OUTDOORS

Outdoors: The good kind of catfishing

In this week's Outdoors column, Jerry Gerardi tells you about catching catfish, plus he provides this week's Fishing Report

Jerry Gerardi
Kyle Hoffman, a volunteer assisting a Department of Natural Resources fisheries crew, holds a flathead catfish during a survey on the Wolf River.

It's raining. A lot.

The kids are whining because they can't go out to play. Lakes and rivers are the color of red mud. Your spouse or significant other wants you to do stupid things like chores. You find yourself muttering under your breath and with little patience for everyday frustrations. What are you going to do to keep from blowing your top? How about catfishing, Pilgrim. Take the kids. They like to play in the rain. Shoot, you can even take your wife. Or not.

The point is when everything goes south, there's always catfish. They're fun to catch, good to eat, a family fish that's hard to beat. (Ouch.)

Jerry Gerardi

Lakes Seminole, Miccosukee, and Talquin are three of the top catfish producers in the state. They are catfish havens. All are ringed by dense cypress stands that provide natural fish-feeding stations. The trees drop berries and bugs for the catfish to eat. Hundreds of birds roost in the trees at night, and their droppings (bird guano) nourish small minnows and the host trees too. The bottoms are covered with thick layers of poop, in which catfish merrily root for food. (Makes you want to ask for seconds.) 

All the lakes have similar debris-covered bottoms. Two are man-made impoundments created by damming major rivers for hydroelectric power. Lake Talquin was formed when the Jackson Bluff Dam was constructed on the Ochlockonee River in 1927. Lake Seminole was formed in 1947 when the Chattahoochee and Flint rivers were dammed. Both have bottoms littered with water-logged timber, old cabins and homesteads, and other ambush points.

Mike Stanley,left, and Corbin Wake hooked this 53-pound catfish from the Hornersville Swamp Wildlife Area on their trotline.

Miccosukee, however, is prehistoric, with many deep holes, creek bottoms, and a deep channel holding the whiskered warriors. There is a small earthen dam on Miccosukee, but it was added in the 1950s to keep the lake from draining every 10 years or so, not to create the lake. It has been a popular fishing spot for the Apalachee and Miccosukee Indians for thousands of years, and plantation populations since the 1830s.     

The river systems of the Big Bend also produce plenty of the whiskered warriors. They are ancient waterways, flowing for eons and cutting through limestone bedrock to create ledges, holes and bars, which in turn create eddy currents that cause food to fall to the bottom. Then when rain turns the waters muddy, it’s perfect for catfish. Cats are scent-and-touch feeders with beady little eyes that are pretty much just window dressing. Turbid water and the limestone holes make for the catfish’s briar patch. When the water is dirty, they can easily ambush prey accustomed to seeing danger approach.

But, pay attention, this is important: In this era of reality shows, some brain-damaged mouth breathers came up with the idea of "noodling" for catfish. They reach under ledges and limbs trying to slip their thumbs into the mouth of a catfish, then pull it to the surface. That might be fine for Oklahoma, but here we have water moccasins, snapping turtles, and alligators. Unless you want to lose a digit or two, pass on this foolishness. Noodling in this part of paradise means tying a string to a plastic jug and letting it float merrily along catching cats.

Visalia’s Parks and Recreation hosted its annual Summer Catfish Derby for children on Saturday, July 28. Roughly 200 families registered to toss their line into Plaza Park’s pond. The fishing derby was divided into two age groups with prizes going to the top three stringer weights in each category.

Catfish will eat just about anything. Popular baits for catfish runs the gamut from incredibly smelly commercial baits to live small panfish. Chicken gizzards and livers work too, as do cut shiners, hot dog chunks, and even pieces of Ivory Soap. The general rule of thumb is the bigger the bait, the bigger the catfish.

Use a rod-and-reel, cane pole, or just tie a line to a tree branch and check it later in the day to harvest your catch. No need for a leader, they have no teeth. Just be careful of their spines when unhooking one. Use a stout hook so the fish doesn't straighten it and get away.

You don't need a boat to go catfishing. Any dock, bank, or structure over freshwater will usually harbor them.

