| Depending upon the time of year that you decide to | | | | While there are actually several kinds of catfish to |
| visit the lake, catfish fishing results can vary greatly, | | | | choose from, the most common (and most popular) to |
| and you may want to target specific areas of the lake | | | | target in North America are the channel cat, the blue |
| based on the temperature, season, and type of catfish | | | | catfish, and flatheads. |
| you're targeting. All these factors are involved in | | | | By far the most common (and smallest) of the three is |
| determining your level of success when spending time | | | | the channel catfish, which can be found in most parts |
| at the lake catfish fishing. | | | | of the United States. These catfish are not at all picky |
| First of all, the season can have a great affect on | | | | about where they live and simply choose to stay in |
| your ability to catch catfish. At the lake, catfish fishing | | | | warm waters with lots of material to scavenge for |
| will usually be best in the late spring and early summer. | | | | food. Typically, channel cats will often be found in |
| During these months, the best catch can be found | | | | drainages and other creeks and spillways off the lake |
| away from the shores, in the deeper areas of the | | | | or near the dam, where there is lots of "free" food to |
| lakes. Catfish tend to be more active during these | | | | be found. Because these catfish are about the right |
| months, having recently spawned, and will be out and | | | | size to make a meal for blues and flatheads, you are |
| about, searching for food. By comparison, you may | | | | most likely to find large numbers of them in smaller |
| often find that catfishing in early and mid spring is most | | | | lakes where the other catfish are not as common. |
| productive closer to the shoreline or in more shallow | | | | When searching for flatheads, you'll want to target |
| areas, where catfish choose to spawn. Be sure to | | | | murky areas with lots of cover, where the lake bottom |
| target holes and heavy cover during these months, as | | | | is sandy or muddy. Try night fishing off the bank with a |
| these are choice locations for a nest of eggs being laid | | | | trotline, since flatheads come up to the shallows to |
| by a female or watched by a male. If you choose to | | | | feed "after hours". |
| go lake catfish fishing in late fall or winter, be sure to | | | | Fishing for blues in lakes - you should target clearer |
| stick to the warmest, deepest waters and target deep | | | | waters with faster currents, and you should definitely |
| holes. In fact, a depth finder could definitely come in | | | | look toward larger lakes for these giants. Blues and |
| handy in such a situation to find your catch. | | | | flatheads are most concentrated in the Midwest, in |
| The breed of catfish you seek can definitely have an | | | | lakes that are centered around the Mississippi River, |
| affect on your fishing techniques and habits as well. | | | | one of their native homes. |