Looking for suggestions/advice catfishing

[vrose27]

Hey y’all. I’m new to fishing and have been trying to target catfish but haven’t had any luck yet. Was looking to get some advice on locations to fish. I’m about equidistance between Lanier, Allatoona, and the Chattahochee (Morgan falls dam specifically) and was wondering which of the three would be the best to hit. I have a kayak so I’m not limited to bank but wary of taking it on the heavy trafficked parts of Lanier cause idiots you know. Which of those three would be the best to hit on a more daily basis? Im not against traveling to say Coosa or further down the Chattahochee but want a spot I can go to and still be able to get back in time to do stuff later in the day. I also could go to the Etowah river around Canton but that’s a much stronger river and I’ve heard can be dangerous so want more experience on the kayak before hitting that.

I’ve been using chicken gizzards soaked in strawberry jello so far. Want to switch to cut/live bait but haven’t caught enough to make that work yet.

 

[hopper]

You would be fine this time of year on Lanier.

 

[across the river]

Get multiple rods and rig them all with a Carolina rig and circle hook. Take as many as you have or can fit in the kayak if you take it. Get rod holders for the kayak or buy the stick in the ground ones. Get worms, take you chicken liver, stink bait, minnows, etc…. Whatever you have , but take multiple baits. Ideally, find a spot where you can fish different depths like a long point that drops off into deeper water, long flat that drops off deep farther out, hump, channel in a creek with shallow water on both sides, etc….Cast out different baits at different depths, and hang out. You will often find that a certain depth and a certain bait is preferred, and you can start replicating that. If you catch a few, it will often slow down and you can move on to a similar spot to the area you are catching them somewhere else doing the same thing. In general, the colder the water gets into the fall, the deep they will go. If you are catching fish in the shallow water in the back of a creek when the water temp is 75 degrees, that doesn’t mean they when it is 55 degrees.

 

[Ruger#3]

Use the search feature and look up the member Sultan of Slime. He has threads that contain his bait mix. He now runs a cat fishing charter Service.

Jeremiah Fishing University has a catfish article.

 

[Wing Shootin]

Go up river from the rowing center on the Chattahoochee. Go by the bait stores who sell Blueback herring. They usually have dead ones they sell cheap or even free. Cut in half and cut little slits in the skin to get more scent in the water. It works like a charm. I've caught hundreds of channel and blue cats that way.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Cut bait is the way to go. Catch small bream, or get shiners and cut them up.

 

[Ruger#3]

Cut bait is the way to go. Catch small bream, or get shiners and cut them up.

Good advice here….its what’s worked me along with chicken livers.

 

[Heathenx]

Small bream, cut bait or deer liver.

 

[hopper]

I've had good luck with live shiners, Livers and night crawlers on the south end of Lanier in the past. All Carolina rigged using an egg sinker and circle hook. May even hook a striper on those shiners. Multiple rods and multiple baits.

 

[dang]

I always prefer fresh live or cut bait.
You can’t beat a big slimy gizzard shad if they’re available in your waterways. Brim would follow as a close second. Certain times and of year and certain catfish species live bait will out fish cut and vice-versa. I tend to start with a mix of both and shift depending on what is getting attention. Carolina rig, circle hook and lock the rod down in a rod holder. That’s my .02.