For a lot of us hardcore catters, the arrival of July means our favorite fish are getting busy “getting busy” and we beat our heads against the wall looking for some hungry fish. The days are hot and the bite is slow, that’s a well known fact…or is it?
No doubt about it, the fireworks of the 4th usually signal anything but when it comes to Flatheads, but… because the Channel cats spawn earlier than Flatheads, it can also mean a very strong post spawn bite for them!
For myself personally, when the water temp hits mid 70 to 80 degrees, I start really focusing on the fish that will bite and the baits they will bite on. While channel cats can be predators and take live bait (especially the bigger ones) they are for the most part scavengers and scroungers. You can really use this to your advantage during different parts of the season. Early on as the ice melts and water warms, a good tactic is to use shad, because that is the first thing they are looking for. These shad that have died off during the cold water and are now thawing from the past winter, or are being uncovered by the spring warm water and winds. But when the water warms and we move into post spawn, I like to think a little differently and use some “non traditional” baits such as shrimp, frogs, crayfish, chicken livers, and maybe even large insects such as grasshoppers. While these baits will not shine year round, there are certain periods where they just cannot be beat. Sure you can have success tossing out a chunk of sucker or creek chub anytime of the year, but it might not necessarily be the best bait to have at that time. I would suggest a little experimentation and you might be pleasantly surprised with the results.
As far as what to look for to find the fish, it depends a lot on the water levels and conditions. When the water is high, like we are dealing with this year, I like to look for current breaks, eddys, creek mouths, and even backwater areas. Also, don’t overlook inside turns. These spots are usually long sand flats and a place where a lot of bait settles out and the cats are prowling around looking for that. Now when there are low water conditions, I change things up a bit. I look for submerged snags, heads of holes, rapids or riffles, and funnel areas. These areas can be good during high water, but depending on how high it is, it just might be unfishable or unrealistic. In simpler terms, when the water is high look for less current and when the water is low, look for more current.
For gear I like to use a 5/0 Circle or J hook and weight size of anywhere from 2-5oz (depending on the flow) and a med to med/heavy action rod. Toss your bait in the magic spot and wait for ol’ mr whiskers to find it. It shouldn’t take long. Don’t waste your time waiting long for channels, If they are there, you will know. Stick and move, stick and move.
So don’t let the dog days of summer get you down, match the hatch, adapt to conditions, and don’t be afraid to try something new. Check out the attached video and you will see what happened the first time I tried raw shrimp. We hammered the fish all day and had a blast!!
Good Luck!
Darren “DTro”