When traveling through Louisiana, you can hardly make it around the block without running across an eating establishment. And whether it is a mom and pop dive, diner, hole in the wall joint or five star restaurant, you can bet that fried catfish will be featured on the menu. As a matter of fact, there are lots of places where the whiskery fish are the star attraction.
But as serious as us Louisianans are about eating our catfish, we are probably more serious about catching them.
Catfish can be an incidental bonus to just about all other targeted species. One could find the fish at the end of a cane pole while going after panfish using worms, crickets, minnows or any natural bait you might use. They are known to attack an artificial lure with the ferocity of a speeding train as well.
Tight-Lining
A rod armed with a spinning, spin-cast or bait casting reel with at least 14-pound test line is the preferred tackle. It includes a weight and a hook that is cast out and fished on the bottom. Although known as “bottom-feeders” (that’s why this application is the most popular), catfish can be caught throughout the water column.
My favorite rig is a sinker attached to the end of the line, and then the hook is tied up the line from 12” to 4 or 5-feet, depending on the current speed and warmth of the water. The less the current or higher the temperature of the water, the higher off the bottom I tie my hook.
You can buy these already made up at most tackle outlets, or you can make them yourself. I like making my own. Tie the sinker (1/2 oz to 3 oz depending on current speed) to the line. Come up to the distance you want the bait off the bottom and double the line to about 4 inches and tie a knot, making a short loop. Put a swivel on the end of the loop, and then tie a 6-inch piece of mono to the swivel with a 1/0 catfish circle hook.
Catfish will eat just about anything, so bait isn’t too difficult to pick out. Worms are easy to obtain and work well, but I prefer to catch shad with a cast net or dip some crawfish out of a ditch. Wieners work well too, but I have a problem eating them myself and running out of bait. Most tackle outlets have some manufactured bait as well.
Louisiana actually had a new state record blue catfish caught this year using this method. Twelve-year-old Lawson Boyte caught a whopping 114-pounder on the Mississippi River in East Carroll Parish using cut shad for bait.
Under a Cork
Another favorite method is to use the same rods and reels as above, but use a cork to suspend the bait from 18 inches to 24 inches below the cork. This method works well in our cypress studded lakes in the late spring to early summer when catfish are spawning.
Lakes such as Caddo Lake on the border of north Louisiana and Texas, as well as Lakes Verret and Des Allemands in south Louisiana are loaded with cypress trees. The cypresses are the perfect location for the fish to feed prior to spawning, attracting both males and females for easy catching.
It doesn’t take a lot of expertise to watch a cork, so this style of catching the whiskered critters appeals to the novice as well as less experienced children. Under the trees, one can generally find some shade as the day heats up, so it’s a great outing for family and friends. Night crawlers and worms are the best bait to catch a mess for frying.
Noodles or Jugging
This method consists of a float with a line hanging from 2 to 10-fee,t depending on the depth of the water you’re fishing. A half ounce sinker tied right above the hook will add just enough weight to slow the rig down if the current is flowing. Noodling works well in just about any place you find water - river, canal, bayou or lake.
The most popular rig is one made of Styrofoam noodles that can be bought at most large sporting goods stores. They are 4-feet long and can be cut in four, 12-inch pieces to make perfect sized floats. Better yet, the line can be rolled up on the noodle and the hook inserted into the foam for easy storage.
You can make up anywhere from 10 to 100 noodles, because they are easy to transport. Bait them with worms, crawfish, shad or even some store-bought bait. Then, take a couple of hours to fish for other species, and go back later to pick up the noodles with fish. Since this takes no great skill set, this is another way to introduce kids to fishing.
Trotlines
A trotline is defined as a long line with a number of hooks attached that drop from the main line at intervals of several feet. Trotlines are legal in Louisiana, but the requirements depend on location, so check a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries regulations pamphlet before making a trip.
Trotlines can be set in bayous, canal, rivers and lakes, so finding a spot is usually not a problem.
The trots or drops are usually 4 to 8 feet apart, depending on how many baits the angler wants to deal with. My preference is the longer distance. It makes tangling hooks on the boat less of a problem and also requires less bait.
Sinkers need to be attached to the main line. The length of the sinker line determines how deep the baits will be in the water. Two or three floats can be attached to the main line to adjust the depth as well. In the summer months, the oxygen levels can be deficient at the lower depths, so I recommend floating the line closer to the surface.
This style of fishing is as much work as it is fun, especially if you plan to catch your bait. All of the bait listed for the above methods will work here as well.
The Other “Noodling”
The last method we’ll talk about is not for the faint at heart. It’s called noodling as well, but it has nothing to do with floats, hooks line or bait. This method requires you to catch the fish with your body.
The angler ventures into the realm of the catfish and swims with the whiskery critter. Logs, holes and just about anything that has a place big enough for a fish to fit in is what you’re looking for. You also have to hold your breath underwater until the deed is done.
When one is discovered, you take a deep breath, go underwater and insert your strongest hand into the hole. Then you let the catfish bite down on your hand, on purpose, and pull with all your might to remove it from its lair and throw it in the boat.
This method takes the least amount of equipment, but it takes a little more uumph than I care to give out. It’s not for me, but it could be for you.
For non-residents of the Bayou State, everything can be found online as far as regulations and licenses are concerned. For a charter to try your hand at noodling or for a somewhat tamer time on the water for some first class tight-lining for your catfish, Brady Hill can be reached at 318-245-3608. Good luck with your Bayou State catfish adventure!
