Spring time channels

[starcraft36]

What areas do you guys typically target for channels in the spring time. Say April/May timeframe on a lake.

Last year I spent most of my time in the shallow (6-8ft), mud bottom bays. I did alright, seemed to catch a few quick and then have to move.

Is this an ok approach, or should I be targeting different areas?

[Smoothkip]

I like to target sand and gravel areas. A wind blown flat is a good spot to try a lot of winter killed shad will wash up there and also other bait and it will also be warmer. I'll also try feeder creeks because they will warm faster.

[smokey869]

i usually look for shallow flats 4-6 foot, will be warmer water but i have also caught a lot right at the drop off from shallow to deeper, i dont know why but they seem to stack up there at times in the spring

[skinfish]

I like brush piles in the spring as well as flats .

[katfish]

This may not answer your question but it is a valid Spring observation.

Lakes present an unique opportunity for channel cats in Spring.
Rivers or creeks feeding lakes often carry winter killed shad into lakes as ice melts.
Opportunistic channel cats move to these areas and eat the easy and abundant meals. Adjust tackle to detect light bites because the channel cats are quite delicate biters in this cold water.
The down side of this tactic is that the channel cats eat shad to the exclusion of all other baits. It is sometimes difficult to get fresh shad in Spring. The bite is on again off again but will probably provide your best shot at the largest channel cats in the lake.

[hunted]

Well, when deer creek isn't 30 feet over normal in the spring. I go early, do some crappie fishing then turn to channels in the afternoon when the sun starts getting the water warmed up. My favorite place to fish is in the shallow area of the lake where the creek dumps into the lake. Depending where you are at, it can be anywhere from three feet to about ten feet. I always get shad out of the creek at that time of year, and it can get hard to try to even fish with two poles.

The bottom is a mud/rock mixture

[bobbylee]

I have to agree with Kip about the wind blown side of the lake. Shad and any other die off species of fish will be blown into these areas. The channel cats will gorge themselves on all this die off to the point their bellies look like they'll explode. As you can see in the pic. Fish was caught using cut shad on the wind blown side of Dillon Lake in early March. 26 inch 9 pound Channel.

[Smoothkip]

That channel was def. Feeding hard by the look of that gut.

[Catfishrollo]

LMAO! Looks like my gut after a long winter!!! ;D rollo

[bobbylee]

Mar 4, 2012 9:09:22 GMT -5 Smoothkip said:

That channel was def. Feeding hard by the look of that gut.

You should know Kip. You took the picture. That was the early March trip we did a few years ago. It was even caught on the modified hooks I made that year. Every fish we caught that day had bloated guts on them...

[bobbylee]

Mar 4, 2012 10:11:06 GMT -5 Catfishrollo said:

LMAO! Looks like my gut after a long winter!!! ;D rollo

LOL Jason. Can I tie a line around you and have you run around the yard for a lil' bit. Cabin fever is killin' me...

I promise to CPR you afterwards...