Good Catfish area?

Conroy

WKR
Joined
Apr 14, 2014
Messages
333
Location
Mukwonago, Wisconsin, United States
My son and I are looking for a long weekend road trip from Wisconsin to try to catch some catfish. Driving 8-10 hours isn't a problem, I am just not sure how far we would have to go to get into some decent fishing in February. Any suggestions, places to try? We will be fishing from shore. Any help is appreciated.
 
Joined
Jul 17, 2018
Messages
1,279
Location
NW Arkansas
My son and I are looking for a long weekend road trip from Wisconsin to try to catch some catfish. Driving 8-10 hours isn't a problem, I am just not sure how far we would have to go to get into some decent fishing in February. Any suggestions, places to try? We will be fishing from shore. Any help is appreciated.
I don’t have any direct help, but my buddies fish the Mississippi River all the time. They catch some big ones
 

Fordguy

WKR
Joined
Jun 20, 2019
Messages
566
Depending on what part of Wisconsin you're traveling from, I can think of several areas in northeast Oklahoma that offer really good winter catfishing opportunities. You might also luck into a spoonbill, or try for them deliberately. I don't usually fish for them (snagging is how its done and it's legal). Not sure if you're looking to travel that far, but if so I can give you a few tips.
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2018
Messages
1,149
Location
Alaska
Anywhere on the Mississippi or Ohio. No sure how far central Oklahoma is but I could put you in a few spots there.
 

netman

WKR
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
764
Location
Indiana
Smithland Dam on the Ohio river near Paducah. Confluence of the Ohio and Missippi. John T Myer Dam near Uniontown Kentucky. Confluence of the Ohio and Wabash River.
All can be fished with a non res Kentucky license.
These pictures are of some of the catfish I’ve caught.62B26B7F-77B6-437F-9800-DB8135B95D26.jpegA322541E-A59D-43EC-A96E-1FC685B71F78.png76C7FA0D-4D82-4AE7-AFD8-A90791693AEB.png76C7FA0D-4D82-4AE7-AFD8-A90791693AEB.png2FBE1437-6C2F-41DF-ADBB-B5ED91E65D9E.png16B1AAE8-5982-4508-96FF-F3A632214CCC.jpeg
 
OP
C

Conroy

WKR
Joined
Apr 14, 2014
Messages
333
Location
Mukwonago, Wisconsin, United States
Thanks for all the replies! Oklahoma and Kentucky are not too far to drive. Can we fish from shore this time of year? I know catfish are usually in deeper holes when it’s colder. We would head down there 2/11 and spend the weekend hitting different spots until we find them.
 

netman

WKR
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
764
Location
Indiana
You can fish off the bank at Barkley and Kentucky lake dams. Lots of big catfish come from below those dams too. If you time it right you can snag spoonbill there too.
Look on YouTube for fishing those dams for catfish and spoonbills
Fishing out of a boat would be better but bank fishing is doable.
John T Myer dam is fishable from the bank too
 

netman

WKR
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Messages
764
Location
Indiana
Newburgh dam is another dam you could fish from the bank. Over on the Kentucky side you can walk out on the weir and fish from it.
I live a couple miles from the Newburgh dam.
 

DroptineDC18

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 8, 2017
Messages
134
Location
MN

bigjohn

FNG
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Messages
28
Another option other than dams are power plants that are running. If you can access and fish on the outlet side where the warm water discharges it’s good. TVA has several in Tennessee and some in Kentucky. Shawnee plant is close to Paducah but I’m not sure you can access their discharge by land.
 

ncstewart

WKR
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
382
I don’t do a lot of cold water cat fishing first off but a lot of folks in my area seem to do well this time of year on blues. Bank fishing is very possible where I am in AR. Below most of the dams on the Arkansas river in OK or AR should be pretty decent and good access. Most all have camp grounds as well if that’s something you looking at. If ya want some more info on my area just PM me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

CDK

FNG
Joined
Jan 24, 2019
Messages
50
If your looking for something a little closer the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes in Richmond MN will provide you lots of action but not the slobs posted above. All channel cats and lots of them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

mtwarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 18, 2016
Messages
9,482
Location
Montana
out of curiosity how do those giant cats eat?

when we lived on the Yellowstone we would throw any Channel cats back over anything about 5 lbs, 2-4 lbs were the good eaters
 

ncstewart

WKR
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
382
Big flatheads and blues are fine. Most folks in my area don’t keep channels but personally I eat them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Top