

Any advice? I notice some of you guys catch them frequently on crankbaits.

[YAKFM]

Any advice? I notice some of you guys catch them frequently on crankbaits.

In July I caught quite a few on #6 and #7 Flickers and crawler harnesses. I was locating bait on points and channel bends and trolling over/through the areas at ~ 1 mph with crawler harnesses and 2-3 mph with crankbaits. I had one outing where I caught 7 or 8 catfish up to 5 lbs. These fish were suspended with other fish (walleye, crappie, and whites) 15-20 down over 30-35 FOW. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get out in a while so I don't have any recent information, but plan to next week after school starts back up. Tanderson, Fins, and some others catch them on their crawler harness rigs too.

[Tanderson15]

Still catching them on crawler harness in 30 ft of water next to very deep water. I have been catching to many while walleye fishing. One was 8# by my scale.

[JohnF52]

Have all been channel catfish? Any blues or flatheads?

[Tanderson15]

The biggest I know was a flat but I can't tell the difference in the other two. I like catfish houses but I guess I don't know how to clean them. Last one was horrible and have not brought one home since. For me anything but a walleye is a wasted crawler.

[Feathers and Fins]

John im working from 6 to 11 today swing in and ill give you a couple of spots I like to rod and reel them, its not easy so I don't give the info out openly but can be done. My bait of choice is bass and brooder minnows and produces some nice cats.

You will need a stiff action rod with a minimum of 15lb line and 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook, don't expect to get a ton of catfish but 4 or 5 nice sized fish should be no problem in a decent day. If you cant make it in shoot me a PM and I will do my best to get you a map of a few of the spots later.

[JohnF52]

The biggest I know was a flat but I can't tell the difference in the other two. I like catfish houses but I guess I don't know how to clean them. Last one was horrible and have not brought one home since. For me anything but a walleye is a wasted crawler.

It is unconventional, but I don't filet catfish. I think the flavor is much better when skinned and cut into 3/4 inch thick steaks along the backbone, and deep fried with corn meal batter. The smaller ones under 8 pounds are much better eating. When they hit near 15 or 20, a strong taste prevails. Better to release the big ones to fight again. To me, catfish steaks are nearly as good as crappie, but to each his own tastes. My cleaning method is time consuming, but personally worth it.

Beaver lake catfish should in general be cleaner and better tasting than those from the Arkansas River, in my opinion.

[Kyle R]

I usually fish on the upper end of the lake, and there's a pretty good population of eater sized channel cats this way. I cat a few on worms and chicken livers, and always manage at least one when I'm crappie fishing with minnows, but most come off of small pieces of cut shad. Very rarely do I manage anything over five pounds. At night when I'm gar fishing in April or May, I catch a few flatheads on cut shad or cut bream. Usually in the five to ten pound range. A few bigger ones will hit live bluegill in the spring, but that's rare for me. The dock I fish off of sits on a gravel flat right off the channel. I've got bait anywhere from 5' to 15'.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I think a brine or a buttermilk soak never hurts a cat. I agree about the size. I don't know exactly, but I suspect the cut off is in the 5# range or a little higher?

[Feathers and Fins]

Channel cats 2 to 5lbs for frying 5 to 10 for baking and 10 to 15 for smoking never keep bigger than 15

Bluecats 2 to 10lb for frying BBQ or Baking, 10 to 20 lbs for smoking nothing over 20

Flathead 2 to 10 for frying, everything over 10 was BBQ, or smoking

For just all out eating seems 2 to 5lb is the best for all species and me I really like 3 to 4 lbs. I have a buddy that takes the big ones and puts them in a run he built that's clear well water and he cleans them out for a month and those taste great but I doubt many of us have a run and clean well water to change out every couple days that's nice and cold.