Catfish Facts

Eighty-three pounds of Georgia catfish

Screven general contractor Jim Dieveney had extra motivation as he fought the catfish the size of a runway model. “I was by myself,” Dieveney, 55, told the AJC. Would anyone believe him if he didn’t produce the 83-pound flathead catfish? He said it took 15 to 20 minutes to land the monster he caught on the Altamaha River in Wayne County Sunday morning. The catch ties the state flathead catfish record set four years ago by Carl Sawyer on the same river. It’s a record that could easily be broken, as flathead catfish can weight up to 125 pounds. “I was pretty shocked when I saw it,” said Dieveney, fishing with a saltwater shark rod. “I got him up about three to four times before finally getting him on my dock.” The next step was to find a certified scale — not easy on a Sunday morning. “Everyone I knew who had one was at church,” Dieveney said.

He kept the fish alive in a children’s wading pool before finally getting up with the state Wildlife Resources Division. Dieveney donated his catch to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources but hopes to have a mold made of the beastly fish, which has a tasty reputation.

“Cleaning it would take awhile,” Dieveney said. “Gotta get all the fat out.”

Also known as Appaloosa cats, the flatheads are one of five varieties of catfish found in Georgia. They typically nest in deep, murky pools with light currents, said Bert Deener, the DNR’s fisheries regional supervisor. Live bait, like the bream used by Dieveney, is advised if you want to catch a flathead, which are prevalent in the southeast Georgia river.

Dieveney told the AJC he hopes to break his own record. No doubt an 84-pounder would suffice.

The Best Catfish Bait for Monster Cats

 Click Here To Get 80 Time Tested, Easy to Prepare, Catfish Bait Recipes

The next time you go catfish fishing be sure to take a casting net. It is how I get the best catfish bait for big cats. If you don’t know how to throw one don’t worry about. You can pick it up in an hour or two of practice. Once you have it down you won’t forget it.

Why do you need a casting net to get the best catfish bait for big cats? Because you want fresh live bait. Just about any species will do but be sure to check your states regulations on live bait. My favorites are bluegill and shad but bluegill are illegal in some states. Both are abundant in just about any waterway. Also don’t rule out bullhead catfish as Flatheads and Blues don’t seem to have a problem eating their own species. In fact, Flatheads will often times prefer Bullhead over Shad.

Now that you have your live bait let’s make sure that your rig is set up right. You should have a medium to heavy rod with at least 20# test line, I use 50# spider wire, with a 20# leader and numbers 2 – 6 circle hooks depending on how big a cat you are after. Slip a slip sinker on the line, and then tie on a good swivel, a 12-18 inch leader and your hook. Don’t go cheap on the swivel. Cats like to roll when hooked and a big cat will tear a cheap brass swivel up. Fish your bait on the bottom with an open bail. Be sure to set the hook hard when the cat makes a run with your bait.

The big cats Flathead and Blue when mature prefer live bait. They will occasionally go after cut baits but if you want the best bait for big cats you will want live bait. Live bait can be hooked behind the dorsal fin below the spine, at the end of the tail, or up through the lower jaw and up through the nostrils. Don’t be afraid to choose a bait fish 6-12 inches in length if you want that monster cat.

You may be thinking you won’t catch many fish with bait that size and your right. But if you are looking for the big catfish I am assuming you don’t care about the 1 and 2 pounders you can catch with chicken liver then live bait is the way to go. You can always use smaller baitfish or even cut bait if you run out of patience but your chances of landing a 20 plus pound cat are less. The best bait for big cats will always be live bait.

For a great catfish bait recipe book designed mainly to catch channel catfish visit Easy Catfish Bait Recipes

5 Tips For Catching That Monster Catfish

Everyone wants to catch a monster catfish. There are no bigger fresh water fish in North America. Both blues and flatheads regularly exceed 50 pounds and the record for each is 124 and 123 pounds respectively. Heck even the record channel catfish caught at 58 pounds would certainly make someones day. For many anything over 50 pounds would be a trophy of a lifetime.

These monsters are everywhere in the United States but few anglers catch them on a regular basis. Here are a few tips that may help you become one of those whom regularly catch these monster catfish.

1. GEAR UP! A 50 pound cat will snap rods and fry reels. You must invest in heavy tackle. You will need a 7 foot or longer heavy action rod. Bait casting reels are the strongest but many anglers favor the spin casting reel. Whichever reel you decide on spool it 30, 50 or even 80 pound braid. Attach a 6/0 to 10/0 heavy wire circle hook.

2. Tie a good knot. Knots are often the weakest point of any fishing rig. Learn how to tie the Palomar knot. It is simple and efficient providing almost 100 percent line strength.

3. Where to fish. Large rivers provide the most opportunity for big cats but large lakes can also be productive. Another good place is the deep water below a dam as these monsters will lay in way for chunks of fish chewed up by the dam. Do not waste your time with creeks and ponds. It would be rare if you caught anything close to 50 pounds there.

4. Use fish for bait. Live fish for flatheads and cut baits for blue and channel catfish. Other baits will work but not with the consistency fish.

5. Have patience.  You are not going to catch a monster cat every time out. Maybe not for several times out. This is what discourages the average angler but if you want to catch the big one you will have to have patience. Believe me once you hook one of these monsters you will realize that all that effort was worth it.