| Of the over fifty species of catfish living in North | | | | As with all catfish, Channel cats have weak |
| American waters, the Channel Catfish is one of | | | | eyesight, anyway, but their aforementioned |
| the most sought-after by cat anglers, for its | | | | superpowers of smell and sightless sensation |
| incredible fighting power, even in a smaller fish, | | | | more than make up for this. Because of this |
| and also for its delectable eating qualities. | | | | particular development, Channel cats, and cats in |
| And, there's the fact that a decent-sized Channel | | | | general, are most easily attracted to baits which |
| cat can easily be in the mid-20 lb. range, with | | | | exhibit an exceptional level of odour, whether or |
| specimens having been taken at nearly 60 lbs. - | | | | not it's a bad odour. |
| no small catch, indeed. However, to take a fish | | | | Once you've found a spot that you think, or |
| like these, requires proper tackle, bait and | | | | know, can produce a good-sized Channel cat, you'll |
| technique, and above all, the right spot to find the | | | | want to prepare the fish, the spot, and your |
| fish you want. | | | | tackle, for your coming fishing expedition. |
| Channel cats, as with virtually all catfish, prefer | | | | Preparing the fish, and the spot, means chumming |
| deeper water, but Channel cats also like it clean, | | | | the water with a suitably prepared concoction, |
| clear, and with a decent current running through. | | | | preferably a few times in advance of the first |
| The ideal spots for Channel cats are in places | | | | time you put a line in the water, and at least |
| such as the deep holes carved out under a dam | | | | once, and possibly several times, during your |
| outfall, before the shallow "white water" which | | | | fishing time. |
| usually ensues, or in a deep, fast channel in | | | | Chumming is one way to gradually condition the |
| between two lakes, hence the fish's name. | | | | fish to accept a particular bait, by presenting |
| Bottom conditions that are mostly rock or rocky, | | | | them with its smell, again and again, until they are |
| and without too many weeds, are other features | | | | willing to take a large piece of that food, when |
| to look for, in selecting the ideal Channel cat spot. | | | | they find it as bait on the end of your line. |
| Above all, find deep water, preferably a hole, | | | | There are dozens of recipes for chum, but most |
| where the constant darkness gives the cats the | | | | all of them are based on a moist base of stale |
| edge on everything else that swims or floats | | | | bread crust, with a bran, oatmeal or flour |
| there, due to their exceptional, almost shark-like | | | | stiffening agent mixed into it, plus some small |
| sense of smell, and their set of eight barbels, or | | | | pieces of the same bait that you will be using |
| "whiskers" around their mouths, which are not | | | | when you fish the spot, and then, some kind of |
| only tactile sensors, but highly developed taste | | | | extra-scented additive, such as fish fertilizer or |
| organs as well, enabling the fish to navigate, plus | | | | fish paste, cod liver oil, anise seed oil, or anything |
| detect, locate, quantify and qualify food items | | | | else you can find that will stink out the |
| easily, in near total darkness. | | | | neighborhood. |