Across the country there are many small catfish ponds for our enjoyment. Most owners stock catfish because they are a very hardy fish that can survive in a variety of conditions. They also of course are excellent sporting fish that fight well. Most of the fish stocked are Channel Catfish with occasional Flathead or Blue Catfish. They also many have large quantities of bullheads, the smallest member of the catfish family.
When you fish these ponds you need to approach them with a different strategy than you would when fishing on a big lake. The first thing you need to understand is that these ponds receive an enormous amount of fishing pressure. It may not seem that they are over fished but when you consider the amount of anglers compared to the size of the body of water you can get the point.
Catfish are not generally considered a wary fish. They are not very difficult to catch and often can and are caught multiple times within a few days. But when you put them in a small pond they do eventually develop an instinct to avoid a hook and line. You need to start thinking differently than others who use the pond for angling pleasures.
For starters I would keep your line as light as possible. This is a good strategy whenever fishing in a small pond. If the average size of the fish in a pond is no more than five pounds you should be able to get away with using six pound test line with no problems.
Another piece of advice concerning the tackle is to keep the hooks as small as possible. There is no reason to use a very large hook when fishing for catfish. Enough to cover the bait is more than enough hook. This is especially true when fishing for the smallish catfish that generally inhabit small ponds.
Your next issue is what baits to use. My suggestion is to come with a complete arsenal of different baits. Fishing in a big lake can be much easier in making this decision. In large lakes you match the natural forage for the best results. Small ponds generally do not have natural forage that is constant. Fortunately catfish eat a wide variety of foods.
As always I would start with live fish as my first choice of bait. Choose a fish that is size appropriate for the size of catfish you are angling for. My next choice would be cut fish that is freshly killed. When using a live fish I like to hook it once through the upper meaty portion of the back. I also like to cut the tail a bit is the swim swims like a wounded fish, this provides an attractant that is often too hard to avoid.
Live nitecrawlers generally work well for catfish. I like to hook a nitecrawlers twice, once through the nose and a second time through the middle of the body when using them for catfish. Just make sure there are not large quantities of pan fish in the pond also. If there are pan fish it will make using nitecrawlers impossible.
Many people love fishing for catfish in ponds for a variety of reasons. Not only does it allow everyone an opportunity to fish regardless of whether or not they have a boat or expensive electronic equipment, small ponds often produce good sized, plentiful catches at as good or better rates than big lakes or rivers.
Most ponds are in rural settings. Rural settings mean natural wildlife. All kinds of natural wild life (such as foxes, raccoon, beaver, etc) feed on fish. For this reason, pond catfish may be a little more easily spooked than those on large lakes that are more accustomed to the noise that naturally comes with large groups of people. Just take special care when it comes to making noise.
Don't run, walk heavily, rattle a lot of chairs, tackle boxes, or stones on the ground. Fish as far back from the bank as you can. Camouflage yourself as well as you can by sitting in shade, near trees that tend to move a little bit with the breeze, or in areas that provide cover that the fish will already have gotten used to.
In your ponds, it pays to be aware of any old stream channels. They often hold enough cover to provide a natural gathering place for catfish. Another good area for catfishing in ponds is where points of land go into the water. Tree branches, trees, docks, sticks or rocks also provide cover for the catfish and will hold lots of activity when it comes to catching catfish in small ponds.
When you are pond fishing for catfish, you can usually depend on a medium to medium-heavy rod and reel, particularly if you are using about a 12 pound test line. If you are using the suggested rod, reel and line, and you are still continually breaking your line, just increase your test strength, and you should do just fine.
Many people use a float or bobber when fishing for catfish in ponds. This suspends the bait in the water, and many a healthy cat has been known to snap up these suspended offerings. However, most people agree that pond fishing for catfish is usually the best if you fish the muddy bottom of your pond. Just use enough weight to sink your baited hook to the bottom. Move your bait every few minutes to attract the attention of your fish. Consider using minnows, night crawlers, earth worms, grubs, and bloody baits like chicken livers or hearts.
When you can get chicken hearts, they are easier to keep on your hook than livers, and they attract the catfish just as readily as do livers, so they are much easier to use. When you can not get them, livers really do work well, and if you have trouble keeping them on a treble hook, simply wrap them in a section cut from old pantyhose, and attach that to the hook before casting into the water.
The hotter the weather, the deeper you should fish. The same is true for very cold weather. In pleasant springtime weather, consider fishing a little more shallow, since the catfish will have a higher metabolism at this time and be hanging out closer to their natural food sources. Catfish's natural food sources will almost always be more plentiful in the more shallow areas.