When do catfish bite and why, do catfish bite in November and spring

Change in bite depending on the season

When choosing the best time of year for fishing, it is worth considering the biological clock of the predator:

Late autumn – mid spring. At this time, trying to catch a river giant is a useless task and doomed to failure. And although it would seem that on the eve of the winter cold the fish should eat in order to gain weight, this does not happen. The fact is that a decrease in water temperature, as well as a reduction in daylight hours, force the catfish to save strength and energy. In winter, the predator goes into suspended animation and completely stops feeding. With the onset of spring, fish begin to swim out of the holes to prepare for spawning. However, you shouldn’t expect a stable bite until the water warms up.
Late spring – early autumn. In May, the catfish begins to prepare for spawning and a stable bite can be observed, but in June it stops completely, as mating games and egg laying begin. July and August are the best time for fishing. Having spawned, the predator begins to actively feed, even during the daytime. In early autumn, the bite slows down: the fish begins to prepare for hibernation.

What weather is best to catch catfish?

Stable, without any surprises, catfish bites, like other predatory and peaceful fish, are facilitated by stable weather without changes - every fisherman knows this. And regarding the activity of biting in changeable weather, opinions among catfish differ, since catfish behave differently in different bodies of water. Again, it is recommended to observe how this predator behaves in different weather in the same place. However, there are a few generally accepted guidelines to consider.

Before any sudden change in weather, the number of catfish bites increases sharply, especially before a strong summer thunderstorm. Zhor can begin either a day before or just before it begins. Pay attention to the pressure; if it drops sharply, an excellent catch is guaranteed.

During heavy, prolonged rain, the catfish bites reluctantly, or does not bite at all. But with a light drizzle you can expect excellent results. This is due to the fact that heavy rain creates too much noise, which disorients the inhabitants of the reservoir. Light rain, on the contrary, with a low noise level saturates the upper layers of water with oxygen, encouraging fish to swim to the surface.

After a heavy downpour, thunderstorm or storm, catfish become more active. This is due to the fact that with wind and rain, a lot of food that is familiar to its inhabitants gets into the reservoir. At this time, insects and worms are the best bait to use.

The activity of catfish primarily depends on water temperature. It must be above 17-18 degrees for successful spawning. If spawning does not take place as a result of cold weather, the catfish may lose its appetite until mid-summer. When there is a sharp cold snap after prolonged heat, the catfish also stops pecking.

If the weather changes too often during the day, then you may not expect a catfish bite. This predator is too cautious; it will prefer to sit out until the weather stabilizes.

When the water level drops, the catfish is reluctant to leave its shelter even at night. But when the water is high, he gladly visits flooded shallows and cliffs of the banks in the hope of profiting from rodents and other living creatures caught in the water.

In windy weather, catfish bite better than in calm weather. And this is also not just like that. The wind improves the oxygen balance of the water and also brings natural food into the water for peaceful fish, which the catfish hunts. As for catching catfish using a quok, depending on the strength of the wind, you need to change the quok technique and the model of the quok itself - but this is done purely individually.

Conditions for the best bite

Times of Day

Catfish are considered a purely nocturnal predator, but this is not entirely true. The fact is that fishing at different times of the day is different from each other.

From dawn to dusk. During the day, the catfish prefers to hide in pools and snags, but this does not mean that it cannot be fished out. Catching a river giant during daylight hours requires a lot of energy and physical effort. Catfish lie motionless at the very bottom, and the fisherman, in the literal sense of the word, has to look for a predator. The most successful options are spinning and quok fishing. For the first, you need a heavy bait in the form of a large fish or crayfish. This is due to the fact that the spoon will sink to the bottom faster, thereby allowing large volumes of river depths to be plowed. Fishing with a quok is more successful, as it recreates the sounds of the predator’s favorite delicacy – the frog. However, it becomes more difficult to pull out a more or less decent specimen, since fishing is carried out from a boat and a good catfish can roll you around the pond for a long time.
From dusk to dawn. With the onset of dusk and before the first rays of the sun, the fish swim out of their holes and begin to actively feed. With the help of long whiskers that capture any, even the faintest odors, the predator begins to plow the bottom in search of prey. That is why donks are the best gear for catching it.

