Catfish thump tasty morsels that anglers present to them. Summer must be upon us. It is the prime time for fishing for this muscle with fins. A staple of southern cooking, catfish are also available in restaurants as well as local lakes. But, it is more fun to catch your own. Here are some tips for catching your own in Southern Illinois. One top catfish producing lake is Crab Orchard Lake in the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge near Marion. According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, the catfish population of this 7,000-acre lake is self-sustaining and has not required supplemental stocking to maintain the fishery.
The Crab Orchard Lake contains both channel and flathead catfish. It also contains a good population of bullheads, a member of the catfish family that does not gain the large size of the others.
Fishing for catfish is a laid back type of angling. The rigs are simple and the baits, although often smelly, are simple as well.
It is a good idea to remember that catfish like cover. They are bottom feeders that hold around rocks and stumps. Once one sets the hook, the fish will do its best to break off the line. Veteran catfish anglers prefer a line that is of at least 12-pound test.
The tough line helps prevent the sandpaper-like teeth of the fish from wearing or weakening the line causing a break. With high quality tough line, anglers can fish around rocky, stump infested, underwater terrain.
Most often the rig for catfishing is simply a baited hook suspended beneath a float, cork, bobber or whatever you call it. Cast to a probable location and allowed the rig to sink to the level where you believe the fish are located.
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