Table Rock Lake is the big draw here for most people as anglers target a variety of fish on the lake. There are good numbers of catfish in Table Rock Lake with some big fish too. Most anglers don’t target them, but they are here in fishable numbers and big catfish live here too.
Fish at Night
Catfish feed better at night, especially in clear waters like you have on Table Rock Lake. At night, you still may find catfish in very deep water, but you will often find plenty of catfish moving shallower as well and they are usually a lot easier to catch in shallow water.
Fish near the Dam
Catfish can often be found near dams and it is no different on Table Rock Lake. The Kings River arm, James River arm and the White River arm are all good areas to target catfish.
Fish the Drop-offs
Catfish will often be found right along or close to the drop-offs from summer through fall. As the thermocline sets in, you can usually find some catfish around the drop-offs near the thermocline as well.
Fish the Thermocline
In the heat of the summer, the thermocline will set the floor for you. Catfish will often be found suspended over deeper water right along the thermocline. Consider this thermocline the bottom and get your baits as close to it as you can. You will be surprised at how many catfish can be found suspended out over deeper water.
Fish the Rocks
Catfish like the rocky areas and there are plenty of rocky areas on Table Rock Lake.
Best Baits for Catfish
Catfish are not too picky when it comes to what they eat, however, there are definitely some things you could learn that will help you catch more catfish. Cut baits, stink baits, cheese baits, and nightcrawlers will usually be the best baits for catfish.
Best Rigs for Catfish
Catfish feed primarily on the bottom on most bodies of water, so most anglers keep it simple with a basic bottom fishing rig. You really don’t have to complicate things too much when targeting catfish, so we recommend keeping it simple with just a few basic rigs.
To learn more, take a look at our best rigs for catfish page.
Best Techniques for Catfish
There are many different techniques that you can use when targeting catfish, but you don’t really need to do anything complicated. You are going to catch most of your catfish on the bottom while you just sit and wait. However, there are a few techniques that can be effective that you should learn if you want to put more catfish in the boat.
To learn more, take a look at our best techniques for catfish page.
Learn More About Catfish
Our catfish fishing section has tons of tips on the best baits, where to catch them and how to catch them.
Visit our catfish fishing website to learn more.
