Skip to main content

Homegrown Catfish Ponds

Homegrown Catfish Ponds

Catfish PondsChannel catfish are among the most popular fish across the country. They fight hard, grow big, and are as tasty as they come. Further adding to their popularity, channel cats can tolerate a range of water quality and are adaptable to most any setting including small catfish ponds. All these factors make channel catfish a natural choice among pond owners and lake managers.

For most pond owners, channel cats serve a three-fold purpose. Primarily, they're a food source. Not for other fish but for pond owners on a put-and-take basis. Channel catfish are ideal for this purpose because they are readily available and cheap to buy from fish farms and hatcheries across the country. They also can be quickly grown to eating size with basic management practices.

Besides their food value, the sporting nature of catfish is another reason for adding them to a pond. Cats reign supreme in pulling power and stamina. It's the fish that generates more smiles and fish stories among young and old anglers alike. And for good reason — double-digit channel cats are common in well-managed ponds and some giants exist in ponds across the country, including the Washington state record of 36.2 pounds. The prospect of growing and catching trophy-size catfish from ponds as small as a half-acre should get anyone's attention.

Catfish also can be stocked to help keep a multispecies pond in balance. Catfish are nature's cleaners and help by scavenging dead fish that appear on a daily basis in ponds. They also help to control recruitment of panfish that can become overpopulated and stunted if not kept in check by predators.

Recipes for Success

Multispecies ponds are often stocked with a mix of largemouth bass, bluegill, and channel catfish. The typical stocking rates are 50 bass, 500 bluegills, and 50 catfish per surface acre. In ponds with good water quality and a rigorous feeding program these numbers can be doubled. These stocking rates assume a "fresh" pond setting that is devoid of any other fish apart from baitfish that help sustain the initial fish stocking. Also, with a feeding program, the growth rate of fish is accelerated.

1 Yellowstone River > Montana

'For sheer numbers of channel catfish, it's tough to beat the Yellowstone River near Sidney in eastern Montana, ' says Sidney resident Steve Harris. 'They average 3 to 5 pounds, and you easily catch 20 to 30 cats a day. If you want bigger catfish, the upper end of Fort Peck Reservoir and the Missouri River just above Fort Peck has a huge population of 10- to 25-pounders.
­Contact: Montana Cats, montanacats.com­; High Caliber Sports in Sidney, 406/433-1800.

3 Lewisville Lake > Texas

'When you fish under trees where water turkeys (cormorant) roost, you won't catch big catfish, but you catch 'em till your arms get tired, ' says Texan Benny Roberts. He globs his famed Benny Roberts SureShot Punch Bait on a #4 to #6 treble hook and shortly after sunrise flips it gently near the base of trees white-washed with cormorant droppings. 'It's usually 'plop...bang!' ' he says. 'They grab it as soon as it hits the water. If you want to fill a cooler with 2- to 5-pound catfish, that's the way to do it. '
­Contact: Guide Chad Ferguson, North Texas Catfish Guide Service, txcatfishguide.com, 817/522-3804.

4 Tuttle Creek Lake > Kansas

'Tuttle Creek Lake has more catfish averaging 4 to 5 pounds, but John Redmond Reservoir's cats are around 8 or 9 pounds, ' says Dave Studebaker of the Catfish Chaser catfish club. 'For overall good fishing, go to Tuttle Creek. '
­Contact: Guide D. J. Clemons, 785/965-2691; Catfish Chasers Catfishing Tournament Series, catfishchasers.com.

5 Calumus Lake > Nebraska

'Calumus Lake got a lot of attention last year because anglers did well during tournaments on that lake, ' says Jeff Schuckman, fishery biologist with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. 'I was at a channel catfish tournament there last summer and the winning team's fish averaged 28 pounds. ' 'It's a fantastic catfish lake if you know how to fish it, ' says Curt Kiner, Nebraska tournament catfisherman. 'It's a night bite, and early in the season the hot spot is up in the Calumus River just above the reservoir. Fish all night and you can catch 25 or 30 cats that can average 20 pounds. '
­Contact: Central Nebraska Cat, centralnebraskacat.com.

