5 Tips to Catch More River Cats

5 Tips to Catch More River Cats

By Josh Turner & Jeremy Bower of Wapsi Bottom Outdoors

Who doesn’t like spending quality time on the river with family and friends in Iowa? I’ll wait… One of the best ways to spend that time is to fish for some catfish! Fishing for catfish on the river is some of the most fun, exciting, and best ways to spend time with your friends and family. All you need is a little bit of patience and the right plan, and you will catch a ton of catfish on the river.

Catfishing can be fun for new and seasoned anglers. There are so many ways you can catch them. We will cover some of the best tips and tricks we have discovered through the years to bring in quantity of fish for a nice fish fry, or getting your hands on that big ol’ river monster you have always dreamed about.

Bait – The Right Bait for the Right Fish
To target catfish, you will need to bring the right bait. Yes, you can catch catfish on earthworms, but you will more than likely catch a lot of other species in the river such as carp or suckers. The rivers in Iowa are full of these trash fish and that’s not what we are targeting. However, on the same token, if worms are all you have for the day you can use carp or suckers as cut bait. The absolute best cut bait in our experience is green sunfish and creek chubs.

There are two types of catfish in the Iowa Rivers: Channel cats & Flathead catfish.

If you’re looking target channel cats some of our favorite baits to use are shad and shad guts. You can typically find these baits at your local bait shop. If you’re ambitious, you can run out after the first big winter ice thaw and there will be thousands of dead shad washed up along the banks. When we are looking to catch more quantity over quality you can’t go wrong with a good dip bait. Dip baits like stink bait are a simple and effective way to get some slime in the boat.

The best part about seeking bigger channels and flatheads is the prep work involved with catching live bait. There’s something about throwing a bobber and a worm out that makes you feel like a kid again. A lot of bait fish in Iowa are easy and fun to catch and can be a great outdoors activity for your friends and family. Our preferred live baits are green sunfish and bullheads. You can usually find these in your local farm ponds, lakes, or backwaters.

Tackle – There is More than One Way to Skin a Cat
When it comes to tackle, there is more than one way to skin a cat. No pun intended. Honestly, your tackle depends on personal preference, skill level, and the size of fish you’re after. Our choice of hook when it comes to catfishing in general is a circle hook. In our opinion, don’t skimp on the quality because get what you pay for. Most, likely won’t break a rod, but you will certainly straighten a hook if it’s cheap. Rods and hook size is all about the size of fish you are planning to catch. A good rod and reel is in the eye of the beholder. Rod size is basically based off feel to finesse and well it holds up with fish. Any standard medium to heavy setup will do the trick. As far as hook size goes for channel cat, you can’t go wrong with a 3/0 or 4/0 when using cut bait or shad/shad guts. On the other hand, when it comes to flatheads, we like using 8/0 to 10/0 circle hooks with live bait. Moving up the line from your circle hook you can’t beat a good old fashioned Carolina rig. What that consists of is simply a barrel swivel, an egg sinker or no roll sinker, a bead or bumper in-between sinker and knot.

Shore & Boat Fishing – You’ll Never Step in the Same River Twice
Anglers need to use the best resources that are available to them. You don’t need expensive gear and a big fancy boat to slam river cats. Most of us started our catfishing journey by simply propping up a cheap pole on a ‘Y” stick, sitting on a 5-gallon bucket, and waiting in excitement for that first tip to bend. But if you want to increase your odds of catching some good cats you should come up with a game plan. Look at a map and find public access or local farms to get into spots that people don’t often fish. Fishing next to a boat ramp is not always the best spot because it’s a high traffic area. Look for spots off the beaten path.
Whether you’re in a boat or on the shore, fish can be found almost anywhere. Key areas we like to focus on are snag piles and the upriver side of downed trees. Catfish love to lay up under fallen trees where the river current is diverted. Don’t necessarily focus on water depth when it comes to fishing snag piles. Find the wood and the whiskers will follow. Also, a deep cut bank on a hot summer day is nothing to sleep on. The channel running on an outer bank is going to be the deepest and coolest part of the river. Most likely cats will be hanging out in deeper water during the day. At night, they will start to move up into shallower water to hunt shad and bluegill.

Bankline Fishing
Catching river catfish with bank poles is a time-honored tradition and a great way to spend a day on the water. It can be a fun and exciting way to catch huge catfish. To setup your bank pole, you’ll need a sturdy but flexible pole. A lot of people use 8-10 ft fiberglass rods or PVC pipe for their bank poles. The best fishing line is braided or nylon cord that will support up to 100 lbs. Make sure to get some good circle hooks like we described earlier, we typically use 8/0 or 10/0 hooks. If you are unsure on how to setup your poles, Cat Daddy LLC, has some of the best rods on the market. They can get you setup and ready to run the river.

Setting Poles
The biggest tip we can offer is to double check the river levels in advance. You need to have a good idea if the river is going to rise or fall. Also make sure to set the pole in the riverbank high enough to be always above the river water. The reason being, it’s illegal to run bank lines with the base of the pole under water, and the river could also wash away the pole and your fish. When you’re ready to set the pole; drive it into the bank far enough to where the fish can’t take it away. Cruise the river and find the best spots to set your poles. In Iowa, you can set 5 poles per person.

Check your Lines Regularly
Once your bank poles are set up, it’s important to check them regularly to see if you have any fish. We typically check them every 4-8 hours. But remember, this will all depend on the conditions of the river and how active the catfish are. When you check your lines, always try to grab them by the mouth! Don’t be afraid to get your hand in there. Also, don’t forget to take a picture and have a blast while doing it! We always like to release the big flatheads so they can get back to protecting their egg nests.

Some people say bankline fishing isn’t fishing – we somewhat agree. We understand that a lot of anglers are super passionate with their rod and reel, and if this is you, this might not be your game. But if you want to have a blast with your friends and family on the river, get out there and give it a try!

We hope that these tips and techniques for catching river catfish have been helpful to you. We have learned over the years that fishing is not just about catching fish, but about being patient and enjoying the experience of being out in nature. We are always learning and adapting methods and encourage you to do the same. Remember to respect the environment and the fish you catch, and to always follow local regulations and guidelines. With practice and perseverance, you can become a skilled angler and enjoy many successful fishing trips in the future.