Weather

This factor influences the bite to a lesser extent, but one cannot ignore some important observations made by both amateurs and professionals.

Strong wind. This natural phenomenon not only spoils the mood of fishermen, but also reduces the likelihood of a bite, as extraneous noises appear that frighten the predator.
Heat. Most preferred weather factor. This is due to the fact that the water temperature rises, and the catfish begins to actively feed even in the daytime.
Rain. Drops falling from the sky drop insects and small animals into the water, which undoubtedly entails bites from any other predator, but not catfish.
Moderate weather. According to most anglers, this is the best time to fish, and not because the fish bite better, but because fishing begins to bring real pleasure.

Pressure

Ichthyologists still don’t know why fish bite depends on changes in atmospheric pressure. However, it would be foolish to deny that mercury readings cannot warn an angler about an empty bag and an untouched hook.

Steadily increasing pressure. Despite the general opinion that there is no need to expect a bite at this time, the catfish continues to actively feed on its usual schedule.
Stable high blood pressure. It slightly impairs the success of fishing, but not catastrophically.
Stable low pressure. It is the preferred period for fishing, as small fish begin to actively feed. What entails bites.
Steadily decreasing pressure. The most successful option for catching any fish, as it becomes the most active and voracious.
Spasmodic pressure. The biting at this time practically stops, as the fish begins to get sick and stops feeding.

Temperature

The activity of catfish, and therefore the success of catching it, directly depends on temperature.

High temperatures provoke the activity of the predator; it is not without reason that the best time for fishing is July and August.
Low temperature forces the fish to save strength and energy. Sometimes, at the first frost, the bite stops completely, as the fish goes into suspended animation and stops responding even to the most attractive baits.

Fishing place

Choosing a place is perhaps the most important preparatory moment for catfish fishing. You can’t just cast a fishing rod and wait for the weather by the sea; it’s important to know where the river predator lives.

Wintering pits. Catfish prefer to hide in large, deep holes, away from sunlight and external threats, therefore placing gear in such places is most effective.
Edges of holes, cliffs. When swimming out to hunt, the predator first of all inspects the bottom around its rookery.
Quarries and depressions.
Shallow water. In the summer, especially after spawning, when the water warms up, the catfish swims into shallow water, since this is where the small fish on which it feeds go.

Bait

Catfish is a voracious predator, possessing a huge powerful mouth that can straighten forged hooks, it feeds on everything that swims by, mollusks, crayfish and so on. However, like any other fish, it has its own preferences.

Frogs are perhaps his favorite food.
Crawls. They attract predators with their size and smell.
Live bait. Almost any fish caught in the body of water where you are fishing.
Fried sparrow. Catfish are attracted to the smell of burnt skin and feathers, so the bird should be scorched immediately before casting for greater effect.
Small rodents. The least common fishing option, however, is no less effective.

Fishing for catfish in summer. Catching catfish in June, July and August

Fishing for catfish in early June becomes more active, since the spawning time has passed, and the predator begins to fatten, gaining weight. But in most regions of Russia the spawning period lasts until mid-June. Therefore, for now we have to fish from the shore, which some fishfish do quite effectively, using a live bait feeder or using long-range carp rods with bottom equipment.

With the opening of summer fishing, the most effective fishing is considered to be fishing for catfish, luring it with the sound of a quok. During this period, they engage in quoting using relatively short, powerful spinning rods baited with mollusks, in particular pearl barley, placing large quantities of pearl barley pulp on the hooks, even closing the space between the leads. This gives you a chance to bite big fish.

We have already talked about the quok and the technique of fishing with it in the article “Catching catfish with the quok.” In addition to fishing with a kwok, there are also effective ways of catching catfish, perhaps not as sporty as with a kwok, however, they are not prohibited and can be just as interesting as other fishing. Fishing with live bait often brings success, using fixed gear. The advantage of such fishing is that in June dawns, catfish often come to the border of the pit and coastal shallow water, overgrown with grass. There are a lot of small fish here, which are the target of the predator. But the depth is shallow and an angler with a quok will be a deterrent for catfish here. Therefore, in such places, summer fliers, which, like kwok, were used back in the times of Sabaneev and Aksakov, can become more effective.

