Catfishing is a relaxing way to spend the weekend, and an awesome side hustles to bring in some extra money or put dinner on the table. In order to catch a fish, you need to know how to spot a catfish. These tips will help you have a successful afternoon fishing for catfish.
How To Spot A Catfish
Location is Important
When trying to spot a catfish, it’s important to look in the right location. Catfish are known for hanging out around structures, such as bridges, dams, or fallen trees. They are also easily found on the bottom of the lake or in caves. Searching open water for a sign of life is a sure-fire way to walk home empty-handed. Instead, keep the location in mind.
Sonar
Sonars are a great way to find catfish. These might not help find the fish, but they can see through deep waters to find catfish holes. Where there are catfish holes, there are catfish. A common method for lake fishing for catfish is to dangle the bait in front of catfish holes. This will help them come out of hiding.
Sonars can be purchased for either boats or reels. If you are fishing lakeside, pick up one for your fishing rod and enjoy a bigger harvest.
Structures
Larger structures that provide enough shade make catfish feel secure. These fish spend more time hiding than they do swimming in open water, making it important to keep this in mind. Examples of large structures include:
- Bridges
- Fallen trees
- Large tree limbs hanging in the water
- Dams
These structures provide both the shade and security that many catfish search for, making them the perfect place to look.
The Bank
The bank of a river or lake has weeds and grass that provide the same shade as structures while the muddy bank gives catfish a place to burrow, something that several species are known for. This makes the bank a great place to look for catfish. You can spot a catfish in shallow water by simply looking down, or by spotting a hole in the mud. This is known as a catfish hole.
Look at Night
If you’re looking through water that is clear at the top, don’t expect to see a lot of catfish. Catfish spend most of their days hiding in cover spots or burrowed into a catfish hole on the bottom of the river or lake. When night falls and the temperatures drop, catfish are known to come out more to eat. During this time, keep an eye out around open waters, shallow riverbanks, and other key areas to spot catfish. If you see movement in one of these areas, chances are pretty good that it’s a catfish.
When learning how to spot a catfish, it’s important to know where to look. Once you learn more about catfish habits, such as feeding patterns, it will be easy to spot a catfish. Take the time to browse through blogs to learn about specific species and you will be able to spot a catfish in no time at all.
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