Photo by Ron Sinfelt

Whether you like free-flowing rivers, large reservoirs or small lakes, you can find your pleasure in this year's picks of our best catfishing waters in the Cotton State.

The Cahaba River is the state's longest free-flowing river, and the lower stretch supports a fishery rich in blue, channel and flathead catfish. As our second-largest reservoir, Wheeler Lake grows blues exceeding 100 pounds and yet still has an abundance of pan-sized fish. Lee County Lake, which is intensively managed for anglers, has plenty of cats and is our only state public fishing lake with boat slips and cabins. Finally, in the southern end of the state, Lake Frank Jackson is our largest state park lake.

LOWER CAHABA RIVER
"My buddy and I arrived on the Cahaba River at noon on Friday and departed late Saturday with 251 pounds of catfish," said Alan Jones of Selma. "The biggest cat was a yellow weighing 19 pounds. I primarily fish for yellow cats, because of their flavor, but we caught a good mix of blues, channels and yellow cats on that trip." As the longest free-flowing river in our state, the Cahaba flows through eight counties and three geological zones before meeting the Alabama River a few miles below Selma. According to Jay Haffner, management fisheries biologist for the district, the most productive catfish waters lie between Centerville and Selma.

"The Cahaba is the most biologically diverse river in Alabama," Haffner said, "so there's plenty of forage for catfish. The river is above average in fertility, and there are no fish consumption advisories or warnings whatsoever.

"It's a beautiful river, and definitely holds catfish, but when I'm working the river between Centerville and Selma, I don't see catfish anglers."

Jones agrees with Haffner.

"I live on the Alabama, but the Cahaba is my favorite place in the world to fish," he related. "From its swift water, rock bars, soapstone walls, and deep holes to its cypress trees and flats -- there's just no place like the Cahaba. And you can fish all day and not see another fisherman."

Jones' favorite stretch of river is between Heiberger and Suttle, and he said the best time to fish this area is now.

"June is a good month to fish," he said, "because the water is not too low or high. In July, August and September, you will have to drag your boat in a lot of places."

A typical fishing trip finds Jones setting trotlines and limb lines during the mid-morning hours. He baits the trotline hooks but leaves his limb lines bare. Once his equipment is set, he fishes with a rod and reel until mid-afternoon.

Usually, Jones sets out one or two 25-hook trotlines with cut bait or chicken liver. He sets them either in deep holes or parallel to soapstone walls.

"A good hole or bank has swift water and not a lot of trash," he explained. "Regardless of whether I am fishing trotlines or limb hooks or tight-lining with a rod, I only fish swift water. The only place to catch fish is where the water is moving."

With his gear set, Jones motors up the Cahaba looking for an old snag in the middle of the river on which to tie his boat. Moving from snag to snag, Jones fishes the deep water next to rock bars and eddies along the bank with his rod and reel.

"Using worms as bait," Jones offered, "you catch all three species tight-lining behind the boat -- yellows from deep holes, channels next to the rock bars, and blues from eddies."

The yellows, as Jones calls them, are flathead catfish.

By mid-afternoon, it is time for Jones to run the trotlines and bait the limb hooks, which he has set in deep-water eddies.