Cut skipjack · Live bluegill (regulated) · Whole shad heads
SEASONAL PATTERN
🌱SPRING
BEST☀️SUMMER
🍂FALL
❄️WINTER
Summer: Big river channel drift.
ANGLER INTEL · RIGHT NOWHIGH CONFIDENCE
DEPTH
10–20 ft
transition breaks
TIMING
First & last light
TOP LURE · LURE
Cut skipjack
moderate conditions — work the cover
TACKLE
Heavy rod, 50–80 lb braid
TECHNIQUE · Moving bait on main-lake points — match forage size
ANGLER STATS
SPAWN 70–82°F
BITE
78
FIGHT
96
STEALTH
52
FUN FACT
The Arkansas state record is 116 pounds. Somewhere in the Mississippi River right now, a blue catfish older than most anglers is eating a whole gizzard shad in one bite.
STATUS
Secure
Native · Ictaluridae
LIVE PFG SIGNAL69°F · Beaver Lake● GO 94
YOUR CARD · ACTIONSNOT YET COLLECTED
🪪 ID marks
Smooth straight-edge anal fin
Blue-slate back
Deeply forked tail
💡 Tips
Anchor on ledges
Drift baits in current
Fresh cut bait beats frozen
🌙 Lunar profile
MEDIUM Lunar ImpactBest phases: Full Moon, New Moon
☀️ Daytime
Main channel structure, ledges, and dam tailraces. Moderate lunar sensitivity — bait selection matters more.
🌙 Nighttime
Good night feeder year-round; lunar impact is secondary to proper baiting and structure location.
🔗 Source: Solunar theory framework; AGFC Blue Catfish management