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TALE WATERS & TIDES · POCKET FISHING GUIDE
ARKANSAS SPORTFISH
COMMON

Channel Catfish

SCOUT68SCORE
ARKANSAS RIVER
Scout & adapt

Night-shift whiskered opportunist. The people's fish.

SIZE
12–24 in
MAX
40+ in
WEIGHT
Up to 30 lbs
HABITAT
RiversLakesReservoirsPonds
River holes, riprap, reservoir channels.
DIET
Anything. Live, dead, stinky — works.
BEST BAITS
Chicken liver · Cut shad · Stink bait
SEASONAL PATTERN
🌱SPRING
BEST☀️SUMMER
🍂FALL
❄️WINTER
Summer: Peak — spawn in holes & undercut banks.
ANGLER INTEL · RIGHT NOWWORTH THE TRIP
DEPTH
20–35 ft
deep channel holes
TIMING
Wait for weather change
TOP LURE · LIVE
Chicken liver
slow day — give them an easy meal
TACKLE
Medium-heavy, 15–25 lb mono
TECHNIQUE · Moving bait on main-lake points — match forage size
ANGLER STATS
SPAWN 70–85°F
BITE
85
FIGHT
74
STEALTH
45
FUN FACT
A catfish has more taste buds on its body than a human has in their mouth. The barbels are just the start — the whole fish tastes the water.
STATUS
Secure
Native · Ictaluridae
PFG SIGNAL · EST61°F · Buffalo National River● SCOUT 68
YOUR CARD · ACTIONSNOT YET COLLECTED
🪪 ID marks
  • Forked tail
  • Dark spots on juveniles
  • Smooth olive skin
  • Long barbels
💡 Tips
  • Fish after dark
  • Current seams hold the big ones
  • Smellier is better

🌙 Lunar profile

MEDIUM Lunar ImpactBest phases: Full Moon, New Moon
☀️ Daytime
Active throughout the day with moderate lunar influence on peak feeding windows. Channel breaks and deep holes.
🌙 Nighttime
Night fishing effective year-round; modest Full Moon enhancement. Stinkbaits and cut bait.
🔗 Source: Solunar theory framework; AGFC Channel Catfish management