7 Lake Mendota > Wisconsin

'A couple springs ago we did a survey on the northeast side of Lake Mendota, ' says Kurt Welke, fishery manager for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. 'We pulled 444 channel catfish that averaged 10 to 12 pounds from one fyke net that was so full of catfish it looked like a stuffed sausage. I've never seen anything like it. It was a good example of the huge population of big channel cats we have in Mendota. ' Begin your quest in the northeast corner of the lake, near the Highway 113 bridge where current flows from Cherokee Marsh.
­Contact: D&S Bait Tackle & Archery in Madison, dsbait.com, 608/241-4225.

8 Barkley Lake > Kentucky

'It's nothing to catch 50 or 60 pounds of channel cats and fill a cooler in a day, ' says guide Jim Leech. 'I have most of my luck on Lake Barkley in May and June, during the spawn, but the Land Between the Lakes side of Kentucky Lake is good, too, because there are more rocks on that side. '
­Contact: Guide Jim Leech at Eddy Creek Resort, eddycreek.com, 270/625-0704.

9 Lake Murray > Columbia, South Carolina

'Lake Murray is hands-down the best channel catfish lake in the state, ' says guide Chris Simpson. 'It has an exceptional number of big cats up to 15 pounds. Most people overlook channel cats and go after bigger blues and flatheads that the lakes in South Carolina are known for, ' he says. 'But if you want a battle, try landing a 10- or 12-pound channel cat. A 12-pounder could drag a 20-pound blue all over the lake. '
­Contact: Guide Chris Simpson, ­fightindablues.com, 864/992-2352.

10 Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie > Ohio

'It's absolutely the best channel cat fishery I've ever seen, ' says Jason Stanfield, who runs the Northern Ohio Catfish Tournament Trail. 'On one trip in 2013 we caught and released 125 cats. ' He says the bridges that cross the mouth of the bay create currents throughout the year and attract channel cats that average 5 to 15 pounds.
­Contact: Northern Ohio Catfish Tournament Trail, northernohiocatfishtournamenttrail.com, 440/420-7765.

2 Colorado River > Arizona/California

'Channel cats are abundant almost everywhere along the lower Colorado River, ' says In-Fisherman contributor Kirk McKay. 'Typical sizes are 3 to 7 pounds for anglers using cut and prepared baits. Larger channels from 8 to 16 pounds are caught on livebaits by anglers targeting flatheads. '
­Contact: B&B Tackle in Blythe, California, 760/921-2248.

6 Red River of the North > North Dakota/Minnesota

'If they're in the mood to bite, a buddy and I can catch and release 20 to 30 fish in a 4- or 5-hour trip on the Red, ' says Rob Raymond, president of the Red River Valley Catfish Club. 'They weigh 10 to 20 pounds in the Grand Forks area. If we've had a flood event so the big boys can move upstream over the dams, I've seen 35-pounders come out of the river in this area. Lots of people catch nice channel cats from the bank along the Riverwalk in downtown East Grand Forks, ' he says.
­Contact: Red River Valley Catfish Club, catfishleague.com; Captain Brad Durick, redrivercatfish.com, 701/739-5808.

Nate Herman operates Herman Brothers Pond Management in central Illinois. Working with his brother, Justin, they offer comprehensive fishery management services to pond owners across the country. Having known Nate for years, I've come to understand his philosophies of pond management and that he's most excited about his job when pushing the envelope of what's possible in ponds. He says there are three limiting factors to achieving any goal in pond management — water quality, feed, and money — and with enough money you can typically overcome the first two.

To have a healthy pond that grows channel catfish to large sizes quickly, Herman says a disciplined feeding program must be implemented. "Since catfish are relatively cheap to buy from hatcheries, we recommend that our clients start with 8- to 12-inch stocker-size fish that retail for about $1 each," he says. "This larger size promotes survival. Smaller fingerlings are susceptible to predation by bass, and panfish can whip through catfish fry quickly. With a feeding program, 12-inch channels have the opportunity to grow two pounds per year and be eater size within the first year. Without a feeding program, growth rate is less than half that. Since channels have an average life expectancy of 12 to 14 years and can live over 20, you can see the potential for growing big fish."

