Most Anglers think the Catfish is an ugly beast, and perhaps they're right, but no one who has ever caught one thinks this way.
A truly extraordinary animal, no freshwater fish in Britain would fight harder, but yet, on the bank they are the most docile of creatures and can be handled by even a child. Give catfishing a try, you won't regret it...
Catfish Territory
Catfish live in only about 50 waters in England, most of which hold only very small stocks. Nearly all of the best catfish venues for the beginner, ones with large stocks of catfish of all sizes up to 30lb, are in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Hertfordshire. Anyone wishing to start catfishing and learning the techniques would have a much better chance of success by joining clubs specialising in this species, like The Leighton Buzzard Angling Club. Membership with them gives you access to three of the countries top waters, Clayton Lakes near Winslow in Buckinghamshire: Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire: and at Tiddenfoot pit and & Rackley Hills.
Claydon Lakes:
Deffinately the best place to start, holds a large number of catfish, quite snag free and probably the easiest water in the country. Beware of the word easy though, catfishing is extremely slow fishing and you'd have to be prepared to put in a lot of your time to catch very few fish. Catfish tend to go a long time between meals. Unlike most freshwater fish, a catfish has a true stomach. It fills its stomach when it does feed, then lies up for a long time while it slowly digests its meal. Only by putting in the rod hours can you be sure of having a baited hook in the water when a catfish goes on a feeding spree. Night fishing isn't permitted at Claydon but this doesn't matter as the water is very heavily coloured and the usually nocturnal cats feed well during the day. If the water is clear in a venue, you can expect the fish to only feed at night, rarely venturing out in the light of day.
When & Where
Like Tench, Catfish is a warm water fish, the best time of the year to catch them is from the beginning of the season until the end of September. Actual choice of swim is not usually particularly important as a feeding catfish is a cruising predator and scavenger covering a lot of water in its search for food. It's best not to fish close to any snags, however, as its virtually impossible to keep a catfish out of them on its first, extremely powerful run
To Tackle up for a Catfish adventure:
The absolute basic tackle required for fishing for catfish in Britain is a rod of at least 11ft with a 11/2 Test Curve, sporting a nice through action, A good quality reel with a fixed spool, loaded with at least 10 - 12lb line, and chemically sharpened forged hooks size 4-1/0. Buzzer bars and an electronic bite alarm will complete your set-up.
Smelly Baits are best
Good baits for catfish are 5-10cm live or dead fish. Livebaits are best hooked through the top lip or the root of the tail. Dead fish are best mounted so the hook is near the middle of the bait, with the point facing the tail, as catfish usually pick up deadbaits head first. Pieces of liver and squid are also excellent baits, in fact, anything that smells meaty or fishy could be used, always try to match the hook size to the bait size, and be careful to ensure that the hook point is exposed. You invariably miss the bite if you bury the hook point
To Strike and Play
Catfish will drop the bait if they feel any resistance so light indicators and an open bail arm are essential. When you get a run, strike immediatly to prevent deep hooking, and strike firmly, as a catfish has a tough mouth. Make sure you are able to give line immediately, as catfish fight incredibly hard and are impossible to hold. You can give line by backwinding, but the tremendous speed of the catfish can make this very difficult. The best way to give line is to have the reel open at the bail arm or use the clutch.
Landing and Handling
A big landing net, one with at least 40in arms is essential. Once you have got your catch safely on the bank, use forceps to take out the hook. Don't worry about the big gaping ugly mouth, although it contains hundreds of tiny teeth at the front. The catfish is completely harmless, you can even put your whole hand in its mouth without fear of losing your fingers
Catfish are best contained in a purpose made tube. When returning a cat, hold it upright in the water until it is ready to swim away. Remember, catfishing is a waiting game,they go a very long time between meals, the more you venture out, the better your prospects are for catching one, but once you do, you'll never look back
By DARREN BRADLEY
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