Basic Fall Channel Cats

Basic Fall Channel Cats

By Brad Durick

It’s been a long summer of catfishing. If you live in the Midwest it has been marred with storms and high water. Nowhere has it been a normal year so to speak but now the fall bite is on the way and this might be just the time of year to salvage what is left and make hay on channel cats.

The fall bite begins about the time the water temperatures dip below 70 degrees. This is when the days begin to get shorter causing less heating hours. With less light the catfish know that it is time to get the feed bags on and start preparing for the long winter ahead when their metabolisms drop to a point where they do not need to eat much. This push is a time of growth as well as preparation for a catfish to fatten up for winter some might say.

As the fall run commences catfish actively feed in shallow rivers looking for frogs and other creepy crawlies that may come into the water. These are prime fishing grounds for big catfish especially in the morning and evening when the frogs and other things move to the water. Too shallow should not be a concern as catfish don’t seem to care. Many catfish come from one to two feet of water during this time.

When catfish are not feeding shallow, they tend to be in deeper water near the shallow haunts or feeding along a mid-river break line. These break lines create current seams and depending on the conditions, the catfish will move on the main fast current seam or on the off current seam.
The main current seam is the one you might find on an outside corner where the current speed picks up as it dives into a hole and spins around as it corners. The off current seam is the one either right before the outside bend or the one on the inside bend as the main current moves away from the corner.

When to Fish a Main Current Seam
The times to fish a main current seam in the fall are when the days are warm and the weather relatively stable. You want to anchor your boat as such that you can fish the shallow top flat of the corner but also in the main brunt of the current right in the seam. We usually anchor on top of the drop off and cast the baits so the current pulls them into the seams.
From shore you want to cast 45 degrees downstream of you over the break line and let the bait settle in.

When to fish a Secondary Current Seam
Should there be a cold front, water temperature dropping, something causing the catfish to be sluggish and not feed on the main current seam look to the secondary or off current seam. This is usually just across the river from the main. As mentioned, it might be an inside bend or some other spot where the main current runs away from it. This seam tends to be forgotten and it provides an easier passage through the current. It also allows for quick rests as to not expend energy.

Fishing the secondary current seam sets up exactly like the main current seam. One exception is you may have to extend your sit times to allow fish that are not actively feeding time to get in the mood to eat your bait.

As the Cold Water Period Gets Closer
As the water cools into the low 60s and into the 50s the catfish will know that things are changing. They do not need to eat near as much to live as the water cools so they become more opportunistic. When there are cooling periods of a few days the fish will sit tight to the banks out of the current or feed on the secondary seams. If there is some sun and a bit of warming conditions, even if only for a bit the fish might move to the main current for a while or bask in the sun on the shoreline with the most sun. Don’t forget to watch the trends and what the sun is doing during this time. It is a simple yet often overlooked piece of the puzzle that can mean a poor day or great day if understood and paid attention to.

How Flow Plays In
Anglers tend to not give good river flow the respect it deserves. Many anglers seem to prefer low water because they can get around and don’t have to fight current. Low flow, especially in the fall can make catching catfish difficult.

If there is little to no flow the fish spread out and become much less predictable. The bait can now swim where ever it wants and the catfish don’t need structure such as snag piles or holes to rest from the current and ambush prey.

If you have flow (not all that much required) catfish will begin to use the current seams rather than be spread out. They will travel the current tunnels in the river and use the structure near the seam to rest and hunt. When they start to do this all you have to do is figure out which seam they are following and work it.

If you have a normal or even higher than normal flow you can start to fish the river in the fall just like you would in the spring at pre spawn. When this happens, it is incredibly easy to pinpoint active fish and see big success. Don’t forget what was mentioned about the cooling water conditions and using the main and secondary seams.

Fall fishing can be one of the greatest times of year to catch big angry catfish. While many hang up the fishing rods for hunting you can be the envy of your friends with great catfishing during a time less fished.