How to catch Catfish on Norfork Lake

There are three species of Catfish in Norfork lake including Flathead, Channel and Blues. At this time Channel and Flatheads are the most plentiful. Flatheads only bite on live bait while the others will bite about anything but prefer live Bluegill or Shiners about 3-5 inches long. Scuba Steve has fished for Catfish all over the country with success and prefers live bait at all times. I am not a big fan of Goldfish or Crawdads but they also work. There are several methods for catching catfish including trotlines, limb lines, throw lines, jugs and rod and reel. All work but timing is very important. In the spring if the water is high limb lines work the best on live trees or bushes that are partially submerged. I use a braided or nylon heavy line that is small enough to go through the eyelet of a 2-0 stainless steel hook and tie the line to a live, limber limb that is long enough to reach just a few inches under the water. Keep the line as short as possible from the limb to the water.  Learn how to tie a bow not with extra line to the limb to allow for the water to rise and drop and easily adjust the length accordingly to keep the bait just under the water. Hook the Bluegill or Shiner just behind the dorsal fin to keep it alive and able to swim. Do not tie to a dead or stiff limb. Allow for it to go up and down for flexibility to hold big fish. Bait up just before dark to keep the Herons and Turtles off the bait and check every two hours until after sunrise. Always use a net and always bait over the boat. Do not go cheap on the bait. Either catch or seine your own or buy from the bait shop. There is no sense going out with poor bait or think Flatheads will bite cut bait. They will not but it will greatly enhance your chances of catching turtles. 

Throw lines are trotlines that are tied to something sturdy near the shore and go out into the lake with a weight on the end. I buy mine from the bait shop and they come with everything you need. One long trot line can make two or three throw lines. Select a place that is free of snags.

I like to attach short lines about 2-feet long to the main line starting about 10-feet from the bank about every 7-8 feet making sure you use the provided swivels to prevent twisting and stagings to prevent the lines from sliding together. Tie a round weight in the middle about 2-3 pounds to keep the line down near the bottom to prevent Bass fishermen and trollers from snagging it and tie another weight about 5-lbs at the end. Take the line straight out from the shore not parallel to it so you are fishing different depths and again bait with live bait. This is good when the water is lower and not conducive for limb lines.  Bait with live bait. 

I use trot lines later in the year starting in early June when the Channel Cats bite the best. Go all the way back in a creek where you can tie a line and span the water from shore to shore and it should usually be from about 75-100 feet. Select a place where it is free of snags. Attach the line to each shore on something sturdy and where you can find it easily but under water to prevent others from helping you check it. Use a grappling hook to find the line. Tie a 2-ft. drop line starting when the water is at least a couple of feet deep about 7-8 feet apart to the other shore again using the swivels to prevent twisting and again tie a weight in the middle about 5-lbs to hold the line down to keep the turtles off it. You can use anything for bait including: shrimp, cut bait, hot dogs soaked in red food coloring and garlic scent, night crawlers or prepared bait on a treble hook. This is my least favorite method but catches fish, especially smaller Channel Cats and turtles. Bait up just before dark and you can continue to bait during the day. 

Jugs are very popular for most of the season. I again use live bait on all jugs. Many things can be used as a jug including noodles, milk jugs, plastic oil containers and about anything that is buoyant. Use something that is easily seen and not too hard to pull under and allows you to wrap line around it so as to not tangle things all up.  Spray painting with fluorescent paint works well for fishing at night and using a spotlight. The best way to rig a jug is to drop shot the line. Tie a 6-8 ounce weight at the bottom and attach drop lines about 2-ft. long with swivels and 2-0 stainless steel hooks. I am not a fan of circle hooks. They hold the fish well but also miss some. I like braided or nylon line not monofilament. Start about 3-feet from the bottom attaching drop line and hooks about 5-feet apart up to near the top. I also like a 30 ft.-long main line with about 5-hooks so you are fishing at different depths from 5-30 feet all the time. Also the weight at the bottom holds the line so you do not get blown into the shore and you are fishing all the time. I like to finish baiting up jugs in the evening just when it is getting too dark to see. Go to a good fishing creek like Blackburns Creek and notice the wind direction. If it is blowing in, go to the mouth of the creek and they will blow in and if it is blowing out,go back until you are past any docks or structure that can hang up your jug and set them out. They will then blow to the main lake.  No wind, put them in the center of the creek. Check them all night for best results. Retrieve at sunrise. You are allowed a total of 30-hooks here at Norfork. If a jug is missing, keep looking for it. Chances are it has a big fish on it and is headed for the main lake. Always use a net. No beer drinking allowed. 

Catfish do not like full moons and dropping water levels. For best results go out at the dark of the moon after a rain when the lake is rising. Good luck!

Scuba Steve from Blackburns Resort and Boat Rental. For a daily fishing report and lake condition go to blackburnsresort.com and click on Scuba Steve's Blog or listen to KTLO Radio at 97.9 FM on Tuesdays and Fridays at 8:20 AM and 1:20 PM and be the first to know what is happening on Norfork lake.