Florida's freshwater catfish, including bullheads, are among the most popular for the table, and they are relatively simple and fun to catch. Many anglers bag them with a basic cane pole, bobber, sinker and small hook baited with earthworms, just fishing along the bank for a good ole whisker-mouth.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists have compiled this list of great catfish destinations and tips.
* Escambia River: Battle some big channel catfish from mid-April through June and early October into November if the water stays warm. Catch small catfish year-round, but expect the action to slow when it is cold.
* Apalachicola River: Wear yourself out, hauling in big channel cats here from late May into early July. Flatheads pick up in April, and action runs into the summer. Small catfish bite pretty much year-round, but spring and summer months are best. Fish river bends and snags from Jim Woodruff Dam south, old creek channels, Lake Seminole backwaters and around mouths of tributaries.
* Choctawhatchee River: This baby has 30-pound flatheads all over the place, and several years ago, biologists collected and released a 46 1/2-pound channel catfish that would have been a new state record if they'd caught it on a hook and line. There's plenty of big channel catfish from May through early July and October into November if the water stays warm. You find most of the big catfish in the northern half of the river. Small cats keep biting year-round but slower when it's cold.
* St. Johns River and Dunn's Creek: Early May through June is the best time to go after big channel catfish here. Small catfish always are around, but spring and fall seem to be the best times to land them. Fish Dunn's Creek to Lake Crescent, Murphy's Creek from the St. Johns River to Dunn's Creek and the river from Palatka to Little Lake George. Try the hole on the north side of Buffalo Bluff Bridge, but bring plenty of hooks and weights, since lots of snags will cost you some tackle.
* Ocklawaha River: Keep your fish fryer ready, and go after big channel catfish May through June and October until mid-November. Small catfish stay hungry year-round here. Fish from Rodman Dam to the St. Johns River and the west end of Rodman Reservoir to Moss Bluff lock and dam. Catfish hang out below Rodman Dam in the spring. Put soy cake around fallen trees the day before fishing to attract catfish. When the water is clear, night-fishing is the way to go.
* Ochlockonee River: April is when flathead catfish start biting and mid-May into early summer, channel catfish join in, and the action stays hot until October or November. Small catfish bite year-round, but slow down in cold months. The Talquin tailrace area is a honeyhole.
* Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers: Big channel catfish just beg to get caught here from late April through June. Small catfish bite pretty much year-round. Try the lime rock areas throughout the river, particularly the upper and middle reaches; deadfalls are best in the lower river.
* Clermont Chain of Lakes: You can catch cats here all year, but spring and fall are best. Offshore, open-water areas, particularly near drop-offs or around bottom structure are the hot spots. Canals and channels that connect the lakes are good too when the water is flowing. Commercial trotliners catch catfish with chunks of freshly caught gar in bigger channels and with honey bees in smaller channels.
* Haines Creek: This is a good place to bag big channel catfish from mid-April through June and October and November as water temperatures begin to drop. Small cats bite year-round here, especially where water is flowing. Try the creek between lakes Eustis and Griffin, especially below the lock and dam.
* Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes: Big channel catfish spawning peaks between April and June. Bullheads primarily spawn from October into November but can spawn year-round. Look for moving water. That's where catfish gather. Try the drop-offs in the canals and below the Kissimmee River structure. In and around the mouth of Shingle Creek is another good spot, and so are the fish attractors.
* Southwest Florida Lakes: There are lots of them -- Tenoroc Fish Management Area, Mosaic Fish Management Area, Hardee Lakes Park, Lake Manatee, Medard Park, Dover District Park and Stephen J. Wortham Park. Catfish angling is best during the warmer months, but these fish bite in wintertime too. Catfish are usually most active in the morning and evening. Night-fishing can be outstanding sometimes. Fish on the bottom with a wide variety of baits from chicken livers to commercial stink baits. Larger catfish go for small shiners and minnows. Catfish concentrate around automatic fish feeders in lakes and ponds that have them. Around the feeders, use small pieces of dog food, bread and hot dogs for bait. Channel catfish typically school where the bottom drops off and also hang around the deeper, outside edges of weed beds.
One more thing: The first 3,000 resident anglers to buy a five-year freshwater fishing license after March 1 will receive a package of free fishing equipment in the mail automatically. This will likely continue to be available until around the beginning of June, but to be certain, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing/5yr-2006.html. The license cost is only $61.50 and remains valid even if license prices go up or you move out of state.
Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing/Forecasts for quarterly updates on fishing around the state and more details about the best places to go.
