when is best time of the day to fish for catfish and does weather have anything to do with it?

Answer 1

The most productive time for catfishing in NC on rivers is from 10 pm to about 5 am... both on the Cape Fear River and the Pee Dee. The weather does play a part as well. Changes in barometric pressure affect allfish as does water temperature and clarity.

Answer 2

Weather has a lot to do with catfish. When the barometer readings are lower, all fish are more active than when the readings are high. Also, watch the wind. with catfish, the wind is very important. Position yourself so that the waves (caused by the wind) will be taking the scent of your bait away from you, out into the open water. If the wind is blowing toward you, the scent of the bait is not dispersed as well. Catfish are the second-most sensitive fish to blood and other scents among freshwater fish (the minnow is number 1) So, it is important that the scent of your bait is dispersed over as large an area as possible.

As far as the time of day, from sunset to sunrise is the best. However, not everyone can keep those hours. Anytime around sunrise or sunset is good. Also, watch for moonrise and moonset. Sometimes the moon will rise in the middle of the afternoon and trigger some good fishing. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

Fishing for big catfish is better at night near the dams if the catfish have already spawned and have moved-up. If the catfish haven't spawned, your chances of catching the big ones are better fishing during daylight in the holes in the river. In the hottest part of the summer -- the Dog Days of summer -- the big cats have either got to be by the dam or in holes in the river to dodge the heat and to feed.

If you're fishing in the current below the dam, don't jig below the dam. You want the bait to move as slow and as steady as you can as it floats down the river. All you want to do is raise your lead up off the bottom enough to make sure you're not hung-up. Let it drift back a little ways, and then lower your sinker down again. The perfect drift when you're fishing in the current will be for your line to drift back 50 or 60 feet from the boat and bump the bottom while you hold your boat against the current with a trolling motor. You just want to be able to feel your lead tag the bottom and walk the bait down the bottom with the current.

Catfish are much more sound-sensitive than most anglers think, especially blue cats. If you run over the area you want to fish with your boat motor, throw the anchor in or drag it across the bottom and stomp and bang around in the boat or make any loud noises with your boat, you can cause the catfish that will have hit your line to not bite. You can cause the cats that are biting to quit biting. The bigger the catfish is, the more sensitive that fish is to sound.

Answer 4

Generally speaking try either early morning (dawn) or at dusk. All fish seem to become more active at those times. And yes, weather can have a profound effect on fishing. In my experience, I've found that the best times to fish for catfish (or any other) is just before a weather front moves through. The bite can be really great then. Conversely, after the front is gone and replaced by high pressure and blues skies, fish have a tendency to shut down again. Hope this helps you!!

Answer 5

Ialways that because catfish are naturally bottom dweller that the best time to fish for them is in the morning before the surface of the water heats up and they go deep. Don't know if it is true though.

Answer 6

Man, that is a tough question. I fish the MS River near Memphis, and the best fishing for blue cats is mid-morning during the cold season(December-February) and early morning during the hot season.

For flatheads, very early morning(river too dangerous at night) during the hot months and late spring.

Those things can vary widely, but with some practice you will find the best fishing for your area.

Answer 7

early morning or late afternoon. yes weather does. on a cool morning because on a real hot day catfish want bait

Answer 8

Night time