Catfishing in florida ?

[roger_syclone]

Looking for info about catfishing around bushnell florida just moved to the state and haven't met anyone that goes for cats down here only ba$$ and specks fishermen so far lol :crazy:

[unclebuncle]

I'm starting to think there are no catfishermen in Florida.I used to live in Tallahassee area and was hoping to hear from that area.Apalachicola river has to have huge catfish.

[mazepa]

I'm not familiar with that area. We are north of Orlando and usually fish the St. Johns and Lake Monroe. We are currently trying to find a new catfish hole (we bank fish) because they are building a road or something over our spot and it's a mess. I find talking to the locals who are out regulary fishing for mullet and bream at the lake are usually pretty good about sharing info. Also, if you never have before, I would learn how to catch mullet. When they are bitin' you can get a cooler full pretty quickley. They are AWESOME smoked and great cornmealed and fried.

Gina

[roger_syclone]

I am about 80 miles west of lake monroe but I'll put it on my list of places to try this year so far I have heard about clermont lake chains and that they have a few good spots for channel cat.
I thought mullet was used for bait down here lol .:smile2:
but I will ask about how to catch them,
Does anyone catch blues or flatheads this far south ?

[mazepa]

Blues and flats are mostly up in the panhandle.

Blue Cats Originally found in the Escambia and Yellow rivers in northwest Florida, they are now also in the Apalachicola and Suwannee.
*Note-if you fish in the Suwannee on a boat be carefull and wear a life jacket!! It's full of Sturgeon that can get up to 8 feet long and 300 pounds that like jumping, they have put a lot of people in the hospital. Google: jumping fish suwannee river
It's crazy I've seen them.

Flatheads The distribution of flatheads in Florida is limited. Populations of notable size are found in the Apalachicola and Escambia rivers in the Florida Panhandle

Here is a link to the 2009 top 10 catfishin places in FL.

http://myfwc.com/RECREATION/FW_sites_topcatfish.htm

Apalachicola River channel, flathead, and blue catfish
Choctawhatchee River channel and flathead
Escambia River blue, channel and flathead catfish
St. Johns River and Dunn's Creek bullhead, channel catfish and white catfish
Ochlockonee River bullhead, channel, flathead and white catfish
Clermont Chain of Lakes channel and white catfish
Haines Creek bullheads, channel catfish, and white catfish
Upper Kissimmee Chain of Lakes bullhead, channel catfish, and white catfish
Southwest Florida Lakes channel catfish and bullhead
Joe Budd Pond (Gadsden County) channel catfishing limit 6

I would imagine though that just about every body of water here in FL has some kind of a cat in it :smile2:

Hope this helps,
Gina

[shuorc]

both Lake Harris and Lake Griffin have active commercial cat fishermen so i would think the fishing should be good. For bank fishermen the Lake Eustis 'lake walk' and the pier at Hickory Point are good places to fish.--shu

[big-muddy]

Looking for info about catfishing around bushnell florida just moved to the state and haven't met anyone that goes for cats down here only ba$$ and specks fishermen so far lol :crazy:im in pensacola. im gettin ready to go to jacksonville for a couple years. there will be plenty of catfishin goin on then.