Trophy Blue Catfish 411 with Lake Tawakoni Fishing Guide James Evans

Get all the great Trophy Blue Catfish 411 with Lake Tawakoni Fishing Guide James Evans and much more in this blog post.  If you like to Blue Catfish, you should follow Catfish Guide James Evans on social media and his RSS Feed.

The Best Blue Catfish Bait

There are lots of catfish baits on the market and lots of garage recipes, but please remember, just because you catch a fish on something once doesn’t mean it’s a good bait. Blue Catfish are eating machines! It’s not uncommon to find Blue Cats so full of shad, they are hanging out of their mouth! Keep it simple, Blue Cats like Threadfin and Gizzard Shad! Fresh is better than frozen! Yep, fresh bait will out fish frozen. Live bait will take Blue Catfish, but cut bait and fresh dead bait will put more big blues in the net! Other live or fresh bait, Carp, Bluegill, Drum, Perch, and Buffalo! The oily the bait, the better! Please check local regulations on your lakes and rivers.

Catfish Baits You May Not Know

Catfish are unique in the fish world. They’re genetically adapted to succeed in niches most other fish just don’t fit. They don’t have scales, evolved super-sensitive whiskers, and can tolerate water conditions that allow them to succeed without much competition. Catfish anglers are also unique, and have tried a wide variety of baits! A catfish anglers tackle box has baits that a bass or trout fisherman just wouldn’t understand. Catfish Baits range from stink bait and dip bait, to cut bait and chicken livers! Every cat fisherman has a trick or two up their sleeve that they’ll swear by!

Dog Food

Dog Food is made up of grain and other things catfish love! Kibble has long been the secret of many anglers, whether in pure form or mixed into their secret dips. Dog food also makes good chum! Wrap some kibble in a little mesh, thread it on your hook and fish it on a bottom rig.

Ivory Soap

Cubes of ivory soap have developed a cult following by catfish anglers across Texas and Oklahoma. The key is the scent trail, which brings catfish from long distances. The best way to prepare the soap for use is to melt it in a double boiler, then pour it into an ice cube tray. Once poured, push a treble hook into each cube with the points of the hook sticking out and let it harden.

Marshmallows

Catfish like stinky things, but they also have a sweet tooth. Marshmallows float, and are porous enough to absorb other scents! Dip a marshmallow in your favorite scent, and then put it on the hook. It will float a lightweight hook several inches off the bottom, perfect for drawing the interest of catfish nearby.

Blue Catfish Seasonal Patterns

Blue catfish are like any other gamefish!  They have very specific movement or migration patterns. These patterns are influenced by the change of seasons.  The key to successful blue catfish fishing all year long is being able to identify their habits during the particular season! On Lake Tawakoni Trophy Blue Catfish season starts when the weather cools in October and runs all winter long through March!  As winter temperatures drop, the catfish movements and activity slows down. Blue catfish typically find deep areas to reside in throughout the winter months, making them easier to target!

Find Deep Water Holes

Blue Catfish will stack up in the deep holes and stay put throughout winter!  They prefer to suspend below schools of shad or other forage fish if possible. Winter doesn’t mean the catfish won’t eat.  Catfish will eat in the winter; they just don’t invest as much energy into hunting for a meal. The best trophy blue catfishing occurs during the winter months because they are the most predictable to a pattern!

Trophy Blue Catfish 411 with lake Tawakoni Fishing Guide James Evans-Reservoir Tactics

Where can anglers find reservoir blue catfish? Several tagged catfish studies so when and where you can locate blue catfish! It’s very difficult to catch blue cats from the main lake in the summer! There are always a few blue cats scattered around the lake throughout the year, but most of the fish prefer river current! In winter, blue catfish are back in the lake in all their favorite spots. They seem to like shelves along the old river channel, and relate to points, bends, and drop-offs along the channel. When they move, they move to where shad are and feed. Find the shad in the winter and you will find Blue Catfish! So to keep it simple, Blue Catfish like river current in the summer! Look upstream in your Lake or Reservoir! Find shad in the winter and you will locate Blue Catfish!

How to Catch Blue Catfish

The approach to fishing for blue cats is very different than that of channels and flatheads. They’re all very different species with very different food preferences and habits! Blue Catfish require a different plan of attack! While it’s highly possible to be fishing for blues and catch channels, developing a specialized approach and using the right bait for the right species will greatly increase your success!

Lake Tawakoni Fishing Guide-James Evans

Come enjoy a day with us on Lake Tawakoni targeting Trophy Blue Catfish, Hybrid Striper, and Crappie! Lake Tawakoni is the catfish capital of Texas, and the Blues are very large! We know where the Big Blue Catfish hang out, and we will put a trophy in the net! Trophy Blue Catfish season runs from November to March! We are booking trips for this winter season now! Hybrid Striper, White Bass, and Striper are a year-round fishery on Lake Tawakoni! If you want a shot at a ten pound plus Hybrid Striper, Lake Tawakoni and Whisk’R Fish’N Guide Service can make it happen! We love to target Crappie and can put you on big slabs year round! We have brush piles, docks and deep water spots that hold very nice crappie year round! For more information follow Lake Tawakoni Fishing Guide James Evans.