Post by Deuce on Apr 4, 2013 6:45:08 GMT -6
Spring Addiction: Cold Water Spring Channel Cats
As the ice begins to melt, water on the rise, river rats begin to get their gear ready for the big spring cats! This is the time when channel cats begin moving out of their deep holes, and starting to feed. The spring is a time when (a fisherman) will probably catch the largest number of big cats throughout the year; it is the time to which all catfisherman look forward to.
The bite
In most cases, after the snow melts, the water will be rising at a rate that the fish are not accustomed to. After all, most cats sit almost motionless for most of the winter. The temperature will slowly be rising. Initially, most channel cats will avoid the heavy current which starts early spring, you will find them sitting in more neutral current, by the shoreline areas, behind jams, flooded areas, or even back in some of the deep holes they may have used in the cold winter months.
Once the water temperature has reached a certain point, the cats will start moving more, especially in the currents, looking for food. This is the time when pre spawn is starting and the fish are really starting to get an appetite. This increase in appetite is not only for spawn preparation, but their metabolism speeds up due to the warmer water, which will dramatically increase their hunger.
What To Look For:
In early spring, look to fish the edge of the main current, this can be a spot where baitfish will be holding, and the cats will be actively looking in these places for food. Look for underwater dams, or anything else that could potentially hold baitfish, which would entice the cats to be at these spots. Cats are known to move past the shoreline during high water, flooded grass being one of these areas, looking for anything they can find to eat. Remember, cats will be on the move, looking for areas where there may be food, a freshly flooded woods or field is the perfect place to look.
Bait Selection:
Choosing which bait to use is not very complicated. In the northern cold water of the Red River, Frogs work well after the melt, due to cats knowing the frogs will come out of hibernation and be big part of their diet in the spring. I recommend trying different fresh baits if they are available, Cut sucker, goldeye, or a whole frog are my “go to’s” any time of the year. This is also different depending what region you are fishing in. I know in warmer waters, fisherman swear by stink baits and other prepared baits us northerners find to be less effective in the cold waters.
What’s Your Gear?
When choosing your gear, keep it simple. Remember, when the current gets slow or you are in a place with no current(flooded woods, fields), using circle hooks can be tricky due to the cat not needing to swim in the current with the bait, an automatic hook set can be a problem. Think about running a clicker with a standard river hook that is meant to be set. Circle hooks self-set with the tip of the rod bend, slow to no current affects this process drastically.
The Spawn:
During late spring, the cats will begin to spawn. This can last up to a month or more, so understand certain areas may slow down. Try fishing spots you did not fish before, the cats are probably spawning at different times, so it should not just shut off completely. The fish will be looking for rocky areas, with less silt to spawn. They will swim up creeks off of the main river, or even still flooded areas. If it is extremely silty in the area, they may be on the move looking for a different type of structure for a spot
to spawn.
I hope everyone has an awesome spring fish and catches one of those sumo channel cats!
- Deuce