Cooking a catfish is best kept simple. You fillet, skin, batter, and deep fry. Oh sure, you can buy fillets already prepared and marinated in various exotic concoctions, but that's just putting lipstick on a pig. Keep it simple.

A good place for the rest of the supplies needed for a catfish dinner – the grits, cheese, hush puppies, sweet tea, beer – would be a Piggly Wiggly. Mmm.

The fried catfish at Flat Creek Resort Bar and Grill in Cape Fair.

Hunter safety courses offered in 4 counties in August

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) is offering free hunter safety courses in four counties in August (list follows).

Students who have taken the online course and wish to complete the classroom portion must bring the online-completion report with them.

All firearms, ammunition and materials are provided free of charge. Students should bring a pen or pencil and paper. An adult must accompany children younger than 16 at all times.

Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must pass an approved hunter safety course and have a hunting license to hunt alone (unsupervised). The FWC course satisfies hunter-safety training requirements for all other states and Canadian provinces.

The locations and times are:

Online-completion courses

  • Escambia County – Aug. 1 (6-10 p.m. CST) & Aug. 25 (7-10 a.m. CST); Langley Bell 4-H Center; 3730 Stefani Road in Cantonment
  • Gulf County – Aug. 25 (8 a.m.-3 p.m. CST); Gulf Correctional Institution; 500 Ike Steele Road in Wewahitchka
  • Jefferson County – Aug. 18 (8 a.m.-2 p.m. EST); Jefferson Correctional Institution; 1050 Big Joe Road in Monticello
  • Santa Rosa County – Aug. 8 (6 -10 p.m. CST) & Aug. 25 (7-10 a.m. CST); Jay Community Center; 5259 Booker Lane in Jay; ALSO, Aug. 14 (6-10 p.m. CST) & Aug. 25 (7-10 a.m. CST); Avalon Middle School; 5445 King Arthur's Way in Milton

Traditional course (must complete both days)

  • Santa Rosa County – Aug. 14, 16, 21, 23 (6-10 p.m. CST) & Aug. 25 (7-10 a.m. CST); Avalon Middle School; 5445 King Arthur's Way in Milton

Those interested in attending a course can register online and obtain information about future hunter safety classes at MyFWC.com/HunterSafety or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at 850-265-3676.

Gary Isbell with one of seven redfish he caught fishing in Apalachicola Bay with Capt. John Sapp.  Robinson Bros.

Pasco County bay scallop season closing statement

Reminder: State waters off Pasco County closed to harvest beginning Monday, July 30.

This 10-day trial season that started July 20 includes all state waters south of the Hernando – Pasco county line and north of the Anclote Key Lighthouse in northern Pinellas County, and includes all waters of the Anclote River.

For information on bay scallop regulations, including other bay scallop season openings and closings, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations,” and “Bay Scallops.”

Greater amberjack and gray triggerfish reopen Aug. 1

The recreational harvest of greater amberjack and gray triggerfish will reopen in Gulf state and federal waters Aug. 1. The amberjack season will remain open through Oct. 31 in state waters. The triggerfish season will remain open through Dec. 31 in state waters.

For greater amberjack in the Gulf, the minimum size limit is 34 inches fork length and the daily bag limit is one fish per person.

For gray triggerfish in the Gulf, the minimum size limit is 15 inches fork length and the daily bag limit is one fish per person.

To learn more about regulations for these species, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing” and “Recreational Regulations.”

Catfish swim in tanks at the Lake City Fresh Fish Market in Grand Rivers, Kentucky. April 11, 2018

FISHING REPORT

Saltwater

St. George Island

Captain Russ Knapp on St. George Island (knappsgi@hotmail.com) said: “Captain Randy Pearl is catching nice trout behind Little St. George Island on the flats using a Glow DOA Cal Jerkbait under a Cajun Thunder Float. Captain Randy reports lots of tarpon are cruising the beaches. Throw or troll a Chartreuse Long A Bomber. Bring along some fresh killed shrimp to catch white trout and whiting if you can't find any tarpon. Fishing off the beach should bring you some nice whiting for dinner if you don't have a boat. Use Fishbites or fresh killed shrimp on a 1/0 or 2/0 circle hook and fish close to the surf break.

