# Channel Cats (the spawn)



## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

got a question for all the catfish guys..................when do channel cats spawn ?? 

I fish the Tusc River and two weeks ago the channel cats were slamming everything that you threw at them and for the past 5-7 days ...........i cannot find a channel cat...........not even dinks !! i would think maybe im just having a fish dry spell but ive talked to NUMEROUS other guys who are all saying the same thing. I fished 4 out of the past 5 evenings and i cannot BUY a channel cat...........ive been using cut shad........live creek chubs..........cut creek chubs...........fresh shrimp and NOTHING. one bright side to all this though is.........THE FLATTIES are starting to bite pretty good. i know that fishing is fishing and that i cant catch fish everytime out but the channel cats have completely shut off. the ones we caught 2 weeks ago were BLOATED with eggs so i kinda think they are on spawn........... what do you all think ??


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## Shad Man (Apr 30, 2008)

The spawn is triggered by the photoperiod. Channel cats typically spawn when water temps approach 75 degrees F. In Ohio it usually occurs between June and early August. The spawning period usually runs a month or more with fish spawning sometime during this time period. The good thing about channels is that they don't all spawn at the same time so the fishing isn't usually compromised. With all that said I have noticed that the bite is off. I don't know if its the normal weather we have finally been having, the lack of good bait I cant' seem to find (shad), or just the lack of time I have been able to put it. I also agree that the flathead's are really turning on.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Dude, I can tell you for a fact that the channels as well as the carp are spawning right now in my local river. I had a blast today watching them. Well, at least it started out being fun, then just freakin aggravating seeing 6-7 # channel cats goin crazy just feet from the boat, all while I landed a massize TWO all morning!


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## dinkbuster1 (Oct 28, 2005)

caught about a dozen last night, biggest being a 9lb male channel that was so "blue'd out" (spawning color) that it looked like a big purple/grape popsicle. cleaned 3 about 3-4lb each, all 3 were females, 1 was bloated with eggs and two were empty. my opinion is they are in the process of spawning. look for rocky or rip-rap areas right now, thats where the spawners will be found.


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## Steelwolve (Apr 18, 2006)

Yes, I have been having the same results lately, catching no more than 1 or 2 at the most for the past 4 outings ( about a week and a half) My buddy did land 4 good ones the last night up at Hoover, and he said they were in 1-3 FOW. The guy he was with got skunked though. But Im with Melon, they must be spawning, I haven't seen them but, just like you said they were on fire... then..they just shut down, the only logical thing would be spawn, the weather has been pretty good for the last couple of weeks. I haven't had any trouble finding shad lately, so I don't think thats it. Maybe they are all turning vegetarian on us, time to break out the Tofu for bait


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## Shad Man (Apr 30, 2008)

Steelwolve,

Where are you finding shad? If you don't mind me asking. I can't find them anywhere around Columbus.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

THANKS Guys for the info.............i went back out tonight with my dad and brother and my wife ...............we had in 8 rods between the 4 of us and used a wide variety of baits and still NOONE landed a channel cat............dad managed to catch 2 SMALL flatties around 3-4 lbs each.

i kinda figured the channels were spawning.........when i throw cut shad..........cut creek chub............live creek chubs and even small live bluegill at them and cant get a bite ...........i KNOW something is up !!! i mean ive fished some of the deepest holes on the Tusc and ive fished in the wood piles and even tried fishing really shallow areas and have had the same results............NOTHING !!!


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Brian, I think it just depends on where you are fishing, We caught good numbers of channel cats this weekend at our camp, caught them on everything from bluegill, chubs, cut chubs, cut shad etc...Couldnt keep bait in the water...But Im thinking that maybe that area is a little bit behind, the tusc or other places...I dont think they are spawning yet Id say another couple weeks yet at least...But Its all a matter of the water temps at the area you are fishing...


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

dinkbuster1 said:


> caught about a dozen last night, biggest being a 9lb male channel that was so "blue'd out" (spawning color) that it looked like a big purple/grape popsicle. cleaned 3 about 3-4lb each, all 3 were females, 1 was bloated with eggs and two were empty. my opinion is they are in the process of spawning. look for rocky or rip-rap areas right now, thats where the spawners will be found.



So the darker ones are spawned out?


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## zap (Jun 5, 2005)

The males get really dark blueish during their spawning season. Big heads, often slender bodies and they look really dark compaired to the light colored females with the bigger bellies


We were knocking them down this past weekend. Some really excellent eating cats.


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## lucky1 (Jun 6, 2007)

Here are some pics that show the color differences of channels while spawning. Caught last week on live chubs in the tusc.


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## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

Thanks guys
I did catch a few males then


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## catfish_hunter (May 31, 2005)

Thats a mice male there lucky1 did you get a weight on him?


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## hunted (Dec 10, 2006)

i went to rocky fork sunday.fished for about three hours,did not get bit once on shad in two different spots that are usually producers.


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## lucky1 (Jun 6, 2007)

I didn't get a weight on him catfish hunter. He is my PB channel but he was so darn cool looking and his head was so big, thick, and flat that I figured he deserved to be released to get bigger, and I didn't want to do any damage because I am inexperienced with scales. I didn't wan to damage his mouth or gills...


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