These fixed tackles are suspended on poles stuck into the bottom at an angle of about 45 degrees, which prevents the baitfish from being caught by the pole. 10-12 m of strong fishing line is wound onto a flyer made of vinyl plastic or a dry fork of a bush, an olive sinker and a metal leash are placed, connected to the fishing line with a strong clasp and carabiner. In deeper places, instead of fliers, there are circles mounted on an anchor. Sometimes, for entertainment purposes and to better indicate the bite, winter reels with flag springs are attached to such mugs. And the result is fishing that is very reminiscent of winter fishing. In addition, a pop-up flag allows the fisherman to quickly swim up to the tackle and hook, although often the predator is spotted itself.

A leash is passed into the baitfish's mouth, which is then brought out through the operculum of the fish and fastened to a clasp. With this method of baiting, a predator will never rip a small fish off the hook with impunity. During the grip, the fishing line slips out of the split in the fork of the flyer and begins to unwind. At this time, the catfish swallows live bait. While the girders are standing, the angler can calmly fish with a quok or spinning rod.

Catfish fishing often stops in July due to too warm water. And only at night or at dawn the predator comes out to feed.

The nights are still short and light, especially on the water near a city or large village. In addition to quoting and fishing with live bait, during this hot period, catching catfish with a spinning rod is successfully practiced, where the well-known oscillating and rotating spoons are used. But these oscillators and turntables are heavier than their counterparts. Spinner baits can generally weigh 50 g, although this weight is more typical for autumn spinners for pike. Rotating spoons are used when moving along holes under cliffs overgrown with hanging bushes. This is often where catfish stand on summer nights. Often, spinners bring success at the border of the shallows and the channel pit, where catfish come out, tired of the day's heat.

In August, catfish fishing becomes more active. As the water gets colder, all predators come to life and go hunting, including catfish. This is one of the best periods when catfish are successfully caught using quok, spinning, donkey, live bait feeder, girders and baitfish. All known baits for catfish are used: crawling worms, leeches, barley meat, small fish, fry, locusts, grasshoppers, frogs, larvae, mole crickets. Sometimes out of competition is crayfish, especially the molting one.

During this period, catfish often go to the shores, where they are caught on donkeys.

Go to the summer fishing

to get acquainted with fishing for other types of fish during this period.

Dependence of the bite on the gear used

You can fish with a variety of gear, but the most popular are the following options:

Donka. The most effective fishing method in summer. When choosing equipment, it is important to consider that the catfish is quite large in size. Therefore, the strength of the fishing line must be appropriate. Some anglers even use a clothesline. The feeder is optional, but if desired, you can fill it with a mixture of worms, maggots, bloodworms and fish offal.
Spinning. Just as with bottom fishing, it is necessary to take into account the size of the predator. A light spinning rod will be broken without hesitation, and a thin fishing line will be torn. It is best to use a strong cable with a steel leash. For bait, use a large wobbler or a heavy spoon.
Kwok. The most common and cheapest fishing method. A reel with a rope or cable is used as gear. Steel leash. Unlike other types of fishing, this can be considered the safest, since the maximum that you are in danger of is an overturned boat, and in this case, you must be wearing a life jacket.

Favorite catfish lures and best baits

In the summer, soma can be offered a fairly rich menu.

Firstly, the most affordable and effective bait is worms . Among the variety of worms, preference should be given to crawling worms for their large size and dung worms for their extraordinary aroma. You can even catch crawlers in the city at night under the trees, taking a flashlight with you. You need to look for dung worms near livestock farms, armed with a bayonet shovel. Since several worms are baited on the hook, there must be a lot of bait. Leeches are used in the same way.

Why it doesn’t bite and how to improve the bite

There are a lot of reasons for the lack of bite. Some of them are simple and banal, others are related to the intricacies of the biological rhythm of a reservoir. Below are the most common ways to improve the bite.

