Best Catfish Spots

Livin Large · 03-19-2010, 05:44 PM

Where are the best catfish spots in Oregon? I am not asking for anyone to give away their secret spot, just a spot that produces some big catfish. Thank you.

Maddie'sDaddy · 03-19-2010, 05:56 PM

Upper John Day has some cats.

MD

Jrr · 03-19-2010, 08:53 PM

Powder arm at Brownlee and Farewell Bend and the upper narrows on Owahee. Pike minnow innards work great in the narrows for big cats. Cut shad around Farewell Bend. Lots of maps available for that area. Crappie Chaser can help you with Brownlee he guides that area don't know if I can post his web link???????

team anarchy · 03-21-2010, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Livin Large

Where are the best catfish spots in Oregon? I am not asking for anyone to give away their secret spot, just a spot that produces some big catfish. Thank you.

Lower JD River

Crappie Chaser · 03-21-2010, 05:38 PM

Here's some of the bigger cats we took from Brownlee in 09

Bonk 1 · 03-21-2010, 06:11 PM

Powder River arm of Brownlee gets my vote.

Duckbane · 03-21-2010, 08:49 PM

Nice Cats Guys!

catfishman89 · 03-22-2010, 10:34 PM

Lower johnday gets my vote. I've been to brownlee 4 times in the last 4 years and I've caught more catfish on the johnday in one hour than my whole brownlee total.I seen some scary big cats on the john day.

Basshound · 03-23-2010, 04:30 AM

Ive heard over the years about BIG cats. Is it true? I'm talking 15,20 or 30 lbs. Are there any places that put these size fish out ?

team anarchy · 03-23-2010, 07:24 AM

Biggest cat I know of on the Lower JD is 16#. My best is 10#. Most are 2 1/2# to 7#. Though not easy to catch, the biggest ones probably come out of Brownlee.

Don Fischer · 03-23-2010, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by team anarchy

Lower JD River

I go to the John Day a few times every year and usually catch some cats but, I have never caught any like that there, never even seen them except in picture's.

Nice nice fish!

tsorrels · 03-23-2010, 08:47 AM

siltcoos lake near ada

03-23-2010, 09:17 AM

I gotta go with Farewell Bend. come in from WEEEEEZER idaho.20 pounders? maybe, but nice cats are common there just be ready for weather , it can change fast .

builder · 03-23-2010, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basshound

Ive heard over the years about BIG cats. Is it true? I'm talking 15,20 or 30 lbs. Are there any places that put these size fish out ?

Cats that size are out there and there are some even bigger. The snake river system (including impoundments) holds some monster cats. The Oregon record flathead cat was caught in the Snake River and weighed 42 lb, Idaho record flathead came from Brownlee and weighed 58 lb. The problem is that if you live here in the valley it's virtually impossible to make it out there enough to learn how to effectively target them.

Crappie Chaser · 03-23-2010, 06:53 PM

The truly big cats are few and far between. Seems like only a couple 20 lber's are caught each year out of Richland. The southern end of the resv. puts out more flatheads but even down there big fish are not common. It used to take a 30lb+ fish to win the catfish derby but not anymore. Recent years anything around 15 is a winner. If I wanted to target a big fish I would fish the river between Farewell Bend and Ontario the 1st week of March.

Jrr · 03-23-2010, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crappie Chaser

The truly big cats are few and far between. Seems like only a couple 20 lber's are caught each year out of Richland. The southern end of the resv. puts out more flatheads but even down there big fish are not common. It used to take a 30lb+ fish to win the catfish derby but not anymore. Recent years anything around 15 is a winner. If I wanted to target a big fish I would fish the river between Farewell Bend and Ontario the 1st week of March.

Yepper........

Livin Large · 03-25-2010, 08:40 PM

so it sounds like traveling out to eastern oregon in where the best spots are.

capt. slo-mo · 03-25-2010, 08:58 PM

I met a nice gentlemen from Ontario yesterday on the Wilson that also spoke highly of the Farewell Bend area for catfish...later in April.

rtg · 04-03-2010, 04:42 PM

Columbia river just about the washington boarder Hwy 730. Use 1 inch squares of sucker meat with the skin on...You will catch them...

Hondo · 04-03-2010, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsorrels

siltcoos lake near ada

I saw a picture at Ada that the people who own the store took...it was of a bald eagle on the shore eating a big channel cat it caught in it's talons...the fish was too heavy for the bird to fly, so it spent awhile on the shore eating the fish to free its talons up. Awesome pic, and nice fish, too!

skeeterman · 04-05-2010, 02:19 PM

anywhere you can catch em like this is a good spot!

fish-on-bend · 04-05-2010, 03:32 PM

Farewell Bend in June.

Green Eyes · 04-05-2010, 04:06 PM

My biggest cat so far came from the Columbia above the mouth of the John day. It was a large channel cat and hit a spinner bait of all things! Killer battle with me thinking new state record smallmouth until it came up and I got a look at it. I always do well on bass in this area so haven't targeted catfish........yet.

Now plan on bringing some bigger guns and plunking down for a try next time up!

brackshooter · 04-06-2010, 12:31 PM

The Owyhee river above the resevoir is very good and underrated for cats. If you really like going off the beaten path, head to some of the canyons between Rome and the resevoir in June. Find the deepest holes and use sucker meat, or any other kind, and hang on. I have caught them above 10 pounds in the river in the early summer. Very good fishery for both cats and bass.

jimr0950 · 04-06-2010, 02:21 PM

My buddy takes a crappie fishing trip to the Snake river every memorial week. They always catch several big chanel cats on crappie jigs and they spend a night or two fishing off the lighted docks for cats on bait. May get to go with him this year.

codeman · 04-06-2010, 03:02 PM

i too can vouge for the owhyee above the res. We go down to birch creek often and hammer the cats. My buddy went down last april, during crazy high cold runoff, and still caught 8 cats, 7 beween 4-6 lbs and one right at 9 lbs. In the summer, there is nothing better than catching 700 bass during the day, then catching 50 catfish at night before bed. I LOVE the upper owhyee!!

viettony · 04-09-2010, 09:03 PM

i want to go to lepage park in john day, does anyone know if that is a good spot for channels, i am fishing from the bank, so anywhere near that area will be great.

baltz526 · 04-11-2010, 03:28 PM

I'm glad no one has mentioned hells canyon reservoir. In june with cut crappie. I'll be cooking up a batch tomorrow. I saw a dead floater catfish last year, easy 40lb plus. my best is in the 20-25lb range but i broke one off on 30lb mono one day. Felt like wrestling an alligator. It was not one of the sturgeon.

Cliff D. · 04-11-2010, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baltz526

I'm glad no one has mentioned hells canyon reservoir. In june with cut crappie. I'll be cooking up a batch tomorrow. I saw a dead floater catfish last year, easy 40lb plus. my best is in the 20-25lb range but i broke one off on 30lb mono one day. Felt like wrestling an alligator. It was not one of the sturgeon.

Had one of these make a old 4 piece Eagle Claw rod into a 6 pc. !!