Florida Fish Busters May 2007 FLORIDA'S TOP Catfish Holes, 2007 By Bob Wattendorf Most lifelong anglers

began fishing before they were 12 years old, and many of those started out pursuing catfish. There are several reasons why catfish and bullheads, both easily identifiable by their cat-like whiskers, were the first fish for so many people. First, they are among the most cosmopolitan of our fishes being found throughout Florida and North America. Second, catfish can frequently be taken from the shoreline or from structures such as piers, bridges or walkways along dams making them accessible to anglers without boats. Third, they are not finicky eaters and will take a wide variety of baits that do not have to be artfully presented. Fourth, they all provide a nice easily prepared meal and are abundant enough that there are no bag or size limits (except for on a few Fish Management Areas), so that a young or novice angler can show off there first fish, without having to release it. Photo by Phil Chapman Bullheads generally inhabit lakes and marshes with slow moving waters, but channel catfish, blue catfish and flatheads all thrive in rivers. Brown and yellow bullheads, with their heavier skulls and flattened (less forked) tails compared to the other catfishes are also abundant. Among the most common catfish in Florida are the white catfish, and channel catfish; both are natives and have distinctly forked tails. Two species of special note for their large size are the blue and flathead catfish species that are not native to Florida, but are now found in many of the panhandle rivers. May is the beginning of some of the best catfishing in Florida for many of these species, so now is a good time to run down a few of the best fishing holes and what you might expect. To help you get started, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission biologists have compiled this list of great catfish destinations and tips. Escambia River (north of Pensacola) Species: Blue, channel and flathead catfish When: Big channel catfish from mid-April through June and early October into November if the water stays warm. Small catfish can Flathead Catfish illustration by Duane Raver be caught year-round, but expect the action to slow when it is cold. Where: Alabama state line to the I-10 bridge.

Apalachicola River (from Florida/Georgia state line at Chattahoochee, flows south to city of Apalachicola) Species: Channel and flathead catfish When: Big channel catfish from late May into early July. Flatheads pick up in April and action runs into the summer months. Small catfish can be caught pretty much year-round, but the spring and summer months are best. Where: River bends and snags from Jim Woodruff Dam south, old creek channels, Lake Seminole backwaters, and around mouths of tributaries. Choctawhatchee River (northwest of Panama City) Species: Channel catfish and bullhead. Flathead catfish are also in the river in increasing numbers and can exceed 30 pounds. Several years ago, biologists collected a 46 pound channel catfish, which was measured and released. Had this fish been caught by an angler, it would have been a new state record. When: Big channel catfish from May through early July, and October into November if the water stays warm. Small cats are available year-round, but expect them to bite slow when it is cold. Where: Alabama state line south to West Bay, and around the mouth of Holmes Creek and other tributaries. Most larger catfish are found in the northern portion of the river. St. Johns River and Dunn's Creek (flows north through eastern Florida over 250 miles from Indian River County to Jacksonville) Species: Bullhead, channel catfish, and white catfish Channel Catfish illustration by Duane Raver When: Big channel catfish from early May through June. Small catfish can be caught pretty much year-round, but fishing is best in the spring and fall months. Where: Dunn's Creek to Lake Crescent, Murphy's Creek from the St. Johns River to Dunn's Creek, and the river from Palatka to Little Lake George. Try the hole on the North side of Buffalo Bluff Bridge, but bring plenty of hooks and weights, since lots of snags will cost you some tackle. Ocklawaha River (east of Ocala) Species: Bullhead, channel catfish, and white catfish When: Big channel catfish from May through June, and in October until mid November. Small catfish can be caught year-round. Where: Rodman Dam to the St. Johns River, and the west end of Rodman Reservoir to Moss Bluff lock and dam. Catfish tend to concentrate below Rodman Dam in the spring. How: Put soy cake around fallen trees the day before fishing to attract catfish. When the water is clear, fishing at night is recommended. Ochlocknee River (west of Tallahassee) Species: Bullhead and channel, flathead, and white catfish When: Beginning in April for flathead catfish, and mid-May into early summer for channel catfish. Both channels and flatheads bite until the water turns cold in October or

