D&S Bait Tackle & Fly Shop Madison Area Fishing Report - April 26th, 2024

This one ran a little long but lots of great information to go over especially from Dave Rowe's presentation last night! Be sure to make it down next Thursday, May 2nd at 7:00pm as Black Earth Angling Co. wraps up our Seminar Series talking about Smallmouth Bass on the Wisconsin River!

[@madtownangler]

I always wondered why there are not a lot of catfish in Monona? I fish there like once a year with some cutbait for twenty years and have never caught any just a few bullhead. One of my friends who has fished Madison for at least fifty years mostly for perch has caught one catfish it was a long the wall out of his boat.

[@madtownangler]

A lot of people catch catfish while ice fishing and throw them in the garbage. I have not caught a catfish less than about fifteen pounds in probably ten years. I last kept a catfish at least fifteen years ago they just seem to get fattier and nasty after they get to be ten pounds. I'm gonna put tonight at the beach near where I live at and spotlighting walleye with my fishing rod left at home...should be no one fishing out in the rain.

[@lollolo6675]

Will the catfish population completely tank ? Is there anything we can do to preserve them ? What’s the timeline we have?

[@dsbaittackleflyshop]

Hard to say, I guess...all I do know is that there just aren't any small Catfish coming up behind the big ones currently in the system. They won't be eliminated completely but no where near the huge hatches they experienced in the early 2000s. Efforts to improve water quality in Cherokee Marsh has helped many species but not Catfish and Carp. I guess you just never know. The Catfish could have a great spawning year and come back but know Dave said there are no plans to stock Catfish anytime soon