While blue cats are a big draw on the Mississippi River, they aren’t the only big cat to be found, especially when fishing during the summer. Flathead catfish, or yellow cats as they are locally referred to, present just as much fun and excitement as blue cats, and the action is better after dark.
“Catching a yellow cat takes a lot of patience,” said Steve Strong. “It’s a lot like trying to kill a big buck.”
Rather than fishing deep holes, Strong suggests doing a bit of scouting around the shallows. He looks for blowdowns, snags, any place a yellow cat can hide during the day. He makes note of those areas in the late afternoon, then returns at dusk and anchors up above the location.
The gear and tackle he uses is the same for blue cats. Baits and rigs are different. Strong likes a slip line for flatheads, a rig that allows the line to pass unimpeded when the fish picks up the bait. Baits are all live. Strong’s favorites are pond perch, goldfish or any legal sunfish.
“Yellow cats are predators and feed mostly at night,” he said. “You want to put the baits up on the shallow end of the hole and get him to come out from under the snag and take the bait.”
This article is part of the Holes in Big Muddy feature in the June issue of Mississippi Sportsman. Digital editions can be downloaded right to your computer or smartphone.
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