November. Small catfish bite year-round, but slow down in cold months. Where: River-wide, especially in the Talquin tail-race area. Suwannee/Santa Fe Rivers (flow south from North Central Florida to Big Bend area) Species: Bullhead, channel catfish, and white catfish When: Big channel catfish from late April through June. Small catfish bite pretty much year-round. Although exceedingly rare, blue catfish caught in the Suwannee River have also been documented, most recently in the Ellaville area during late summer of 2006. Where: Limerock areas throughout the river, but particularly upper and middle reaches; deadfalls are best in lower river. Clermont Chain of Lakes (near city of Clermont) Species: Channel and white catfish When: Spring and fall are best, but fish can be taken year-round. Where: Off-shore, open-water areas, particularly near drop-offs or around bottom structure. Canals and channels that connect lakes of the Chain may also be attractive to catfish during times of flow. How: Some commercial trotliners catch catfish with chunks of freshly caught gar in bigger channels and with honey bees in smaller channels of this system. Haines Creek (near Eustis) Species: Bullhead, channel catfish, and white catfish When: Big channel catfish from mid-April through June, and October and November as water temperatures begin to drop. Small cats will bite year-round, especially where water is flowing. Where: The creek between Lakes Eustis and Griffin, especially below the lock and dam. Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes (south of Orlando) Species: Bullhead, channel catfish, and white catfish When: Big channel catfish experience peak spawning periods between April and June. Bullheads primarily spawn from October into November, but can spawn year-round. Moving water will concentrate catfish and make them easier to catch, so areas with flow are recommended. Where: C-31 (East Lake Canal), C-35 (Southport Canal), C-36 (canal between Lake Cypress and Lake Hatchineha) and C-37 (canal between Lake Hatchineha and Lake Kissimmee), below the Kissimmee River structure (S-65), around mouth of and in Shingle Creek, and in the lake proper around fish attractors. Catfish are often found near drop-offs or around bottom structure in the canals. Southwest Florida Lakes Species: Channel catfish and bullhead Where: Many locations in southwest Florida offer excellent opportunities for catfish angling, including: Lakes 2,3,4,5, B, and Picnic at Tenoroc Fish Management Area (Polk County) Lakes LP2 West, Haul Road Pit, and Pine East at Mosaic Fish Management Area (Polk County)

Lakes 1 and 3 at Hardee Lakes Park (Hardee County) Lake Manatee (Manatee County) Medard Park (Hillsborough County) Ponds managed under the Tampa Bay Urban Fishery Program, particularly Dover District Park and Stephen J. Wortham Park. When: Catfish angling is best during the warmer months, but these fish can be caught year-round. While fishing can be good throughout the day, catfish are usually most active in the morning and evening. Fishing at night can reward anglers with outstanding results. How: Fish are usually best caught fishing on the bottom using a wide variety of baits from chicken liver to commercial stinkbaits. Larger catfish can be caught on small shiners and minnows fished near the bottom. In lakes and ponds managed with automatic fish feeders, catfish concentrate near these feeders and can be caught on small pieces of dog food, bread, and hot dogs. Channel catfish typically school where the bottom drops off sharply to deeper water. They usually do not hide within vegetation, but can be found along deeper, outside edges of weed beds. Act now and get FREE STUFF when you buy a five-year freshwater fishing license, Until the first 3,000 are sold, you will receive a package of free fishing items in the mail automatically. This will likely continue to be available until around the beginning of June, but to be certain see MyFWC.com/Fishing/5yr-2007.html. The license cost is only $61.50 and remains valid even if license prices go up, or you move out of state. Included in the package are hooks (Daiichi), reel grease (PENN), FloatHi GLO (snap on float), and lures from Charlie Brewers Slider Co.. and Don Betts Spin Baits. In addition, youll find innovative products like the Hydrosonic Fish Call (CAGI), and florescent worm feed. Premiums include a floating key chain from Seminole County, a waterproof Polk County Lakes Map, and a Largemouth Bass decal from Advanced Graphics along with a variety of coupons to fill out the package. All license sales directly support fish and wildlife conservation in Florida and help recover federal excise taxes that anglers and boaters have paid into the system for use in Florida on Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration projects.

Visit MyFWC.com/Fishing/Fishes to learn more about these species and their range, and MyFWC.com/Fishing/Forecasts to see quarterly updates on fishing around the state and more details about the best places to go.