water temperature to start biting?

[cjben]

do to our warmer weather the last couple weeks,I am getting the itch to start my bank night fishing excursions again. My question is this: do catfish start biting at a certain water temperature in shallow(10-15') water? I did try last year at the end of april a couple times,and didn't catch a thing or even get any bites,didn't start catching fish until the end of may and early june. Thanks for any answers!!

[IFitSWIMS]

Ben i started in on the channel cats last week . The surface temps when i started fishing were between 36.6 and 37.2 i caught 5 cats in seven hours of fishing.This water was roughly ten degrees colder than i had ever fished for channel cats.My strategy for early season channels is to find backwater areas of shallow water off the main river and look for warner water,even a one degree temp change can make a difference.One of my favorite early season spots is a good example of this.It's a big bay (4 or 5 acres ) 3 to 8 feet deep close to the main river channel (11 to 15 feet deep) and in between two deep holes.It also has a creek flowing into it.There was barely one degree temp difference between the bay and the main river but the cats were there and some were biting.Keep in mind i live at the very north tip of indiana,depending on were you live open water fishing may start even earlier or may never stop.

[cjben]

what can be used to measure water temperature? Keep in mind I don't have a boat,I fish from the bank. I know I could stick a thermometer in the water at the edge,but that wouldn't be real accurate for the water I cast out to.

[IFitSWIMS]

I know they make a battery operated thermometer for big water trollers that records the temp and the depth it was recorded at i don't see any reason why something like that couldn't be put on a rod and cast out.You probably don't need to go to that extreme though ,if you find a good backwater spot off the main river chances are good that it has warmer water no reasom to get too technical or complicated.

[Skizzy]

I have a thermometer that I got in the fly fishing dept at bass pro for $15. Works fine.

[Troy@wgcc]

could cast the thermometer out with a float lol
yea I know but it works lol

[Dano]

Catfish bite year round. You just got to find the spot. Chum helps the odds.
Spring and fall Spawn is best for fast action. When the spawn is on, cast anywhere and you will probably catch one.
We have a crappie season. Dec. to about Feb. Its all deep water fishing for most part. Cats love crappie


Course I’m out for the freezer