Georgia Catfishing A Wide Choice Of Venues

The Peach State is a fisherman's dream come true. Blessed with an abundance of fresh water, Georgia offers the angler a wide choice of venues. Public waterways are always within easy driving distance, and fishing is about as popular as telling stories about the one that got way.

Catfish are among the states most popular game fish, and there's many a campfire circle that heard its fair share of opinions as to where the best cats are to be found, what's the best rig for catching them, which bait to use, and how long that sucker really was.

Historical evidence indicates that the Native Americans fished for cats all over the south, and the earlier settlers were more than pleased to spin a line out over a quiet pond. These days the majority of catfish taken in Georgia waters top out at around five pounds. The occasional ten pound monster is a cause for celebration, and great bragging rights.

And no-one gets to brag more than Brinson's James Tyus. From Decatur County, Tyus hooked and landed a 67 pound, 8 ounce beast on April1, 2006. The 48 inch monster is on the official records as the largest catfish every caught in the state.

We may never get that lucky, but a couple of five pounders can provide a lively hour's sport, as well, and a light casting rig will increase the sense of combat between man and fish

There may be more than a dozen varieties of catfish swimming in Georgia's waters, but for most anglers, they're after one of three major species: Blues, Flatheads or Channel catfish. Each is distinct, and each has its own champions.

The Blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) is pale blue with a deeply forked tail and white chin barbels. The upper and lower jaws meet evenly, or the upper jaw may project slightly beyond the lower jaw. Blue cats get big in the Peach State.

They're the true giants among the big three. They like rivers and reservoirs and the biggest fish can often be found in the waters below a dam. Like all catfish they like the water dark and deep. They eat live or dead fish and any number of invertebrates such as grasshoppers and worms.

Flatheads (Pylodictis divaris) really have a flattened head, between the eyes.

Their distinctive lower jaw projects beyond the curved tooth patches on either side of the upper jaw. The back and sides of the body and fins are mottled with black, white, olive, and sometimes pale yellow.