Supplemental feeding with a high-protein diet can more than double growth rates of catfish.

Since money is almost always a factor, a feeding program should maximize results for minimal costs. For starters, Herman suggests a high-protein fish food that is utilized by all fish in the pond and helps them grow quickly. "We use Purina Mills Game Fish Chow because channel catfish are omnivorous, eating both plants and animals. It's a floating, 32-percent protein feed that also benefits bluegills much more than traditional grain-based catfish feed. Catfish convert this food at an amazing 2.2:1 weight-gain ratio — meaning that 2.2 pounds of consumed Game Fish Chow translates into 1 pound of fish weight-gain. Game Fish Chow also delivers a better catfish flavor and includes vitamins and a balanced nutrition that provides resistance against disease for all fish in the pond. Since catfish also eat plants, insects, crustaceans, and fish, they're relatively inexpensive to grow."

Establish a daily feeding program with a directional feeder like the Texas Hunter LM135 that can be programmed to disperse food at multiple times a day for pre-set lengths of time. Position feeders on platforms on the upwind side of the pond to allow fish more time to eat before the floating feed drifts to shore.

Catfish learn quickly and within a few weeks become feed-trained. A school of catfish with their mouths open as they swim on the surface vacuuming up floating food might seem unnatural, but they quickly adapt to this feeding technique. In fact, a larger percentage of floating food gets eaten by fish than sinking pellets that quickly fall through the water column and settle in weeds and sediment.

Since intense feeding can be costly, overfeeding should be avoided. To determine if the appropriate amount of feed is being used, track how much the fish eat in 20 minutes and subtract the amount that remains from the next feeding. If no food remains on the surface after 20 minutes, increase the amount until the right quantity is reached. Unconsumed food also can reduce water quality by depleting dissolved oxygen as it decomposes.

Water temperature and time of day also factor into how much food should be used. Herman explains, "The optimum time for feeding fish is in the afternoon and evening when dissolved oxygen levels are highest and water temperatures have warmed. Catfish feed and put on weight best when water temperatures are above 70°F. Below 55°F, digestion and metabolism decrease significantly. I advise my clients to discontinue feeding below 55°F."

Great fishing awaits. A new catfish pond being filled. Note the cover structures and automatic feeder.

While catfish can survive in marginal conditions, good water quality helps maximize biomass of big fish. "If sufficient wind doesn't reach the pond, you may need an aeration system to circulate the water. It's recommended to 'turn over' the bottom and top water in a pond at least once every 24 hours. Water that doesn't circulate can become stagnant and lead to low dissolved oxygen, stress fish, decrease growth rates, increase disease potential, and cause die-offs."

He says one of the biggest mistakes in managing catfish in ponds is failing to harvest and restock catfish as needed. "Ideally, to keep catch rates high, stock channel catfish every year. A minimum of 30 percent of catfish should be harvested each year and 35 percent restocked each year, or double that every two years. If a stocking regimen of 100 catfish per acre is adhered to, the math is simple and it's a matter of harvesting fish and keeping good records.

"This stocking-harvest scenario creates multiple ages of catfish, and avoids a situation of too many big catfish. Since old catfish that have been caught several times can be the trickiest fish to catch, having multiple ages present with 'young and dumb' catfish is the key to high catch rates."

Herman prefers a closed pond system that lacks natural reproduction of channel cats. With a closed system, you can accurately chart how many fish are stocked and harvested. Maintaining healthy populations of panfish and bass can keep catfish recruitment low if they reproduce naturally. For pond owners seeking to encourage catfish reproduction, panfish stocking should be avoided. You also might substitute hybrid bluegills or another panfish species like redears that don't reproduce as successfully as bluegills in ponds. In addition, catfish spawning habitat such as barrels, pipes, and rockpiles with crevices could be added.

