Jackrabbit innards, shad guts, nightcrawlers, clotted chicken blood, liver, shrimp, minnows rolled in corn meal, Spam, crawdads, oysters, cut bait, hot dogs. Sound familiar? If not, it’s been too long since you fished for channel cats. Dedicated catfish anglers have more variations on bait than there are side dishes at a chuck wagon buffet.
Channel catfish arrived late to the Columbia River with the first authenticated appearance occurring at Bonneville Dam in 1945. However, earlier reports of “fork-tailed” and “speckled on the sides” catfish caught near Cold Springs landing indicated they had already found their way to the mid-Columbia region of eastern Washington.
Channel catfish are now common throughout lower Columbia and Snake River reservoirs with higher densities occurring in the Snake River. Over the last decade, WDFW has also planted channel catfish into several inland lakes in an attempt to control forage fish populations and diversify fishing opportunity. Strong fighters and excellent table fare, channel catfish feed mainly at night, using their long whiskers or barbels to locate food, Because they are also active during the day, cats can be caught around the clock.
In late spring, channel catfish migrate into the lower reaches of soft-bottom streams in pursuit of water temperature reaching 75 F. Being “cavity” spawners, females seek a dark space such as an undercut bank, rock ledge or hollowed log to deposit eggs. Males hang around like a protective bachelor to guard the nest and newly-hatched fry.
Three local tributaries providing appropriate conditions for area “cats” to complete their life cycle are the Yakima, Walla Walla and Palouse Rivers.
Yakima River
Channel catfish move from McNary Pool into the lower Yakima River as water begins to warm in late April. They can be found in deep holes and runs adjacent to undercut banks on the outside of river bends from Horn Rapids dam downstream to the Yakima Delta. The more defined pools and riffles upstream of Dupportail Road in Richland allow for bottom-bouncing cut bait or crawlers along current edges or into the head of pools. As water continues to warm and flow drops, channel cats get more aggressive and will hit spinners with vengeance.
Popular fishing areas for bank anglers include the wide-open flats of the Yakima Delta and slow-moving pools within a short hike of lower river boat launches. The lower 13 miles of river are accessible to jet boats, drift boats and car-toppers via public launches at Columbia Park and Columbia Point and unimproved launch sites off Duportail, Hyde and Snively Roads.
Walla Walla River
Convenience fishing is in vogue near Madame Dorian Park where one can find a publc boat launch and campground. The lower Walla Walla River channel is deep enough to be fished from an anchored boat using a slip bobber to suspend bait just off the bottom. Bank anglers look for an open spot in the willows to cast out stink bait, prop their rods on a forked stick and wait for a bite. This still-fishing technique is popular in the daytime and around the campfire from the delta area to the Green Valley RV Park.
By late spring, channel cats migrate to deep scour holes upstream of Nine-Mile Bridge where water swirls against steep basalt and long runs are shaded by overhanging willow. Daytime cats seek refuges throughout the lower river near underwater structure, such as logs, bridge pilings and sunken brush piles. Under periods of low light, cast into gravel-bottom flats and riffles where cats prowl to feed.
Palouse River
I fished the lower Palouse River for channel cats on my first day of retirement. Little did I suspect, after churning through a half mile-long mud flat with my prop on half tilt, that I would find a dozen other boaters having the same idea. I cruised up to one anchored boat and asked two sleepy-eyed gents, “Why all the people in the middle of the week?”
“Welcome to our world,” they replied.
Channel cats overwinter in the Snake River before moving into the lower Palouse in April and May. They stay through early June, migrating as far upriver as the base of the falls. Navigate to the opening of the Palouse River after launching from Lyons Ferry Marina (509-399-8020), but proceed with caution up the narrow and often split channel that is lined with bedrock.
An option for boaters not wanting to chance mapping the bottom with their prop is to anchor up in the deep channel off Lyons Ferry State Park. According to Darcy Linklater of Darvel’s Bait and Tackle in nearby Starbuck (www.darvertackle.com), channel cats also frequent the lower Tucannon River and the Lower Deadman Slough near Central Ferry. Elsewhere, anglers find action in the tailrace areas of dams and in the vicinity of shoreline grain silos.
How to Fish for Cats
Angling for channel catfish requires a stout rod and good reel loaded with 10 to 15 lb mono or braided line. Most cats are in the 1 to 3 lb range, but expect an occasional wresting match with a 10 pounder. Not all fish have scales and channel cats are in that category, but they do have spines capable of inflicting a nice wound with powerful jaws that can cripple a finger. So, bring a net and needle nose pliers.
A still-fishing rig can be as simple as threading a 1 to 2 oz egg sinker to a barrel swivel and tying on a 12-inch leader with a hook size ranging from 1/0 to 2. Although treble hooks work great for holding sloppy baits, consider using a circle hook to reduce injury to fish that might otherwise take bait deep. With a daily limit of 5 fish and no minimum size restrictions, practicing safe catch-and-release spreads the fun around.
For those lacking imagination in choice of bait, there are commercial dips and packaged “nuggets” purported to leave a scent trail. However, buying off-the-shelf bait is not half as much fun as making up your own concoction. So mix up that favorite recipe and let it stew in the sun while you toss a bobber or bottom rig in the direction of a fork-tail cat.
Channel Cat ID
Channel catfish are the only eastern Washington member of the family Ictaluridae that are spotted and have a deeply forked tail. In contrast, blue and white catfish do not have black spots. Channel catfish also have 24 to 29 anal fin rays compared to 19 to 23 and 30 to 36 for the white cat and blue cat, respectively. Because male channel catfish often develop a blue-black band along their side during spawning season, they are often confused for the less common blue cat. Bullheads are smaller and with a rounded tail.