Targeting big catfish in early April

[Osage1978]

Taking my son fishing Saturday evening , we haven't fished together in years since he was a boy and we're going to be after flatheads and big blues in a local lake bank fishing, no boat. I could use some advice on locating them this time of year as far as depth of water goes.

Tell me if I'm wrong but it's going to be cold Friday morning and warm up as we head into Saturday evening so I should probably hit the backwater that's shallower and warmer correct? Or is the temperature warm enough that the big fish will be in the deep water still?

I use to just go fishing blind or watch for birds gathered on the water after shad & fish there but I'm rusty after all these years off.

Thanks for your help & opinion

 

[OkieJoe72]

If I were fishing today in a lake that I wasn’t familiar with, I’d look for a point where the wind is blowing in on you. If the water looks muddy, I’d try that spot casting out as far as I could.

 

[montesa]

It’s really hard to say. Also since you’re bank fishing you’re kind of limited. I bank fish also. I would try different baits, different depths casting and move every 30-45 mins if it’s convenient. Fresh whole raw shrimp, shad, night crawlers, blue gill or crappie heads, live bluegill. Haven’t caught many flat heads but when I did it was on live bait or really fresh.

 

[montesa]

Bank fishing for catfish for me is really about being out by the water. Relaxing. Even if there are no fish, I’m always waiting in anticipation for the rod to bend. Also consider using circle hooks and touch them up a bit with a stone. Snell the knot.

 

[turkeyrun]

Bank fishing = ease into water, slowly work your way down the bank, feeling for a hole.

When you find a hole, reach in and feel around.

Good luck

 

[HoLeChit]

When chasing big cats the only bait I use is live bluegill. Tie on an appropriate circle/octopus hook and a weight, and cast out somewhere calm and shallow so they find it when the come in to feed in the evening/at night. Works on rivers and lakes for me.
One thing to try, that I intend on trying soon is using a large bobber and using it like a sail. I’ve heard of guys using a balloon. I figure a foot long pool noodle would work too. Cast it out with the wind at your back, and let to wind move your bait for you. If I’m not mistaken one of the state record flatheads was caught on a lake this way.

 

[Osage1978]

We got skunked, used shad & bluegill. Fished from 4pm to midnight, several places on Skiatook lake & eventually the Arkansas river. Not a single bite from even a lowly gar or channel cat? Fished shallow to 60ft water?

Going to go next weekend and try again hopefully get on some

 

[turkeyrun]

You quit too early. Fish from midnight to daylight.

 

[Osage1978]

I knew someone was going to say that lol For what it's worth the other guys who stayed until this morning didn't do any good either

 

[Jason Freeland]

We got skunked, used shad & bluegill. Fished from 4pm to midnight, several places on Skiatook lake & eventually the Arkansas river. Not a single bite from even a lowly gar or channel cat? Fished shallow to 60ft water?

Going to go next weekend and try again hopefully get on some

Gar prefer human bait. Wiggle your toes in the water, one nearly got me at Arbuckle lake that way. I was wading fishing with bare feet and one took a snap at me. I sort of levitated out of the water.