David Shipman and Brooke Wilkins are catfish fanatics. They travel the country in search of the whiskered critters. October of 2014 found them in New Madrid, Missouri fishing the Bass Pro Shops Big Cat Quest. “We love fishing tournaments,” said Shipman. “They are a great challenge, but it’s not all about winning. There is a lot of camaraderie too. Everybody has a good time, and I know that if I were to have some trouble on the water someone would come and get me.”
When it comes to finding catfish, Bottom Dwellers Tackle Pro Staffers Shipman and Wilkins are among the best. “We are always looking for some kind of structure,” advised Shipman. “A rock, a log, something for the fish to hide around. If you can find a good brush pile there are usually some cats in it.”
Today’s catfish anglers don’t waste a lot of time fishing unproductive water. “Technology has changed everything says,” Wilkins. “Most of the time when we put a bait out we have already seen the fish.”