Herman says that if your interests include noodling (hand grabbling), submerge 10- to 12-inch diameter pipes or 30-gallon barrels in 3 to 6 feet water. Noodlers reach into these structures hoping a big cat clamps down on their hands. With a firm grasp on the fish's mouth, the cat is pulled from its lair.

Beyond Channel CATS

Since he is always looking to expand options for his customers, Herman has begun substituting blue catfish for channel cats in ponds where appropriate. The allure is that blues grow larger and do equally well in a wide range of temperatures. He's started to experiment with mixing blue cats, crappies, and bass. The goal is to produce quality crappies that are kept in check by the blue cats and bass.

Programmable feeders reduce waste, lower costs, and can help improve water quality.

"Since blues are piscivorous — mainly eating fish and clams — we use Purina Mills Aquamax 600 feed in blue cat ponds," he says. "Aquamax is a fishmeal-based 40-percent protein feed. Fish can become conditioned to eating most anything from dog food to bread to leftovers, but growth rates go through the roof when the correct feed is used. With a good forage base and Aquamax feed, we can grow blues at a rate of 4 to 7 pounds per year. Blues in the 30- to 40-pound range aren't out of the question, they're expected. The largest obstacle to blue cats in ponds is the lack of supply. There are few hatcheries producing blues for pond stocking, but supply will eventually catch up with demand."

While some pond owners are "bucket biologists," transporting wild fish from lakes and rivers to private ponds, many states have laws against this practice, often to help control the spread of exotic species and VHS, a deadly infectious disease caused by the hemorrhagic septicemia virus. Flatheads might be a tempting option in ponds, but transplanting them may be illegal. Some states like Kentucky still permit commercial fishermen to sell live fish that are caught in public waters to private fishing clubs.

Herman says that flatheads are more difficult to manage in ponds than channels and blues. "Large adult flatheads that have spent their lives in rivers can have a difficult time feeding in a small closed system without current. They also don't take well to a pelleted feed program and it becomes difficult to manage them. I've avoided managing ponds with flatheads. This may change slightly since my acquisition of the Giant Goose Ranch near Canton, Illinois, with 52 lakes and ponds to experiment on. But I advise my customers to stick with channels and blues."

With sound management advice and a disciplined approach to harvesting, restocking, and feeding fish, catfish are a fun and productive addition to any pond. They can be raised to trophy size with other fish species in a balanced pond setting or as the primary species for a steady supply of catfish dinners. Channels are the popular pond cat, but don't be surprised to see blues showing up more in ponds across the country. Thirty-pounders could be just outside your back door in the near future.




GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Classics: Muskie Mechanics and Why We Chase Muskies

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Storyline: Roadtrip Edition, The Jon Bondy Story

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Storyline: Front Porch Edition with Josh Douglas and Shawn Budiac at X2Power

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Storyline Ep11 - Nexus Outdoors Owner Aaron Ambur

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Gear

The ALL-NEW Shimano Vanford A: The Measure in Performance

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Destinations

In-Fisherman Classics: Road Hunting Big Manitoba Pike

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Classics: Understanding Northern Pike Behavior in Warming Water

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Gear

In-Fisherman Classics: Muskie Mechanics and Why We Chase Muskies

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Destinations

In-Fisherman Classics: The Perfect Muskie Spot

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman TV: Ripping Big Rubber on Lake St. Clair with Spencer Berman

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman TV: Late Fall Trolling Tips for Lake of the Woods Muskies

Al Lindner talks about focusing on the right time to target big northern pike. Shallow water northern pike are the pinna...
Learn

In-Fisherman Classics: Primetime Pike and Peak Periods

In-Fisherman Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the In-Fisherman App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Get the top In-Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All In-Fisherman subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now

Never Miss a Thing.

Get the Newsletter

Get the top In-Fisherman stories delivered right to your inbox.

By signing up, I acknowledge that my email address is valid, and have read and accept the Terms of Use