Mid March Catfish Report...

It was a March day with the cypress trees that stand in the water like silent southern guards just beginning to bud. You would have thought it was February, not like last February but like a normal East Texas February with cloudy skies and a light north wind. Fishing was a bit slow, at least for us, but we managed 15 nice cats, some we ate last night after arriving home and some we put back for another fish fry.   

We are kind of used to setting up in a spot, tossing out a little maize for chum and catching a fish on the first cast. The cats are there and the chum just concentrates them. Lately it seems like they are not there yet. Water is 59 degrees. I'd like to see 62 and rising. Lake level is also a bit lower than last year. Places that are 4 feet deep were probably 8 feet deep last year and maybe that skinny water is making them a bit more cautious. 

Here's the set up. Notice the slip cork rig, not unlike a popping cork rig for speckled trout or redfish on the Texas coast. Note the buckets of punch bait, maize the marker buoy (toss it out and mark the edge of the drop off) and the yellow catfish rag for hand wiping. I think that's a self cleaning rag.  

Cathy is casting to the creek channel edge. This is usually the spot I fish while she casts to the cypress bushes. It's finesse fishing at it's best. You have to accurately cast to the area of the buoy, usually a long cast and have the depth set right. She took my spot over without asking. That's kind of how it is with pontoon boat fishing. Get out of your seat, someone else gets it.        

The osprey nest was blown away over the winter but they have built it back since our last lake trip. Osprey always a good sign in the area.  

Fifteen fat channel cats. We had a dinner of fried fish and hushpuppy. probably go fishing again today. I better do my daily exercise to afford fried fish swimming in my belly again.