Having trouble catching catfish!?

Question

I really want to catch a catfish, and never have hooked one.

baits tried...

dough bait

tuna

minnows

worms

I got a bite on minnows, don't know if it were catfish, got couple of small large mouth though.

times...

middle of the day

before sunset

late moring

Any tips based on this?

I am going after channal catfish in new york's erie canal off a dock i've seen catfish taken.

Easy ten points for catfishermen

Answer 1

Only thing I can add is try fishing for them after it rains...catfish always turn on after a good rain...because the rain stirs up the bottom and they go looking for food...I have always had good luck with shad pieces and shad guts...Ivory Soap also works...hope this helps...

Answer 2

About an hour after dark is probably the best time. I have luck using big night crawlers or crawfish you want to use a good amount of sinkers too it should get close to the bottom of the lake  

Answer 3

well i live right on the canal in canastota ny and my best advice is to make sure u have heavy sinkers. personnaly i will take a nightcrawler and mix it together with dough roll it into a ball and hit the water. i have caught 6 catfish

Answer 4

Your biggest problem is that catfish are nocturnal bottom feeders. The items you have tried work well, you just aren't getting them in the water at the right time and place. Cut baits also work well, and I have had a LOT of luck lately with Catfish Dip Bait using the Catfish Charlie Dip Bait Worms (just be sure to change the leader that comes with it, I lost a BIG cat because the knot at the hook gave way on one of those).

Go shortly after dark and get that bait on the bottom using sinkers. This will produce the best results. I have had my best luck after 10pm, but even right after sunset or right before sun up will produce results.

If you can't get out there at night, it IS possible to get them during the day, but you still have to get down at the bottom with something REALLY smelly and preferably close to shelter or the shoreline. Chumming the area might help too.

I hope this helps. Good luck catching that BIG cat.

Answer 5

don't sweat it catfish are bottom feeders , your not gonna catch them like you would a bass .it takes time .  just put a 3 oz weight a treble hook and the nastiest thing u kind find. i find it effective not to even use a pole just get some string and tie it to a tree set a couple hours up before sunset and come back the next day you can use buoys there effective if they keep stealing your bait look  into live bait hooks .

Answer 6

You didn't specify, but I'll assume your fishing on the bottom, if not, thats why you arent' catching any. As far as bait goes, try chicken livers on a treble hook, using the lightest weight possible to keep it on the bottom, I've also had really good luck with Sonny's Super Sticky punch bait, and the ol' standby BJ's blood bait. And I've always had the best luck in the early morning, just as the suns coming up, usually until about 10 AM.  You could also try shad, if you can get it, plus if your'e using shad you might be lucky enough to hook a blue cat, because they don't bite on channel cat bait, anyways good luck catchin' some channels. check out catfishconnection, they have tons of catfish supplies, bait, hooks, line, reels, etc.

Answer 7

2 words CHICKEN LIVER

Answer 8

First off get some heavy braided line - 30lb  Fireline   then get yourself some 1/4 oz sinkers, then a size 1/0 hook with about 2 or 4 dozen night crawlers. In the river look for an ares where the current would wash anything floating down the river - near structure prefereably deep water.  They usually wait for a free meal floating by, if the night crawlers don't work - catch another fish (bluegill or sucker or carp) unless you can find some frozen mackeral (it has a strong taste/smell) cut a slab off and toss it out there and wait.

Be sure to set your drag so you can play the fish in - catfish are VERY strong.

I recommend an ugly stick med-heavy rod.  This shouldn't be that hard - catfish are scavengers that eat almost anything along the bottom.

With catfish it is a waiting game - you want to go at dusk - they're active mostly at night or in deep water on the other side of dams (but you'd need a heavy sinker to get the bait down to the fish)

Sit and wait - secure your rod so they don't pull it in - THEY WILL.

Answer 9

So far this year, the only catfish that I've seen caught have been between the hours of 7pm and 9pm, on nightcrawlers, and only cast 10-15' from shore.  

Also, you don't need very deep water.  I've caught 25" channel cats in knee-deep water!!

You have to know how a catfish acts (I'm talking channel cat).  They come out from underneath brush about 7, and will eventually make it back to the same brush/cover.  That's why the closer to shore (cover) is better than way out.  

Also, cast in the same place all the time!  Catfish are attracted to smell, and if you keep casting in different places they can get confused.

Answer 10

One of the easiest and most productive ways to catch catfish I know of is to use cut bait, especially if you are fishing in a river system or a lake with current. Shiners, bluefish, perch ... they all make good cut bait. Grab a couple of baitfish and cut them into chunks. Toss some of the chunks into the water where you are fishing and put one on a hook with a weight and fish this rig on the bottom. Catfish locate their food source by scent and will track it to the source. Use a 1/0 - 3/0 circle hook on an 18 inch leader with a swivel and enough weight to hold bottom. Occasionally toss out a few more chunks until the catfish start biting. You can use this method anytime of day or night. This will attract them in and you will be catching fish in no time. Good luck and catch a bunch!!!  

Answer 11

what kind of worms have you tried if you haven't just try a normal earth worm on a J hook with 2 or 3 sinkers on it and cast it out i have caught a fair share this way. not in rivers only lakes don't know if it will work like this in a river.