“Offshore, Captain Clint Taylor is finding lots of rain but also good fishing. Big kings and blackfin tuna are thick 40 miles out.

“Now that we have passed the full moon, bring the chum to bring mangrove snapper up. There are lots of small mahi in the area, so watch the water closely. Amberjack season is now open. They love a big bait fished 1/2 way down. Weather forecasts have been changing hourly, so be sure to check just before you head out.”

Apalachee Bay

Otto Hough at Myhometownfishing.com (otto@myhometownfishing.com) said: “Mother Nature allowed for a good full moon fishing weekend, though pesky pop-up showers did occasionally limit fishing time. As this week began, the pop-up showers of Monday quickly turned to wave after wave of boomers rolling across Apalachee Bay beginning early Tuesday morning continuing into Thursday. Hopefully the weatherdudes have correctly predicted the coming of lessened rain chances over this three-day period that's sandwiched between the moons. High tides from Friday through Sunday will be happening an hour or so after safe-light. The water flows during the tidal swings won't be as pronounced as experienced this past weekend.

“With all the storms that have elevated the wave action all week long, tons of new broken-off sea grass streams and mats are strung out across Big Bend waters. As such, top-water action will probably be tough, if not next to nil. Given all the new floating grasses, it'll be time to work down in the water column to get the action happening. I've been having some good results on quality trout that have been liking the Saltwater Assassin glow/chartreuse jerk shad, affectionately nicknamed the ‘trout killer’ by me. Even experienced an unexpected strike from about a 90 or so pound tarpon that took a liking to the ‘trout killer’ off Turkey Point spit this past Monday. Even with 200 yards of 30-pound PowerPro spooled up, the 25-pound fluorocarbon leader couldn't withstand the multiple stress of the jumps. Fun nonetheless, sight-and-fight in the clearer waters off the spit.

“The reds in certain areas of Apalachee Bay and in Alligator Harbor have been liking the gold Aqua Dream spoons. Up until this stream of thunderboomers, water clarity and salinity had vastly improved. Sadly, that's going to be changing as the rivers begin to dump lots of new freshwater into Apalachee Bay. While fishing near the mouth of Alligator Harbor, I witnessed something I'd never seen in all my 60-plus years of fishing Gulf waters. Working the skinny water, I noticed in the early morning light what appeared to be a downright massive school of reds pounding on the bait fish. Adrenalin was beginning to flow, but once getting the boat positioned for casting excitement waned as the school of reds mystically became an unbelievable school of hundreds of saltwater gar feasting on the LY pod.

“Offshore, hopefully conditions will be decent enough to allow for some lines to be down. Current NWS Marine Forecast is calling for light to moderate southeast winds and 2 to 3 feet for the seas. Should be okay conditions outside of any area where a pop-up boomer might pass. The gags were a little finicky over the past weekend, but still finding it hard to resist a frisky live bait offering. Those grass-mats and grass-lines have definitely put a damper on slow trolling. Remember, Federal waters only for the gags. Free-lining a lively pinfish has been producing a number of good size kings and cobia.”

Capt. Dave Lear of Tallahassee said: “Hopefully the dog days of summer will change this current pattern of showers, showers and more showers. Even the early morning hours, when the water is the coolest, have been stormy and last weekend’s full moon had the fish feeding at night. The outlook for the upcoming workweek break is looking better, albeit still with the chance of thunderstorms.

“Water clarity on the East Flats with all the rain is still somewhat clear but stained. Temperatures have dropped some too, into the mid-80s range. That slight adjustment should help spur appetites when combined with the early morning high tides on tap.

“Floating grass is still a problem all across the bay. Lures with treble hooks are almost impossible to retrieve without fouling. The solution? Switch to weedless offerings like the Aqua Dream spoons with wire hook guards or rig soft plastics with worm hooks or swim bait hooks and prick the hook point just into the bait so it’s not exposed. Lures like the new DOA PT topwater plugs come pre-rigged with a worm hook and internal rattle. When the fish hits, hesitate for a split second so the lure is swallowed and use a little extra oomph to set the hook. Catch rates will improve if you do.

