Fall fishing is the time of year when you begin to smile some in the middle of the day while catfishing. the hot weather has calmed down some, and you can now enjoy the entire day of fishing. If you share my feeling of the fall weather coming on, then think about it for a minute and realize that catfish and baitfish think the same thing. Just as much as the cooler air temperatures make us feel better, the cooler water temperatures make fish feel better.
Now is the time to start checking the deeper water in the area you fish. Catfish will start moving between the shallow water and deeper water looking for schools of baitfish. As the water keeps cooling down, the baitfish balls will get bigger and bigger. that’s where you will find the active catfish feeding and getting fat for winter. During fall fishing I like to use white perch and gizzard shad for my baits. Usually both are easy to find. I will generally butterfly fillet the shad, and with the perch I will try fillets as well as chunks. If I am drifting I will usually keep my baits in the 20 to 25ft water column close to where some known shallow spots are. When I anchor, I will fan cast my baits to deep and shallow.
Remember to look for the birds also. If there are feeding fish on top, then the catfish will be under them. If you can catch some shad or see them in the water, try to mimic the size you see with what you put on your rod. Some trophy catfish have been caught with very small bait before.
Above all, get out and enjoy the water and learn some more about where to catch catfish in your area.
