This study suggests that in this large tributary to the Mississippi and others like it, finding late-season catfish isn't just a matter of looking downstream, but also upstream if suitable wintering habitat is within reach of catfish. In this case, both the Mississippi and deeper scour holes below an upstream dam provided winter refuge for catfish in this relatively wide and shallow river.

Transitions of catfish downstream in fall have been documented in a number of studies. In smaller tributaries to big rivers like the Missouri or Mississippi, or even good-sized rivers like the Wisconsin, whether or not most catfish leave the tributary in winter likely depends on the availability of suitable wintering habitat in the tributary.

Take the Platte River in Nebraska, for example, a wide and shallow tributary to the Missouri. University of Nebraska-Lincoln researchers implanted 45 channel catfish with transmitters in the lower Platte between 1988 and 1990 to document movement patterns.

Dr. Ed Peters reports 67 percent of movements were downstream in fall, and all movements were downstream in winter, most likely to escape the cold water and current in the shallow Platte where overwintering habitat was limited. Channel cats moved to deep scour holes in the Missouri, then back up the Platte to spawn in spring.

A study in Perche Creek in Missouri, a tributary to the Missouri River, showed that some channel catfish resided in this tributary year-round, while another group was transient, moving between Perche and the Missouri. Researchers at the University of Missouri and the state's Department of Conservation tagged channel catfish in lower Perche and in an adjacent section of the Missouri to document these movements.

Most catfish tagged in Perche Creek were considered year-round residents, while most Missouri River catfish were transient, moving into Perche at some point. A general pattern of movement downstream in fall was observed, regardless of whether catfish were resident or transient. All the transient fish in Perche Creek moved to the Missouri River to overwinter. The percentage of transient fish increased farther downstream in Perche, with 72 percent of transient fish using the lower 5 miles.

LATE SEASON PATTERNS REFINED
Small Rivers -- In early fall, catfish are likely to inhabit the same holes where they spend the summer. But once water cools to around 60F, most evidence points to movement downstream to deeper wintering holes with slow current. Downstream transitions likely dominate movement now because these areas contain relatively deeper water. Don't overlook suitable wintering habitat that may be upstream or in the general river stretches where catfish spend warmer months. They congregate at these wintering spots, particularly once the water temperature drops below the 45F to 50F range, and there they remain from late fall throughout the winter.

Continued -- click on page link below.

LATE SEASON LOCATIONS: SMALL RIVERS

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