“Trout hunters have been finding fish in the shallows on high tide around the patches of rock grass scattered throughout the bay. Be cautious when motoring around these areas, however, as the grass grows attached to jagged clumps of limestone rock. The prudent approach calls for using the trolling motor, push pole or drifting with an eye always scanning the bottom. The other option is go deep and use heavier jigs or shrimp lures to get near the bottom in depths up to 10 feet."

“Redfish are also frequenting rock grass patches as well as oyster bars and flooded shorelines. Reds are much more tolerant of higher water temperatures than trout, but like their speckled cousins, they prefer moving water to sweep their meals along.

“With a close eye on the skies, the nearshore depths are a fun alternative during August. Large schools of sardines, pilchards, and glass minnows attract a variety of fast-movers that are a blast on light tackle. Small silver casting spoons make the best offering and a trace of wire leader will eliminate most cut-offs. Big Spanish mackerel, bonito, jacks, bluefish and even some small kings can be found easily beyond the refuge boundary line. Watch for nervous water, showering bait and diving birds to zero in on the action. Be sure to have plenty of fuel on board since run-and-gun is the name of the game.

“Beyond the standard chance of showers and thunderstorm forecast, winds are expected to be light and from the south/southeast this weekend. High tides will flood in ideally right after daylight and the corresponding solunar high feeding activity will last for a couple hours in conjunction with the highs. The tides will bottom out by mid-afternoon, offering another prime window for action as the moon sets.”

Keaton Beach

Captain Pat McGriff of One More Cast Guide Service (www.onemorecast.net; onemorecast@gtcom.net; 850-584-9145) reported: “Trout fishing has been very good of late, with limits caught on three trips in a row on board my One More Cast charters. The full moon, Friday last, made for strong tides and great fishing. The water was stained such that I couldn’t see our baits under the Thunders over 18-inches deep. The catfish were a plague when the breeze wasn’t blowing, especially on Saturday.

“We had 15 trout for Jamie and Logan Giles Thursday, July 26, with two reds as well. We had two trout over 20inches long. We fished 5.5 – 6.5 feet of water to catch the trout and moved in to 4.5 feet for the reds.

“All our fish ate live pinfish and pigfish under Back Bay Thunders. I saw more rain minnows (hatch from some specie as yet unidentified) than I had seen of any whitebait all year Thursday.

“Friday, I took David Hall out with his son-in-law Josh Hayden (both first time out with me) and we had a great trip and brought in a fine box of trout including a 27-inch monster trout for David (his largest-to-date). The sow trout weighed 6.4 pounds and ate a 2-inch pigfish under a Back Bay Thunder in 4 feet of 89.8 degree water at 2:00 p.m. (So much for the Yankee outdoor writers who think trout are all cooling it in spring-fed creeks or out in deep water or in a trough or hole somewhere and only bite early and late in the day when it is Hot summertime) We also had one redfish, yet lost a red approximately 35-40 inches long two miles offshore while drifting a flat. Live pins and pigfish were the ticket again.

“Saturday, I took Robert and Charles McLeod out and we brought in their limit of trout and had one red again. The bite was slow with a single trout each drift/stop from 5.5-7 feet of water and then when I decided to move in to 4.5 feet and look for a redfish. We landed four trout and one red on the last drift of the day which ended 30 minutes after the high tide.”

Steinhatchee

Kristin Skipper at Sea Hag Marina in Steinhatchee (352-498-3008) sent photos of trout limits, gag grouper giants, assorted snappers, upper-slot redfish, a huge flounder, very large amberjack and a monster cobia. Lots of scallops were taken, but that action seems to have slowed from previous weeks. 

Freshwater

Lake Jackson

Otto Hough at Myhometownfishing.com (otto@myhometownfishing.com) said: “The waves of streaming thunderboomers coming out of the Gulf have slowly pushed up the water level in Lake Jackson, but nowhere near enough. However, the rains have served to stem the tide when it comes to falling water levels experienced over the prior week. As an added plus, the fish are relishing the increased oxygen levels created by the rainfall. Still, though it has been a seemingly wet week, more rains will be needed to fully restore this once-revered bass fishing gem. Not wishing flood conditions on anyone anywhere in the county or surrounding areas, but more rain certainly would be a welcome sight to old time Jackson anglers.”