Autumn, the ideal time for catfish lure fishing

During winter, as soon as the water cools down, sheatfish become less and less active and fishing with lures becomes complicated. However, just before the water gets too cold and the first frosts arrive, the catfish builds up its reserves in preparation for the winter and its reduced activity. This is the ideal time to fish one last time with lures before the return of spring.

Although catfish feed more as winter approaches, this does not mean that the fish are easy to catch - quite the contrary. Indeed, during this period, they are selective and focus on a specific type of prey.

In the Loire, for example, they focus on mullets, eels and lampreys, which are fish with fatty flesh. The fact that they are looking for a certain type of prey means that they can be found in specific spots, and it's not uncommon to see large gatherings throughout the day.

These gatherings take place where their prey congregate and move around, but also complicate fishing. In fact, this is a season when you shouldn't hesitate to look for them in places other than shady edges or pits, as they often stay all day at their hunting posts, and don't necessarily frequent their usual resting places.

In autumn, river waters are often low and clear, and catfish can stand in very little water, so once again, don't hesitate to explore new positions and don't rely on places that have been productive during the summer. A particularity of these gatherings is that catfish group by size, so you end up with groupings of small catfish, and groupings of large ones.

Whatever the size of the fish you're targeting, I strongly recommend limiting your fishing to one fish per day, and about 15 minutes per shift, so as not to educate them or let them assimilate the lure as a danger. If you're in the right place with the right lure, you'll get the first few casts, so it's best not to insist if you want to guarantee yourself regular catches.

In terms of lures to use, what works in summer also works in autumn, such as soft shad or comma lures. However, a slow linear retrieve seems more effective than a jagged animation, which is best reserved for summer.

Finally, another advantage of fishing catfish at this time of year is that they can be active throughout the day, rather than over a shorter time window as is often the case during the summer.

However, the weather still has an influence on their activity, and it's best to look for them on a sunny afternoon, rather than in the morning after a cold night.

This feeding frenzy lasts about 1 to 2 weeks, and stops as soon as the cold sets in, so you might as well make the most of it!