Bob Wattendorf is marketing and special projects coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. Kim Bonvechio and Phil Chapman contributed to this article.
By BOB WATTENDORF
Florida FWCC
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists have compiled this list of great catfish destinations and tips.
* Escambia River: Battle some big channel catfish from mid-April through June and early October into November if the water stays warm. Catch small catfish year-round, but expect the action to slow when it is cold.
* Apalachicola River: Wear yourself out, hauling in big channel cats here from late May into early July. Flatheads pick up in April, and action runs into the summer. Small catfish bite pretty much year-round, but spring and summer months are best. Fish river bends and snags from Jim Woodruff Dam south, old creek channels, Lake Seminole backwaters and around mouths of tributaries.
* Choctawhatchee River: This baby has 30-pound flatheads all over the place, and several years ago, biologists collected and released a 46 1/2-pound channel catfish that would have been a new state record if they'd caught it on a hook and line. There's plenty of big channel catfish from May through early July and October into November if the water stays warm. You find most of the big catfish in the northern half of the river. Small cats keep biting year-round but slower when it's cold.
* St. Johns River and Dunn's Creek: Early May through June is the best time to go after big channel catfish here. Small catfish always are around, but spring and fall seem to be the best times to land them. Fish Dunn's Creek to Lake Crescent, Murphy's Creek from the St. Johns River to Dunn's Creek and the river from Palatka to Little Lake George. Try the hole on the north side of Buffalo Bluff Bridge, but bring plenty of hooks and weights, since lots of snags will cost you some tackle.
* Ocklawaha River: Keep your fish fryer ready, and go after big channel catfish May through June and October until mid-November. Small catfish stay hungry year-round here. Fish from Rodman Dam to the St. Johns River and the west end of Rodman Reservoir to Moss Bluff lock and dam. Catfish hang out below Rodman Dam in the spring. Put soy cake around fallen trees the day before fishing to attract catfish. When the water is clear, night-fishing is the way to go.
* Ochlockonee River: April is when flathead catfish start biting and mid-May into early summer, channel catfish join in, and the action stays hot until October or November. Small catfish bite year-round, but slow down in cold months. The Talquin tailrace area is a honeyhole.
* Suwannee and Santa Fe Rivers: Big channel catfish just beg to get caught here from late April through June. Small catfish bite pretty much year-round. Try the lime rock areas throughout the river, particularly the upper and middle reaches; deadfalls are best in the lower river.
* Clermont Chain of Lakes: You can catch cats here all year, but spring and fall are best. Offshore, open-water areas, particularly near drop-offs or around bottom structure are the hot spots. Canals and channels that connect the lakes are good too when the water is flowing. Commercial trotliners catch catfish with chunks of freshly caught gar in bigger channels and with honey bees in smaller channels.
* Haines Creek: This is a good place to bag big channel catfish from mid-April through June and October and November as water temperatures begin to drop. Small cats bite year-round here, especially where water is flowing. Try the creek between lakes Eustis and Griffin, especially below the lock and dam.
* Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes: Big channel catfish spawning peaks between April and June. Bullheads primarily spawn from October into November but can spawn year-round. Look for moving water. That's where catfish gather. Try the drop-offs in the canals and below the Kissimmee River structure. In and around the mouth of Shingle Creek is another good spot, and so are the fish attractors.
* Southwest Florida Lakes: There are lots of them -- Tenoroc Fish Management Area, Mosaic Fish Management Area, Hardee Lakes Park, Lake Manatee, Medard Park, Dover District Park and Stephen J. Wortham Park. Catfish angling is best during the warmer months, but these fish bite in wintertime too. Catfish are usually most active in the morning and evening. Night-fishing can be outstanding sometimes. Fish on the bottom with a wide variety of baits from chicken livers to commercial stink baits. Larger catfish go for small shiners and minnows. Catfish concentrate around automatic fish feeders in lakes and ponds that have them. Around the feeders, use small pieces of dog food, bread and hot dogs for bait. Channel catfish typically school where the bottom drops off and also hang around the deeper, outside edges of weed beds.
One more thing: The first 3,000 resident anglers to buy a five-year freshwater fishing license after March 1 will receive a package of free fishing equipment in the mail automatically. This will likely continue to be available until around the beginning of June, but to be certain, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing/5yr-2006.html. The license cost is only $61.50 and remains valid even if license prices go up or you move out of state.
Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing/Forecasts for quarterly updates on fishing around the state and more details about the best places to go.
Bob Wattendorf is marketing and special projects coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management. Kim Bonvechio and Phil Chapman contributed to this article.
By BOB WATTENDORF
Florida FWCC