Disguise. Fish is not a stupid creature, and often notices suspicious objects on the shore and on the surface of the water. To increase your chances of getting a bite, wear clothing that allows you to blend in with the area, remove bright objects from the shore, and re-cast your fishing rod.
Bait. Try playing with the bait, use different fishing options, don’t be afraid to experiment.
Tackle. Some rods are too stiff and rough, making the bite difficult to notice.
Loud sounds. Fish loves silence, so you should be as quiet as possible.
Bad place. It is quite possible that the places where your fishing rods are thrown are simply empty and, for various reasons, are not visited by large predators.

Where to look for catfish in the fall - biting calendar

The behavior of catfish in each autumn month has its own characteristics. The fisherman must take them into account in order to get a good catch.

September som

In September, warm days continue for some time, but the temperature begins to gradually drop. In the first week, the catfish can still find a significant amount of food. One of his favorite foods is frogs, which he hunts in shallow coastal waters at night.

Catching catfish in October

This month the water temperature is lower. The catfish begins to prepare for winter, trying to provide its body with enough nutrients and therefore increases its activity. At this time, the catfish is looking for food, mainly moving along the bottom depressions.

October is the time when most fish species gradually move deeper. Some of them become prey for catfish at this time. The fisherman must look for it in deep holes at this time.

Catfish is a heat-loving fish, and bites better in early autumn in September and early October, in November only on fine clear days.

November catfish fishing

When the pre-winter cold sets in, the catfish becomes less active. It is usually passive, but can be temporarily activated on days with clear weather, provided that the temperature does not fall below +10 degrees. When fishing, you need to take into account that the predator avoids places with fast currents.

Catfish biting calendar - in the fall, catfish bite better in September than in late October and November

When does catfish bite in the fall, time of day, weather

Catfish are active at different times of the day. Its activity manifests itself differently in different autumn months. For example, in September it can be caught from the pre-dawn hours until sunset. Even at night you can count on a catch.

In October its activity decreases. This is especially noticeable on rainy days, when bites occur very rarely. This month you should look for it near wintering pits.

Blitz tips

Talk to local fishermen; they probably know the location of wintering pits, quarries and craters. Detailed knowledge about the place of your future fishing can be a great help for regular biting.
Pay attention to splashes, circles on the water, as well as birds circling over the surface of the water. The fact is that predators, as a rule, move after their prey, the location of which can be determined by the above characteristics.
Analyze the inhabitants of the reservoir in which you will be fishing. This will increase the chances of a bite, since predators prefer to eat familiar food rather than foreign sweets.
Look at the current speed and depth. Catfish prefer deep, calm pools.
When hunting a predator at night, take all precautions, remember, there are many fish in the water, your life is one.

Where and at what time to look for catfish

At the beginning of summer after spawning, the fishing rod mainly catches small catfish. The real post-spawning feeding of catfish begins 3 weeks after spawning. The fish scatters throughout the reservoir, hides in shelters, from which it comes out to hunt at night.

During the day, the fish prefers to hide in deep holes and pools, under the rubble of trees and bushes, in the shade of trees hanging over the water. In rivers, you should look for catfish under steep banks on sharp bends of the river.

At night, powerful splashes of a hunting giant can be heard here. In reservoirs you need to look for meadows overgrown with aquatic vegetation that border the riverbed or pit. A mustachioed predator may be hiding in them.

As you know, catfish avoid bright sunlight, preferring darker places. In reservoirs, fish can hide in peat and clay holes.

Features of catching catfish in the spring, preferred baits and biting times.

Catching pike with live bait - what kind of bait to choose, how to make equipment and fishing spots for catching pike.

The best spinning rods for twitching in a large guide to choosing spinning rods and twitching fishing techniques.

Catfish fishing calendar

January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
—	—	—	—	++	+++	+++	+++	+	—	—	—

January	The catfish is sleepy and its bite is impossible to achieve.
February	You can find a wintering hole and try your luck there, but success is unlikely.
March	Although the first signs of warming up of the water begin, the catfish stay in the wintering pits at depth.
April	The first signs of vital activity of the catfish, it begins to emerge from hibernation
May	With the arrival of warm spring days, the predator begins to rise from deep holes in search of food.
June	This month is one of the most successful for quok fishing.
July	Active biting occurs, the probability of catch increases sharply. Seeing a large specimen is becoming more and more real
August	During the flowering of sunflowers, catfish activity peaks; they actively search for food and often come to the surface from bottom holes.
September	Catfish activity begins to decline with the arrival of cool weather.
October	The predator stops feeding and goes into hibernation pits
November	Together with other representatives of large fish, it settles on the bottom and waits out the winter.
December	The catfish enters a state of torpor and remains so until warm days arrive and the water bodies warm up. The chances of catching a mustachioed monster are close to 0.

