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9/02/02 Late Summer Night Fishing

Now is the time to get out and do some night time catfishing.  Some people prefer to fish for catfish during the daytime.  Me, I would rather spend a lazy night fishing for channels and blues.  No matter what the lake, night time catfishing is excellent in the late summer.  One major benefit to the nighttime fishing is that you get to spend the day doing the "honey do's" and then leave at dark to go fishing.  It is a win-win situation.

Me personally, my preferred method is to take along my cast net with me and a bucket.  I will pull up to a likely spot for shad and make a few casts.  I just throw the shad in the bucket and move on to my fishing spot.  I have used shrimp before, but catching the shad has yet to be a problem.  Depending on the size of the shad, I might get several baitings off one fish.  Sure, the shad die eventually in the bucket, but I don't care.  It simply makes it easier to cut them up later.

Location is important on most lakes.  In the later part of the summer, the catfish are cruising the shallows looking for food -- 2 to 5 foot of water.  I look for an area that is close to a creek or drop off on the main lake.  I have done this extremely successfully on several Texas lakes and always come home with several nice cats.  One lake that I really like to catfish on is Tawakoni.  My second favorite would have to be Monticello with Livingston running a close third.  No matter what lake, if it has catfish in it then they will be biting.

For those who do not like skinning catfish, my suggestion would be to get an electric fillet knife and treat them like a crappie.  Just be a little careful when you remove the skin from the fillet.  I can be through a dozen catfish just as quick as a dozen crappie or sandbass.  Just writing this makes me want to thaw some out and cook them up now.

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