Fish for Catfish on the Mighty Mississippi River

Featured in this Article:

Types of Catfish in the Mississippi River
Fishing Techniques for Catfish
When and Where to Fish for Catfish on the Mississippi River
 

Tennessee is home to some of the most beautiful, diversified fishing spots. In the mountains of East Tennessee to Middle Tennessee’s highlands to the lowlands of West Tennessee, the variety of fish are endless.

Living in West Tennessee, Bill Dance ventures out into larger bodies of water, with the Mississippi River - "The Mighty Mississippi" - being one of his favorites. 

It flows north to south touching or running along 10 different states, the northern tip in Minnesota and the southern tip in Louisiana. The rich history of the Mississippi River is tightly woven into the fabric of America. It is a part of many of American culture’s stories, songs and myths. Its existence has helped the U.S. grow through travel and commerce. Tennesseans are lucky to have the river's western “shore,” running south from the state line of Kentucky to the border line of the state of Mississippi.

One of the Mississippi River's best kept secrets? It is a prized place to fish for catfish. Read along to learn more about the types of catfish you can fish in Mississippi, where to find them and techniques to catch them. 

The Mississippi River is home to five different kinds of catfish: blues, yellows or flatheads, channels, bullhead and spoonbills. The most popular are blues, yellows and channels.

History notes that at one time, circa 1800s, blue catfish were caught in the river that weighed more than 150 pounds and measured more than six feet long.

With the recognition of the opportunity and trophy catfish, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, with assistance from Collierville, Tennessee Commissioner Bill Cox, introduced a length limit to protect trophy catfish. Today, anglers can keep one catfish per day that is more than 34 inches. Most recreational anglers catch and release, but commercial can keep one if they want.

Over time this has allowed more catfish to enter into the trophy category. And, when you throw in the surge of the exotic Asian carp species as forage, a lot of catfish are getting plump and plentiful. In the Memphis area alone, several fish have been recorded weighing in excess of 100 pounds. Catfish in the 60-, 70-, and 80-pound catfish are fairly common. There are many in the 30- to 50-pound range. But the real fighters are the catfish that weigh within the 20- to 30-pound class.

The big blues are most targeted by trophy anglers. As with most fishing, catching blue catfish is dependent on where the food source is located. If you are going to catch big catfish, you have to fish with what they eat daily. In the Mississippi, an excellent bait source are silver and bighead Asian carp and "skip Jack" freshwater herring.

Most river anglers use medium-heavy to heavy-action rods, level-wind reels loaded with braided line that offers more sensitivity. Sinkers are typically four to eight ounces. Circle hooks are commonly used. The hooks that have an outer bend bent inward toward the shank by 30 degrees provide more consistent hookups in the corner of the mouth, and fewer fish will be foul- or gut-hooked, which encourages a more successful catch-and-release. Controlled-drifting and bumping baits along the bottom of the river are great ways to catch catfish until the water gets cold.

The best fishing begins in July and can last through December. The river levels are normally low and predictable through late summer and fall.

If Dance had to choose a depth to target it would be 35-45 feet. He also likes to drift the areas that have a rollercoaster-like bottom. Cast a line where the bottom is up and down with troughs, where catfish wait for the current to bring forage. The river's current typically increases farther down a shoal, and fish like these areas. 

The fish like to roam when the water is warm. You may see them shallow in the morning while they drift back to greater depths as the day grows long. Dance has seen them on the surface and has caught them in depths of 85 feet.

While fishing, wear a personal floatation device. When running, stay in the well-marked channels. Barge traffic is quite common, but simply be sure to give the barges the right of way and you shouldn’t have a problem. Debris often floats along the river, so use caution. There are various public ramps located in Memphis and Shelby County, to the north of the city and in other West Tennessee counties.

Find even more spots to fish in Tennessee, according to Bill Dance.