Every summer, as the heat ramps up, I notice catfish anglers across the U.S. running into the same issues and asking the same questions. Plenty of people have a hard time finding catfish, landing the kind they really want, or just catching them on a regular basis. And then there are those chasing the big ones, the trophy cats, who end up empty-handed and fed up.
Late August brings some brutal weather in many spots, days stuck over 100 degrees, no rain in sight, and that heavy heat that makes everything tougher. It has anglers everywhere trying to figure out how to make it work when conditions are like this.
If you’ve been keeping up with my advice, you know I like to change up which species I’m after depending on the season. It’s a smart move no matter where you’re fishing in the country. Rather than heading out just hoping to catch anything, zero in on the catfish that’s biting best right then. It tips the odds in your favor big time. You can find examples of this all year round.
Early summer is a good case, blue catfish are often spawning in lots of areas, and that makes them picky and hard to hook. You could stick with blues and push through, or shift to channels or flatheads until the blues finish up.
Add in heat that’s too much to handle during the day, and summer fishing can turn into a real grind.
What gets me through the tail end of summer is thinking about the cooler days ahead and how the fishing picks up. Being someone who spends a lot of time outside, I’m always looking forward to what’s next.
Cooler air is coming, and as water temps drop, the catfish really turn on. Signs of fall show up, and that means prime time for flatheads and blues. Channels stay hot for months too.
That mid-to-late fall flathead bite is something else the fish are at their biggest, hitting hard, and eating everything in sight. Nothing beats it for flatheads.
Blues start firing up more with each temp drop, and winter brings the top chances for huge ones in many places. You can stack up numbers too, and they’re straightforward to locate and figure out.
All that sets off a solid 9- to 10-month stretch of catfishing that’s way stronger than summer in a lot of the country. Fewer boats out there, quieter water, and no dealing with jet skis is a nice bonus.
When it comes to making the most of late summer, there are some solid ways to step up your game, no matter if you’re going for blues, channels, or flatheads. These approaches can help you put more fish in the boat.
One smart play is to turn the heat to your advantage for channel catfish. They’re usually biting strong this time of year, and you can pull in a bunch fast, including some decent-sized ones. The secret is watching how they act in the warmth, they head to spots with better oxygen or places that feel cooler and safer. Keep notes on when and where you hook them to build patterns. Hunting for those cooler pockets, shady cover, or oxygen-rich areas can change everything.
Summer warmth opens doors, and getting good at fishing any conditions is what sets top anglers apart. Bait smells spread farther in hot water, so it draws fish from a wider spot. That’s why now’s a great time for channel cats using baits with a strong kick, like punch baits, think something like CJ’s Catfish Punch Bait, or other stink baits. They pull in loads of channels quick. Set up with a slip bobber or the Secret Catfish Rig on a #6 treble hook, and work those channel hangouts for steady bites even in the heat.
Since smells carry so well in warm water, tossing out chum or baiting a spot works great. It might not land giants, but for quick hits in the hot months, it’s tough to beat. Try soured wheat, milo, or range cubes in a few areas, play around with different covers, structures, and depths to see what clicks, then do it again. Keeping a hole baited over days can lead to killer fishing, especially for channels, if you stay on top of it. Guides down south use this a lot to handle summer slowdowns.
For flatheads, late summer can deliver, but it often means some waiting around. The reward comes when you connect, these fights are worth it. Go with live bait on different rigs at night to skip the daytime heat and tap into good action. Track your catches closely, because sharp flathead guys spot a prime window each night when things peak. Hone in on that, but remember it can shift by spot or even sections of the same water.
Blues can still go strong in summer, more so in rivers where heat doesn’t hit as hard as in lakes. In still water, they’re chasing shad schools that move quick, and if there are stripers or whites around, it gets trickier. It takes patience with scattered fish in dropping levels and rising temps, they might not bunch up, and when they do, they could bolt. Drifting covers ground well for this. If sonar shows a good group feeding, lock in there for solid numbers. From shore or without tech, stick to core blue cat basics. Fresh-cut shad is king, but mix in live ones too, and skip frozen stuff for better luck.
Drifting shines for blues and channels when fish are spread thin or on the move. It lets you scan big areas and boost your odds. Once you hit a hot depth or zone, drill down or drop anchor if you have electronics. Night drifting for channels was my staple as a kid, and it paid off, we learned more each trip. It often turns up bigger channels than baited spots or prepared baits. Rig a slip sinker or Santee with a 5/0 circle for channels, or up to 7/0 for blues, load with fresh cuts or your go-to, and you’ll hook up.
Hitting the water at night in late summer beats the sun and finds fish feeding in new places. Flatheads rule the dark, with bigger sizes but slower pace. Blues bring speed and potential for heavies plus volume. Channels at night can mean bigger ones and plenty of action. Core methods stay the same, rigs, baits, spots, but baitfish shift after sunset, pulling cats with them. Watch the water as light fades for bait jumps or swirls to pick starting points. Drifting blues or channels after dark is chill and effective; a light or glow sticks on rods help spot bites. Chumming shallows with soured wheat fires up channels fast, pair it with the Secret Catfish Rig and punch bait on a #6 treble, following night setup tips. From the bank, it works great too. Cut lights low to dodge bugs, or use a Thermacell to stay clear.
If you’re in hot areas and like jugging or trotlines, stash them till water cools. High temps sap oxygen, and hooked fish don’t last long. If you can’t wait, keep baits high above the thermocline, deeper fish die fast and check every couple hours, more in daylight, to save them.
Getting a handle on the thermocline is key in lakes during heat. Quick rundown: warm water creates a low-oxygen layer deep down, around 21-23 feet usually, like a dead zone fish avoid long-term. They dip in but can’t hang. Don’t focus there unless sonar says otherwise—trust your screen from a boat. Without it or from shore, stay shallower above that line for more bites. Apps like Navionics Hotmaps help map depths to skip bad zones. Rivers with flow skip this issue.
Summer catfishing can wear you out with the heat and sun if you’re not dialed in on spots and methods, you’ll just end up skunked. A few tweaks to your usual setup, like these ideas, can flip that and make you sharper overall.
Soon enough, temps will fall, shifting patterns and firing things up. Adjust your game to match, as always with seasons or weather. In much of the U.S., fall and winter bring the year’s best cat action.
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