How catfish behave in spring

According to the observations of fishermen, it is preferable to go out for spring catfish in the daytime. The maximum productive catch can be achieved immediately after the onset of spring and during the pre-spawning feast. In the spring, fish begin to bite when the water in the reservoir warms up to 10 degrees above zero. In such conditions, the catfish begins to finally move away from the winter hut, feel hungry and increasingly go out in search of food. In most of the Russian Federation, such favorable conditions for fish are established closer to mid-April. In each region on reservoirs, the onset of spring catfish activity is directly related to climatic conditions.

IMPORTANT! The temperature of the upper water layers of a reservoir is most often 4-5 degrees lower than the ambient temperature.

With the onset of heat, the predator does not immediately fall out of its deep-sea holes, so catching catfish in the spring should begin with studying and fishing these places. Especially if you want to profit from trophy specimens, then searching at depth is a must. It’s good to fish such places from a boat; it’s done quickly and in just a couple of passes. Speaking about the biting activity of this predator, you need to understand that its bite rate is significantly inferior to the bites of peaceful fish in the spring. Thus, it is almost impossible to catch passive fish, and only a few succeed in this if they have mastered all the fishing secrets and tricks. Since catfish is a large fish and there is much less of it in the reservoir than the same peaceful fish, its bites even on the most peak days remain relatively small. Therefore, fishing for catfish is a long process, but the result is worth it.

When the water warms up to 13 degrees, the catfish begins their pre-spawning feast, which most often falls at the beginning of May. Well-heated water accelerates metabolic processes in the fish’s body, so it is forced to look for more food. Already in May, the catfish begins to show habits that will be characteristic of it in the summer. Now this is not a sleepy vegetable, sluggishly weaving along the bottom, but a real torpedo, rapidly cutting through the water space in search of fresh food. Small fish can swim in shallow waters that are located near the coastline. There is not only well-warmed water here, with good and fresh spring oxygen, but also solid reserves of food supply. Catfish like to eat small fish, insects, shellfish and shells. Big fish try to take a liking to the reaches where the current is quite weak.

When the temperature in the reservoir reaches 16 degrees, the fish go to spawn. Most often, the spawning period falls in mid-May and lasts about 10-14 days. This circumstance puts an end to fishing in the second half of May, because catching catfish in the spring during the spawning period is protected by law. You can familiarize yourself with all the prohibitions and rules of fishing in the fishing charter. If you didn’t manage to catch a catfish before mid-May, then your next attempts will have to be postponed until June.

Catching catfish in spring - where to look for fish

Catfish is a large predator, its weight reaches 50 kg or even more. He is especially visible from afar by his huge head. Catching such a trophy is not easy, and there is not a single fisherman who would refuse this catch. In addition, the meat of this fish has virtually no bones, which makes it an even more attractive and desirable target.

To catch fish, you need to monitor the water temperature, which directly affects its activity. Let’s not forget about the two most important periods in the life of catfish in the spring – the beginning of activity after the winter break and the pre-spawning feast. It makes sense to focus on daytime fishing because at night the water cools and the fish become quiet again. It is more promising to look for fish at great depths - there are probably some large fish lurking there. It’s good to fish such places from a boat, but according to fishing laws, this must be done strictly until certain dates in April. So, in the Astrakhan region, you can fish from a boat only until April 20 (this applies not only to hunting for catfish, but also for other fish that spawn at this time or will soon begin to do so). From mid-April, fishermen have to move to the shore, where it is, of course, also possible to catch catfish, but this will be somewhat more difficult.

At the beginning of May, the water temperature can already reach +15 degrees, and fish activity increases even more. Perhaps this is the fastest period in the annual cycle of the mustachioed predator. Catching catfish from the shore in the spring at this time can also be successful if you have high-quality gear and suitable bait. The pre-spawning glutton is to blame. The advantage of small-sized catfish goes to shallow water, but to catch large fish you still have to navigate the depths. It’s a good idea to look for large fish on stretches with weak currents. These fish are best caught just before sunset. Unlike small fish that can be caught in the morning and afternoon hours.

