Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Weird catfish behavior

I have visited this ranch in Texas many times over the past few years and always wanted to catch catfish. Today I fishies one of the ponds on the property for bass. I have tried this pond for catfish but had never seen any. Anyways I was throwing a drop shot night crawler when all the sudden I brought in a small bullhead I thought to myself cool but it’s not a catfish. Next cast I brought in a decent 2 pound channel catfish. It was a welcoming surprise. The next few casts I proceeded to bring in 7 more channel cats. All similar size and color coming from the same 10 foot radius of water. Keep in mind I have fished this pond at least 50 times previously and never seen one. We had some warmer weather today so I thought maybe they were getting more active because of it...? I don’t know what to think it’s bizarre if anyone has any thoughts please share.

Any potential answer is probably all speculation.

My half-acre pond has, at most, five channel cats in it (fewer if our local Osprey likes scaleless fish). I had not caught any for over a year; a month ago I caught two CC on two consecutive casts.

That was a little weird.

I have observed some species of catfish stack on top of each other in warmer pockets of water. Usually happens with Flatheads, but have also noted with channels catfish as well.

The school district had previously shut down that pond due to COVID protocols.

Obviously, the protocols have now been lifted, and the channel cats are once again allowed to school!



P.S. Also, they are clearly much easier to catch, now that they have removed their masks.

"Rimshot!"

Rod will be here all week!!!

Try the veal!!!

CC are a strange lot. While fishing a Texas ranch lake a couple years ago on a nice winter day, I started with my favorite bass lures (Mepps) and got near squat (one little LMB in an hour), then I switched to a hook and long purple rubber worm to cast out and lolly-gag it back...the cats took over and I had a hard time leaving the pond to meet the guys for the evening hog hunt. They would hit it as it slowly sank within a foot or so of the surface. If nothing hit it like that...I might as well have reeled it in and cast again because the rarely hit it moving to shore. I caught 6 of those 5 to 9 pounders in 45 minutes all within 25 foot of shore line...I was in heaven. There's nothing better than catching cats while bass fishing!