As the weather gets colder, I’m having a hard time catching catfish. How can I increase my success in the cold?

When it gets colder, it gets a little tougher to catch cats, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.  Cold weather is great for catching big catfish, there are just a few things you need to do differently.

First off, you’ll need to get your hook deeper.  In the cold weather, they’ll be even further down in the lake, and they are not as likely to be headed close to the shore for food.

In fact, they won’t move much at all.  As it gets colder, catfish start to group together in areas where they can still easily find food.  So, you’ve got to find these areas, and that’s where all the cats will be.

If you are fishing a lake, look at wind patterns.  Which way is the wind blowing the water?  Whichever way the wind is blowing, it’s also blowing all the little fish and things that the catfish are eating.  Especially as it gets colder, you have to cast into the wind.

If you are fishing a river, look for places where the current is obstructed.  For example, anywhere that something is partially blocking the flow of the river, around dams or log jams, or a bend in the river where stuff is collecting.  This is an area where the catfish just has to sit and weight and the food will come to him.  When it gets cold, catfish are not so likely to travel far for their food, and they’re likely to be all in the same area. 

So, fish deeper, and find out where those cats are hiding.  Some anglers manage to pull out some beauties in the cold winter months, so don’t give up!

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