How To Go Dam Fishing For Catfish

Catfish is a very popular species of fish that can be found most anywhere, even in dam water. This species got its name from the prominent barbells that look so much like the whiskers of a cat.

They range in a variety of sizes averaging from small to enormous. The catfish make a tasty meal so they are sought after for both the sport of it and for food.

There are different types of catfish and each one of them have their own unique qualities that make them special. Below is a list of the five main types of catfish and a brief description.

Blue Catfish - The blue catfish has a heavy body and a wide head with the dorsal hump high in the center of the head. The upper jaw is longer than the lower jaw. It has a bluish-gray color body that gets lighter as you go down the sides and it changes to white when you reach the belly. They have a deep forked tail and they prefer sandy bottoms and moderate currents.

Bullhead Catfish - There are three types of bullhead catfish. The black and brown have black chin barbells while the yellow species has white barbells. None of them have scales. The black bullhead seem to prefer murky waters while the brown prefer fairly clear water with very little vegetation. The yellow bullhead thrive better in waters with lots of vegetation.

Channel Catfish - The channel cats have a slender body and very deep forked tail. They have barbells around their mouth and the upper jaw is longer than the lower one. They are a blue silver color with dark spots. They are normally plentiful below dams where food is abundant.

Flathead Catfish - Flathead catfish got its name because of their unique look. Its head is flattened between the eyes and the lower jaw is longer than the upper one. It also has a flat tail. They are a yellow-olive color with brown blotches and the belly is yellow or a whitish color. They prefer submerged logs and other underwater structures.

White Catfish - This type of catfish has a medium forked tail, stocky body and an upper jaw that is only slightly longer than the lower one. They are a light blue-gray color and have a white belly.

When dam fishing for catfish there are a few tips that can help increase your success but for the most part, it's best to keep things simple. Catfish are not a very complicated species but they can put up an amazing fight that you won't soon forget. That's why the best advice would be to be prepared and experiment a little.

Catfish Fishing Methods

There are different types of methods used for catching catfish. Most anything that allows you to get the bait down on the bottom where they are located will work just find. Drift-fishing is an excellent tactic that will help you find the catfish hotspots. There are two ways to drift fish for cats. The most common way is to place your boat above the area on the dam where you plan to fish.