IMPORTANT! The warmer the water becomes, the more food the fish organism requires, forcing the predator to leave its usual places.

The catfish moves out to spawn when the water warms up to 19 degrees Celsius. Catching it during this period is unpromising and even dangerous. Firstly, the predator stops biting completely, and secondly, catching most fish in many regions of the country during the spawning period is protected by state laws, which are clearly stated in the charters of fishing partnerships. The spawning period for catfish falls in mid-May and lasts about 10-14 days. After spawning, the fish goes away for several days and restores its health. You shouldn't catch it these days either. And then comes the post-spawning feast, beloved by all fishermen.

Since catfish love clean water at this time, there is no point in fishing areas with muddy and muddy water. Promising areas on the reservoir when catching catfish in the spring are deep holes in rivers, riverbed edges and snags. Fish will swim here if there is clean water in these areas.

How to catch catfish in spring

To catch catfish in the spring, it is permissible to use three tackles - a regular bottom tackle with a reel, a modern bottom tackle (feeder) or a spinning rod.

Donka on a reel

Such gear is rarely used nowadays, especially when fishing from the shore, but it is ideal for catching catfish from a boat. This type of gear is also ideal for catching catfish in the early spring, when the catfish are just starting to bite.

In the initial period, the catfish tries to stay within the wintering pits, so this simple gear is the most suitable fishing gear. Occupying a minimum of usable space, this gear is the most sensitive, since the angler holds the line in his hand, feeling the slightest bite.

This fairly simple tackle consists of a fishing line, to the end of which a sinker is attached, weighing from 40 to 100 grams, depending on the presence and strength of the current. At some distance from the sinker, one or more leashes with hooks are attached. The removal is calculated so that the hooks do not reach both the sinker and each other.

The fishing technique is that the tackle is lowered into the water so that the sinker reaches the bottom, after which the angler waits for bites, holding the line in his hand. To attract the attention of the catfish, it is necessary to animate the bait, from time to time, then raising it, then lowering it, again to the bottom.

Donka on a rod

Catfish can be caught not only from a boat, but also from the shore, regardless of its biting period, although fishing during the pre-spawning period may be the most effective.

During this period, the catfish actively feeds, moving around the reservoir, which makes it easier to find a place to catch it. As a rule, bottom tackle on a fishing rod differs little in its design when compared with a classic bottom tackle. The main difference is the presence of a rod with a reel, since the usual donka includes a reel. Such gear can be easily assembled using a powerful spinning rod, although the best option is to use a special feeder rod.

Such gear is considered universal, since it can be used to catch catfish at any time of the year from the shore.

Spinning catfish fishing

Fans of spinning fishing can go for their trophies when the catfish leave their wintering holes, and this is associated with the second period of spring fishing. Fishing holes using a spinning rod is quite a costly activity, since the holes may contain snags, etc., which leads to frequent snags.

When the catfish begins to leave their winter shelters and actively begins to move around the reservoir in search of prey, a period of active fishing begins for fans of spinning fishing, and during this period you can count on catching real trophies. To catch catfish during this period, spinners use oscillating spoons or fish with a jig.

To catch catfish, you need to have strong and reliable tackle, with a lot of dough, since you have to deal with heavy baits. In addition, catching a real trophy requires a strong, thick fishing line, and the type of fishing line is selected depending on the fishing conditions.

Monofilament line is more suitable for a rod with a hard tip, and braided line (cord) is more suitable for a rod with a soft tip, since it has a much lower specific stretch compared to monofilament line. Such factors must be taken into account in order to dampen the jerks of the river monster.

You should not forget about the characteristics of the reel, since the gain on the tackle can be prohibitive. In this case, preference should be given to power models with a low gear ratio. Any type of reel will do, although it is preferable to purchase a carp inertia-free reel. Inertia-free reels are the easiest to use and allow you to fish large areas of water in a short time.

Such a MONTAGE for catfish! Why, Why is THIS here? Catching catfish IN SPRING.