Catfish like it hot

When the going gets tough, anglers turn to catfish.

With daytime temperatures and heat indices soaring into the triple digits, freshwater fishing (except for certain high-elevation trout streams) has just about ended across most of the state.

But even with bass fishing almost nil and striper fishing even tougher, anglers at large lakes still find active fish that provide great table fare.

“Bass fishing isn’t hitting on a whole lot,” said High Rock legendary guide Maynard Edwards. “I was there for 5 hours yesterday (Aug. 2) and caught two small bass. I think everything has gone deep now. But I have to admit I don’t fish docks and such, and (bass) probably are holed up under there in the shade. I just don’t do that type of fishing.”

But catfishing? Well, that’s another matter.

“We’re still catching good numbers of channel catfish,” said Edwards, who has added another guide, Chris Hammill of Rowan County to his business, Yadkin Lakes Guide Service (336-249-6782, www.extremefishingconcepts.com).

“He’s an expert at catching big blues and flathead catfish and also a grappler, one of those guys who goes in the water to get catfish,” Edwards said. “But we’re also catching a bunch of channel cats.”

Edwards, Hammill and Charlie Kingen are taking groups of anglers out early, usually leaving the dock at 7 a.m. or earlier, and fishing until noon to beat the heat.

“We’re finding catfish most on the river channel, but we’re also getting them on flats and points next to deep water,” Edwards said.

His favorite technique remains a method he invented, “strolling,” or allowing the wind or his trolling motor to slowly pull bottom rigs with cut shad on them on rigs fitted with Extreme Fishing Concepts snagless lead weights in 8 to 18 feet of water.

“Using the depth-finder is key, too,” he said. “I’m always looking for baitfish; when you find baitfish, the catfish will be there.”

Catfish leaders are 24-inches long with a 4-0 to 6-0 Eagle Claw Kahle (flounder) hook.

Crappie fishing also is “fair,” Edwards said, “even though most people don’t think you can catch crappie when it’s this hot.”

He’s “strolling” live minnows or jigs at main-lake “humps” (rising from deep water) that are 8- to 14-feet deep.

“Most of (the crappie) are about 10-inches long, but you’ll catch some bigger ones,” Edwards said.

“We also find catfish at the same places and catch them as well. That’s a hoot — a catfish on a crappie rig.”