Night Fishing for Channel Cats

Fishing for Channel Cats at night is always a lot of fun. This under utilized species is hearty and available in quantity even during the dog days of summer. Nighttime fishing is less crowded and the temperatures are cooler.

Last season, we went fishing in Bucks County PA with GettingOutside.com member, Casey Schwarz, who was one of the many brave servicemen in the Active Naval Reserve stationed at the Willow Grove Airbase. (He has since transferred to Texas, and along with his family, and is sorely missed around these parts.) His son Ansel and my daughter Willow joined us on our adventure.
A special “thank you” to Brian, a generous angler who we met as we were arriving and he was leaving. He told us where the fish were biting for him, and he shared his leftover bait with us. What a nice guy!
Fishing at night is one of my favorite outdoor activities, and I was excited to share it with my six year old daughter, who loves fishing as much as anyone I know. I like the privacy, the quiet, the mystery of the night, and the many fish I catch at night.
The fishing tips in this article will help you enjoy your next night time fishing experience. They are especially for fishing from the lakeshore, a dock or the river bank, but you can use them in a boat as well.
If you’re packing young kids, they better be well rested. Make sure they get a nice nap. This is good for dad and mom too. Also you better be packing snacks and drinks. Don’t forget warm clothes – think layers – and rain ponchos.
If you’ve ever gone fishing with young kids, you know how important it is to be prepared. You also know how important it is to catch some fish, no matter how big they are.

For nighttime cat-fishing, there are a couple items you’ll probably want to bring:

Rods and Reels. 2 fishing poles, medium length and weight, 6’ to 7 and ½’ a soft tip with some strength to fight a big fish if you should luck out.

   Rigs. Your set up should include a Carolina Rig, sometimes just called a Catfish Rig. This typically has a large egg-shaped sinker (about a 1/2 ounce) above a bead and swivel on its main line and is attached to a leader of about two feet or so. I’d keep at least 4 of these in the tackle box just in case.


Tools. Make sure you have a multi-purpose tool that has a needle-nose pliers and a knife on it.

Other. A Glove for holding the fish to get them off the hooks couldn't hurt (not really a necessity).
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