catching catfish during winter months?

l can tell you about yesterday here in socal.

we've finally been getting good rain so l went to lake casitas for some catfishing where santa ana creek comes running in.

a real good muddy flow. too thin to plow, too muddy to drink.

found a hole just out of the main current. just below a point where another creek converged.

cats were eating well. l only got one strike though. that turned into a 6+lb cat.

l was REALLY surprised they weren't biting better but the way the gut was packed on mine they probably just weren't hungry. stomach was filled with earthworms, a crawdad and the big chunk of mackerel l was using as bait.

sooo,

with the catfish bite not being what l expected, about 2:00 l wandered down to the launching ramp.

had a bass rod in the car rigged with a cinnamon "fat ika" from the previous trip and decided to use it a bit while still soaking mackerel for cats.

out of a total of 6 strikes in a 1 or 1 1/2 hour period, l landed 3 bass from only 5 or 6 feet of water, breaking off my "ika" on the fourth bass (6th strike) and ending my bass fishing for the day. the three came to 11 1/2lb with the largest being 5lb 4oz.

cats still weren't feeding so l went home.

l love fishing in the rain.

in muddy water for cats or slightly off color water for bass.

this is my winter. about 50 or 60 degrees.

l'm sure my answer is in there somewhere.

I stop fishing in December through February or March because of just bad weather. I just don't feel comfortable in 40 or lower degree weather. When I go fishing I like to enjoy myself and I just don't enjoy the cold. Catfish will hang in deeper water this time of the year, you'll find them mostly in 10' or deeper. Try to find a good, warm backwater to find a steady number of cats.

Backwaters are generally warmer than the main lake, so they would be a great spot for catfish. I'd use a piece of fresh cut shad, shiner or bluegill as bait with a 2/0 circle or kahle hook. Maybe even a 2/0 baitholder hook will work. Big channel cats love cut bait, especially shad.

You may find some bass in the same backwaters but I'm guessing they'll be mainly on the main lake in very deep water. Try at least 12' but 15' would be better. Jig 'n craw, plastic worms, or spoons as far as lures go. Rely on a football head jig with a matching craw trailer for the most fish...

OH! And right below a dam would be a great place for cats! May need to upgrade line to 20lb at the least, and sinker weight to 2oz - 4oz. Instead of having a long 12" - 16" leader as you'd normally use for cats, instead, in this deep fast moving water use NO leader. Just slide on your 2oz - 4oz weight and add a bead about 6" from the end of your line to ensure that the sinker doesn't come in contact with your hook. Then tie your hook on.

It's a known fact that, no channel catfish(or any other species of catfish) do not "hibernate" in the winter. Read it in North American Fisherman Magazine. Many believed that the so called "Hibernater" would stay motionless for the winter on the bottom of lakes, rivers, reservoirs, etc. Many catfisherman actually catch the biggest channels of there life in the winter. Well, hope i helped ya out.

I've caught a few channel cats through the ice! Nothing huge, but talk about a surprise coming through the hole!