How To Catch Catfish In A Pond?

When it comes to catching catfish there is a certain kind of thrill and adventure associated with it because it is somehow included or viewed as a big wild fish. However, how to catch catfish in a pond? Well, it may sound impossible but it is possible and also very funny.

But catching a catfish in a pond is a success only when they are native to the area in which you live. Catching any fish comes with the right skill, gear, and appropriate bait to lure the target. In addition, choosing the right location is also very essential when it comes to catching catfish. It is also a point to remember that catfish is not like any other fish and it can harm you, therefore it is essential to take all precautionary steps while handling catfish. Before cooking make sure you clean them effectively.

To effectively catch catfish in a pond, I will take you through the whole process and we will dig into each and every aspect associated with catfishing in this very article. Let’s begin!

The Process Of Catching Catfish OR How To Catch Catfish In A Pond?

1- Location: Picking the right location is of utmost importance when it comes to catching catfish in a pond. Catfish usually hang in the deepest areas of a pond. Therefore always look for a hole or crevice deep in the waterbed. There is also a major possibility for you to find catfish near the pile of rocks or near structures like a small dam in the pond.

• If there is a creek in your pond, it is most likely that you’ll find the catfish there. As there is more food resources and vegetation near the creek that is why they are present mostly near the creeks.
• Also, look for vegetation like growing algae or plankton you will also find catfish there. They tend to hide behind structures too.

2- Being quiet is the key: Sound travels much faster under the water than in the air and that is why the catfish can easily hear any noise you make. Once you have found the right spot for catfishing, try your best to be as quiet as possible. Always move with steady steps and keep your tackle box closer to you so that it does not move around in the boat. Always be patient while preparing your rod and hooking up your bait. Catfishes are very clever and they will swim away if they detect too much motion.

3- Deploy Tight-Line Technique: Using the tight-line technique involves attaching a small weight to your fishing line. With this technique, you can allow your fishing line to fall down deep inside the pond. As I have mentioned before, catfishes are most usually present at the bottom of the pond. In this way, you can easily feel a bite when a catfish pulls the lure deep down in the pond.

4- Catfishing At Night. Catfishes are most active during the nighttime. Therefore, if you are comfortable with night-time fishing you must go for it. Always bring night-time fishing essentials like a torch or lantern, water bottle, etc.

How To Choose Gear, And Bait For Catching Catfish In A Pond?

Bait With Pungent Smells. It is always wise to go for bait that has a strong, pungent, or foul smell because that attracts marine life very quickly under the water. Catfish are found to be more attracted to such smelly bait. Therefore, when you are going to buy bait, particularly for a catfish, look for some highly foul-smelling bait like chicken liver, shad, crawfish, nightcrawlers, etc. What Is The Best Way To Catch Catfish?

Reel And Fish Size. It is essential to have an estimate about the size of catfish native to your area. If you don’t know how to get that information it is always preferable to ask the locals or look up information available online like on the website of the Local department of natural resources. In addition to this, you can also observe the size of the catfish in your nearby ponds before going fishing. Knowing the size of catfish is important because it will determine the size of the reel you’re going to buy.

• For small-sized catfish light duty reels are sufficient. If you have big catfishes in your area always go for heavy-duty reels.
• However, if your area is fortunately equipped with diverse sizes of catfishes you can always go for heavy-duty reels just to play it safe.

Length Of The Rod: When catching a catfish in your pond you do not necessarily need a long fishing rod. But it’s not bad even if you have a long rod. However, long fishing rods are more suitable for catching catfish in a stream. A small-sized rod having a length of 6-8 inches is more than enough for catching a catfish in a pond. As catfish tend to be deeper into the water, it is wiser to get a test line accordingly. A fishing line of the 10-pound test line is more suitable as it can go to the pond’s bottom and that is where you’ll most probably get a bite from a catfish.

Slipping Sinker: What is a sinker? It’s basically a weight that is used to sink a fishing line. While you are going catfishing, I will always recommend using a very lightweight sinker. In this way, the catfish can easily taste your lure without feeling the weight of the sinker. If the sink is too heavy, the catfish will grow suspicious and will not be convinced to bite the bait.

Bait Holders: As it is obvious that we do not use worms or insects for catching a catfish, that is why it is important to invest in some bait holders because they will keep your bait in place. Hooking a chicken liver or a crawfish in the fishing hook is not easy without a bait holder.

Where Do Catfish Hide In Ponds?

Catfish are a type of fish that dwell on the upper water levels. They are wild creatures and tend to stay at the bottom, and therefore you will only find them in the deepest parts of a pond, lake, and stream. While going for catfishing, always look for a spot with holes, crevices, or creeks because they are most likely to be present there because of the water depth and food resources.

You can easily find catfish near the structures like fallen logs, trees, and artificial dams in the pond. They also try to camouflage under the vegetation like algae and zooplankton so make sure to look in these areas as well.

How To Catch Catfish From The Bank?

If you are aiming to catch catfish from the river’s bank, it’s an obvious fact that you cannot stay in one place, you have to be mobile in order to grab a catch. However, you may ask that I am getting bites by staying at only one place so should I move too? Well! Obviously not! But it’s common sense when you do not get anything by staying at one place you have to move along when things get tough.

One of the best things to do when you are fishing from a bank is to fish at night-time. Because during the day catfishes tend to hide in the deeper parts of the lake or river due to the heat, they tend to avoid heat. But at night when the temperature of the water falls down they do not scare of getting out there.

Other than night time, early morning is also a great time to fish for a catfish. Catfishes are very picky when it comes to water temperature, they like their water hot but not flaming hot. That is why it’s natural for them to hide in cooler areas of the lake when it is hot outside.

*The ideal principle for catching catfish from a bank is to fish for them when the sun is not at its peak hours*

How To Catch Catfish In Winter In A Pond?

If you want to catch catfish in the winters, then it mainly depends upon the choice of the location, that is why look for deep wintering holes that you can find on every water body and also the weather conditions should match with your fishing pattern plus you should have a grasp on the knowledge about the catfish’s behavior in different circumstances. Live bait is a great option when it comes to winter catfishing, and also the cut bait because of their strong odor.

Keep in mind that catfishes have a great sense of smell and they will easily catch up on your bait if it has a strong smell. Personally, my favorite is raw shrimp and minnows. In addition to this chicken’s liver, stink baits and cheese baits are also the popular ones that draw catfish right into your hook.

How To Catch Catfish In A River?

You just have to add weight to the slippery sinker. Now slowly move your rig over the wooden structures or near the vegetation in the river. Do not snag at the bottom, also drifting aids in covering the whole lot of area of the river, particularly from the bank. A jig head connected to the bait will also aid in catching catfish in the river.

Conclusion

Catching catfish is no biggie in the pond but there are some pointers that need to be checked before going out on catfish hunting. First of all, you should be aware that catfish are native to your area, second, you should have basic knowledge about catfish’s behavior and what they do at a specific time of the year. Third, always go for the appropriate equipment and location while fishing for catfish.
Happy fishing!!