Catch The Bite

When saltwater fishing for catfish, you are looking at an entirely different sport from freshwater fishing. You’ll be fishing for different species of catfish in brackish (salty or briny) waters, and you can expect a completely different experience.

While saltwater catfish fishing is preferred by some and the taste of the catch actually regarded as better by many advocates of the sport, most people do prefer the taste of a freshwater catfish. Of the saltwater variety, the Gaff Topsail is considered to be one of the most flavorful, but again, saltwater catfish are not typically served in restaurants, and many people don’t like the taste.

One similarity between freshwater and saltwater catfish fishing is that catfish are bottom feeders, and you’ll have just as much success in saltwater fishing on the bottom of the body of water as you would in a lake or river.

They are typically either scavengers looking for an easy meal or feed on smaller fish that also dwell along the bottoms. Also, most catfish are not picky about bait. They will bite almost anything you put in front of them and are really considered lazy fish because few of them, with the exception of flatheads (which are freshwater fish) are predators and want their meals handed to them.

Saltwater catfish fishing is good in several coastal areas, especially in the Gulf of Mexico along the borders of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. You can also find saltwater species around the entire coastline of Florida, up the east coast through Georgia, and even into the Carolinas and Virginia.

Interestingly enough, many people have perpetrated the myth that, because catfish don’t have scales, they are allergic to salt. However, consider the fact that moray eels live in briny waters and yet lack scales, and you’ll see that this is completely unfounded.

What fear is not a myth is that saltwater catfish fishing can actually lead to injury if fishermen aren’t careful. These saltwater dwellers have sharp fins unlike the freshwater variety that can cause more than a little pain if handled incorrectly. A small prick with one of these fins can cause severe discomfort, and a rough stick in the hand has been known to cause major swelling and pain, even leading to nausea in some and hospital visits in extreme cases.

Interestingly enough, though two major species of catfish are primarily marine fish, there are several additional species that have adapted to saltwater. While they may not prefer it and are more frequently found in freshwater, these varieties of catfish are tolerant of almost any habitat, including saltwater.

When it comes to fishing for catfish in saltwater it is advisable to consider Saltwater Fishing Reels made by Shimano, Daiwa, Van Staal or Penn.

By
Daniel Eggertsen