(Area) Catfish take center stage in Iowa’s lakes and rivers once the calendar turns to July.
Fisheries Biologist Bryan Hayes says channel catfish are stocked into Iowa lakes by the DNR and are the most common of the catfish species that are caught. “They provide a little diversity with something different than bass and bluegill. Something that has the potential to grow to a trophy size and and appeals to the bank anglers, the people that are going to pull up a lawn chair, enjoy the scenery, and enjoy being outdoors.”
Channel catfish spawn when water temperatures reach 80 degrees. Stink baits, chicken liver, and anything with an odor are recommended for bait. “Anything that omits an odor or leaves a scent trail in the water. Those catfish can hone in on that and find it. It’s time to do some catfishing either in our lakes that are stocked or in our rivers where it’s natural reproduction.”
Flathead catfish are available in the rivers. The window of opportunity is dependent on the water temperatures. “With warmer water temperatures the catfish are more active. They are trying to bulk up in size.”
Hayes says bullhead catfish were once very popular among anglers, but numbers have declined over the last 20-30 years.
