Spring Catfish Season, Illinois River!
It's that time of the year again! The catfish start moving in from their wintering holes to look for warmer water, baitfish, and earthworms from water levels rising. It is now time to grab a rod and catch some of these great fighting and tasting fish.
Lee Ioerger
3/17/20243 min read
Spring Catfish Are In....
Spring is getting closer, rains are raising water levels, and the sun seems to warm the shallow waters of the Illinois River more each day. Nothing makes my spring more exciting than getting that call from my good friend Johnny telling me he saw his first Red Breasted Blackbird of the year. To Johnny and I this signals a time when the channel catfish will start biting hotter than ever on the river.
The water levels will usually go up a few feet this time of year exposing insects, worms, and other food to the underwater world. The warming temperatures start to warm the shallower water faster each day and these events trigger the catfish to start laying on the feed bag. It is not unusual to catch 100 catfish on a good day in the Illinois River. My first time out fishing gave me 7 nice catfish in a 20 minute period. The sun was bringing much needed warmth to the bank and it was a perfect morning to try my luck.
10 Things to consider when Catfishing in early spring.
Channel Catfish are looking for warmer water, Sun lit banks seem to produce the best in early spring.
If the water levels are rising they seem to come closer to the bank than usual and long casts are usually not needed.
Since they are moving shallow they are usually looking for freshly unearthed bugs or insects, nightcrawlers seem to be the go to bait.
Watch your line, catfish may still be sluggish and not take the bait away, they may just pick it up and swim closer to the bank leaving slack line.
Tie your rods to something so you don't lose them. The opposite of number 4 may happen and a 5# channel catfish can launch your rod into the water on a whim. Rod and Reel combos aren't cheap so make sure you have them secure.
Do not be afraid to mix baits. Nightcrawlers can't be beat in early spring, however you may pull in some bigger catfish with a different bait so don't be afraid to use shrimp, shad, or live bluegills.
My best rig usually is a simple Carolina rig, I vary the weight depending on my proximity to current. Heavier weights will be useful to keep your bait in place near heavier currents.
Go lighter on hooks, line, and rods to get the maximum enjoyment fighting these fish. My go to rig in early spring is a medium spinning combo, 12# test mono, 1 ounce weight, 12" leader to a 1/0 worm hook. The lighter rod will help you catch those light bites and is plenty sturdy enough for the average sized catfish in the river.
If you want some fish to eat, do not keep any catfish over 15". 12"-15" channel catfish make some fine eating and they are in abundance in the Illinois River. They took the advisories off of the river and the safe consumption of fish in the river can resume. However bigger fish have longer to collect chemicals and it is best to still use caution in choosing fish for a meal.
Finally #10 Have Fun! take your kids out to enjoy some fine catfishing on the Illinois River in early Spring! Relax in a chair, let them comb the beaches for flood treasure, or collect rocks that are neat and unique.
I hope you enjoyed these tips and learning about how spring channel catfish can be some of the best fun found all year. Remember the river is close to home and not a far drive. Remember it is our job to be good stewards and pack out what we bring with us on our adventures. If we take a minute to enjoy what is naturally available to us here in Central Illinois, we can make a difference in improving this unique gem for years to come! Enjoy your spring and I hope to see you out on the water!