TRAFFIC

Roger Philips' Fish Rap: In the dog days of summer, go for catfish

- Idaho Statesman

Published: 07/30/09

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You usually have to make a choice between big fish and plentiful fish. For instance, if you want to catch a lot of fish, you normally go after panfish like crappie, perch or bluegill, or maybe planted rainbow trout.

If you want bigger fish, you might chase salmon or steelhead, or the grandaddy of them all, sturgeon.

But occasionally you have the chance for lots of big fish, and if that's what you're after, it's time to go after catfish. I am hearing good reports from the Snake River/Brownlee (I am not sure where the Snake ends and Brownlee begins) and C.J. Strike Reservoir.

It's a chance to stock your freezer with fillets and not have to clean dozens of fish to get a decent meal. There are lots of cats that run in the 2- to 5-pound range, and bigger ones are common. Use crickets, catfish bait, or plain old nightcrawlers. One thing I learned this spring is you don't have to sink it to the bottom. Cats will take bait suspended under a bobber. I've even seen them take a fly, but that's not how to do it if you're planning to stock your freezer with catfish fillets.

Steelhead note: If you're a steelhead geek like me, don't be alarmed by the dam counts. The Columbia River DART Web site hasn't been reporting any new counts for five days, so this year's run in relation to last year and the 10-year average is way off. But interestingly, the last day there was a report more than 8,000 steelhead crossed Bonneville, which is the highest single-day total this year, and higher than any single day last year. I hear there's going to be a bigger percentage of A-run fish this year compared with last year. If you're dying to chase a steelhead, the Deschutes River in Oregon starts fishing well in summer. I am dying to get over there to do it, but the schedule isn't looking real favorable.

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TRAFFIC

Roger Philips' Fish Rap: In the dog days of summer, go for catfish

- Idaho Statesman

Published: 07/30/09

IdahoStatesman.com