Winter catfish fishing: where blue cats go and how to catch them in cold water
Winter catfish fishing guide: why blue catfish bite in cold water, where to find them, the best baits and rigs, time of day, top winter catfish lakes and rivers, and the moon.
Most anglers put the catfish rods away when the leaves fall. The serious ones get them out. Winter is trophy season for blue catfish: the biggest fish feed heavily on dying shad, gather in predictable spots and bite through the coldest months. Channel cats slow down but can still be caught, while flatheads mostly shut down. Here's how to fish for cats in cold water.
Which catfish bite in winter?
Species
Winter activity
Notes
Blue catfish
High
Often the best trophy bite of the year; follow shad schools
Channel catfish
Moderate
Slower; smaller baits, warmer afternoons
Flathead catfish
Low
Mostly dormant below about 50°F
Why blue cats bite in winter
When water drops into the 40s, threadfin and gizzard shad get stressed and die off in large numbers. Easy food drifts to the bottom and into current, and big blue catfish move in to feed. They also school more tightly in winter, so when you find one, others are nearby.
Where to find catfish in winter
Deep channel edges and ledges in reservoirs, 20–50 feet deep.
Holes and bends in big rivers, with slower water behind structure.
Warm-water discharges from power plants (where fishing is allowed).
Below dams, especially when water is being released.
Wherever the shad are: watch your electronics for bait balls.
Top winter catfish waters
Some of the best-known winter blue catfish fisheries in the US:
James River (Virginia): famous for winter trophy blues near Richmond and Hopewell.
Santee Cooper lakes (South Carolina): Lakes Marion and Moultrie, big blues all winter.
Lake Texoma (Texas/Oklahoma) and many Texas reservoirs: winter blues on shad die-offs.
Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley: blues on the Tennessee and Cumberland river channels.
Mississippi River below locks and dams, and the Missouri and Ohio rivers.
Best baits for winter catfish
Fresh cut shad is king, and fresher is better. Skipjack herring is a great option in rivers. Other choices:
Cut shad heads and "guts" for a big scent trail.
Smaller chunks for channel cats, plus nightcrawlers.
Frozen bait works, but fresh bait caught that morning usually outfishes it.
Anchoring on a ledge with Santee or Carolina rigs fanned behind the boat.
Drifting or slow-trolling ("dragging") baits across flats and channel edges, a top winter method because it covers water while fish are scattered.
Bank fishing below dams and on river bends with a sliding sinker rig.
Use circle hooks (7/0–10/0 for big blues) and let the rod load before you reel.
Best time of day
In winter, catfish are less nocturnal than in summer. Many trophy blues are caught in daylight, from late morning through the afternoon, especially on sunny days that slightly warm the water. A stable weather window after a front often fishes best. Compare with the summer pattern in best time to catch catfish.
Weather and the moon
Stable or slowly rising water temperature is good; a sharp cold snap can shut things down for a day or two.
Moving water in rivers and dam releases triggers feeding.
Moon: many cat anglers like the days around the new and full moon, when solunar majors are strongest. In winter, the best results come when a major period falls in the warm afternoon hours. See best moon phase for fishing.
Winter catfish tips
Use electronics: find bait, then fish.
Move every 20–30 minutes if nothing bites.
Downsize for channel cats; go big for blues.
Dress for the wind on the water and wear a life jacket: cold water is unforgiving.
Release big breeders: trophy blues grow slowly.
Plan with Solunar
Solunar puts sunrise, sunset, moon phase and solunar windows on one 24-hour dial with a 1–4 star day rating for your exact spot, offline. In winter, pick days where a major period falls during the warmest hours.