Just because it’s that cooler time of the year doesn’t mean it’s time to hang up the fishing gear.

Typically, people don’t think about fishing during the winter months, but that certainly isn’t the case when it comes to fishing for blue catfish. Blue cats are great to catch all year round in Oklahoma, but anglers are more apt to catch the big ones during these cool, winter months. The key is to be in the know.

Know where to go: Deep flats, the northern ends of reservoirs, and big bends in creek or river channels typically give the most success when fishing for both blue and channel catfish, but especially the blue.

Know what to use: The best bait to use is naturally cut bait fish such as gizzard shad, threadfin shad, or skipjack herring. Know how: Due to slow metabolism in the winter, the blue catfish moves as little as possible. So fishing as stationary as possible using a circle hook with a leader line, whether it be from bank or boat, is the way to go. However, if the fish aren’t biting, it’s time to explore a different spot.

So grab a line, get on the water, and go catch some of those wintertime blues!