Great Catfishing Destinations

Great Catfishing Destinations

By Brad Durick

We are already well into the open water season and the catfishing is in full swing. As anglers we always want more and bigger fish. Catfish anglers are no exception. If you are willing to do some driving and some walking if you are a shore angler there are some great catfishing opportunities right in Iowa or just a short drive away.

In no particular order I have assembled some great trophy catfish destinations in Iowa and a couple within a day’s drive of Iowa. These are in no particular order.

Big Sioux River
Located in Northwest Iowa, the Big Sioux is no secret to Iowa catfish anglers. Jason Derochie, avid angler of the Big Sioux River says there are mostly channels here but there are flatheads and some blue cats.
The Big Sioux is a very “wild” river meaning it is still natural running for the most part. To catch these fish, anchor up on wood piles and other structure such as rocks or humps. For bait use cut chubs, sucker or sunfish.

Lake Okoboji
Lake Okoboji is one that always comes up in Iowa fishing conversations. It is not brought up much as a catfish destination until you talk to the catfish anglers from Central Iowa. They bring it up and speak of it as almost a “secret spot.” Well the secret is out now. Martin Ennor and others say it is a great catfish destination. He says drifting fresh cutbait under a float is by far the best method to catch great catfish, especially in the spring.

Lower Gar Lake
“The outlet on Lower Gar Lake which is connected to Lake Okoboji (Google says it is its own independent lake) is always a spring hotspot”, says Iowa angler Philip Shaughnessy. It is where the electric fish barrier is. It’s the outlet of the complete Iowa Great Lakes Water System. There are 20-pound channels that come out of there, 15-plus for sure.

Redrock Reservoir
Located in South Central Iowa (about 40 miles from Des Moines) Anglers on this reservoir can expect to see six to eight-pound channel cats and some flatheads. The best methods to catch these fish is to troll or drift at .5 to .7 miles per hour (during summer months) according to local guide, David Wyner of Chasin’ Cats Guide Service.

Follow the basic outline of the channel or sometimes on the flats in 3-9 feet of water. Use your electronics to find bait or fish. If you find the shad you will find the catfish.

Missouri River
Above Gavins Point Dam on Lake Sharpe in South Dakota is quietly becoming a great flathead fishery. It is also known for great channel cat fishing.

The Missouri River down from Sioux City is where you begin to run into blue catfish. “They are few and far between but they can be caught,” says long time angler, Ted Ellenbecker. Once you get further south toward Omaha, that is where you start finding more and bigger blue cats with consistency.

Just in before press time, It has been announced that the Missouri River that borders South Dakota and Nebraska now has a limit of one flathead over 30 inches.

Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is a fairly short drive into Minnesota. It is home to some amazing flathead fishing. While the Minnesota has some good channel cats it is the flatheads that most anglers are after. Every year there are a few 50-60 pound flatheads reported. It can be fished easily from a boat or from shore with good success.

The Minnesota River is a very popular catfish fish overall. It provides great catfishing and part of it is located near the Twin Cities.

Des Moines River
“I’ve always said that the West Fork, Des Moines is one of the best channel cat rivers if not the best in Northwest Iowa” says Iowa angler Philip Shaughnessy. “It’s not great for size. They’ll be like ten pounds tops, but the numbers can be incredible.” “I used to hit the West Fork every weekend before I had kids. Many times, I’d fish it all weekend long. There is mud, timber and rocks. There are lots of gravel bars and small rocky areas that hold fish.”

James River
The “Jim” in South Dakota is an easily accessible, easy to fish river with a “legitimate shot at a 50 plus pound flathead”, says Ted Ellenbecker. This river does not require a boat to be successful. There are many places to drive or walk to. The river is really not that big so many spots can be fished from shore.

There is a new regulation beginning in 2020, only one flathead 30 inches or larger may be kept.

Red River
A guide from the Mighty Red River of the North could not write an article about destinations without mentioning this water. Located six to nine hours from Iowa depending on where you live the Red is home to the finest trophy channel cat fishing in America. Every catfish angler wants to catch the magic 20 pounder. On the Red, you have a legitimate shot at that fish. Even if you don’t get your 20, you will have fun with the numerous 12-17 pounders that are very common. The Red River has very strict regulations with only one channel catfish over 24 inches allowed to be kept.