Fishing information on where, how and what to use for bait.   
Baits - Information on finding good spots to fish - Tackle, and the best time of year for the most productive catfishing..

The lower Snake River reservoirs in Washington provide one of the best fisheries in the Northwest for Channel cats, Blue cats and the occasional Flathead.

Channels and Blues are abundant in the impoundments upstream from Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite dams, Flatheads are few and far between, primarily these are fish that have flushed into the system from the Hells Canyon complex of dams.

While the traditional method of night fishing for this fine eating fish is employed successfully in this area it is by no means the only way to catch them. Fishing in the morning and evening hours and, at times, throughout the day can be very rewarding and much more practical for a family outing.

If fishing from a boat seek out the channels and drop-offs, the cats will follow these underwater ledges as they search for food. The best technique is to locate a drop-off and move your boat into the shallow water adjacent to the channel and anchor. Depth will vary from 10 ft to as much as 30 ft in the shallows with the channel breaking sharply into deeper water.

From this position you should be able to cast easily into the channel and allow your bait to come to rest along the break line.
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Catfish on the Snake River

Baits, Tackle and Information.

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During periods of higher flows your bait should swing with the current until it rests at the bottom of the sharp drop-off. Adjust your weight so that it will swing around in this manner. During the summer and fall months there will be negligible current but the fish will still utilize these channels but you will need to position your baits without depending on the current to move them into position along the edges.

If fishing from the bank a good chart of the river will be very helpful. Find an area with road access near a channel or drop-off and utilize the same technique employed from a boat. Also look for coves and bays leading into deeper water, the cats will move into these areas to feed at all hours of the day.

Whether fishing from boat or bank, don’t overlook the tributaries. Catfish will be drawn to even the smaller streams dropping into the Snake and will migrate into the larger tributaries to feed and also will spawn in the larger waters..
Two significant tributaries are the Palouse River and the Tucannon River, both providing excellent fishing during the spring period. Both of these streams are in the stretch of river between Little Goose and Lower Monumental dams.

Best baits vary from nighcrawlers to chicken livers and cut baits. Personally, I have had the best success using very fresh cut bait, waste parts from freshly caught trout are excellent as are fillets from trash fish such as suckers and squaw fish. Nightcrawlers are excellent but be prepared with plenty of bait, as everything in the river will peck away at this bait until your hook is stripped clean, check your bait often when fishing crawlers!

Fishing gear can be as simple as a K-Mart Combo or as stately as a high end custom built G-Loomis or Sage rod sporting a $500.00 reel - catfish don’t care! Use a good quality line, I’m fond of the super braids such as Fireline, Tuf-Line or Power Pro in the 12 to 15 lb. Range. With a rod and reel capable of launching from 1 to 2 oz. of weight, a hand full of 1/0 or 2/0 hooks and a few egg sinkers you have the setup.  Slip a sinker onto the mainline, tie on a barrel swivel and add a leader, hook and bait - chuck it into the zone and pour yourself a cup off coffee and relax.