There are plenty of locations to land a catfish, and it’s a great experience for both new and experienced anglers, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division (WRD).

“Fishing can be a fun experience for new or young anglers, especially when you target catfish. The gear you need is relatively simple, and catfish are found throughout Georgia so angling locations are plentiful,” says Scott Robinson, WRD Fisheries Management Chief.  “And, while catching fish seems like the best part, it’s really the memories being made. I don’t think anyone ever looks back on their life and says, I took my kid fishing too often. So, get out there and make those memories as you Go Fish Georgia!”

Georgia’s public waterways are home to several species of catfish, including channel, white, blue, flathead, and bullheads (yellow, brown, snail, spotted, and flat). Larger species, like blue and flathead catfish, can even exceed 50 pounds!

What to Use: 

• Use 8- to 14-pound test line and medium-sized hooks (size 2 to 1/0) under a bobber or fished on the bottom when targeting channel and white catfish. Best baits include worms, liver, live minnows, shrimp, cut bait, and stink bait.
• For large blue or flathead catfish, heavy tackle is a must — large spinning or casting gear with 20- to 50-pound test braid or monofilament line, large hooks (3/0 to 8/0), and heavy weights (1–5 oz) to keep bait on the bottom. Flatheads prefer live or freshly killed fish, while freshly caught gizzard shad is ideal for blue catfish.
• Other effective catfishing methods include trotlines, limb lines, and jug-lines. Regulation details on these methods are available in the Georgia Sportfishing Regulations Book at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.

Where to Look: 

Target rocky shorelines, rip-rap areas, points, and outside bends of rivers or submerged river channels. Catfish often stay in deeper “holes” during the day and move into shallow areas at night to feed. When fishing rivers, look for deep holes with rocky or woody cover during the day and focus on shallow sandbars, flats, and shoals near these holes at dawn, dusk, and nighttime. Flatheads especially favor downed trees and structure on outside bends.

When to Go: 

Although catfish can be caught throughout the day, the best summer fishing is typically at dusk and into the night. Catfish bite year-round, but the peak action occurs from early spring through summer. Be prepared to move if you don’t get a bite within 30 minutes.

What are Some Good Locations? 

Remember what we said about the best summer catfish fishing at dusk and into the night? Georgia’s Public Fishing Areas (GeorgiaWildlife.com/allpfas) are great places to target catfish, with most PFAs being open 24 hours a day year-round. For more lake and river fishing suggestions, check out the Fishing Forecasts webpage at GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing-forecasts.

Visit GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com to purchase a fishing license online or to view a list of retail license vendors or buy a license by phone at 1-800-366-2661.

For more fishing information, visit GeorgiaWildlife.com/fishing/angler-resources.

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