We’ll be heading to Lake Oahe in South Dakota to join Chad Schilling and Mike Hehner as they shows us how to catch and clean catfish when ice fishing.
Catch And Clean Catfish (Ice Fishing)
Channel catfish are commonly targeted throughout the summer months all across the ice belt. These hard fighting fish are a favorite for many and with good reason. They pull hard, are willing biters, and taste great. In the winter months channel cats don’t get the attention they deserve. Channel catfish can still be caught under the ice. If you fish the right areas and utilize the right presentations you can catch a pile of fish.
South Dakota’s Lake Oahe
Lake Oahe is a large reservoir behind the Oahe Dam on the Missouri River. It begins in central South Dakota and continues north into North Dakota. This massive reservoir is about 370,000 acres and has a maximum depth of 205 ft. Due to its large size and fertile waters, Lake Oahe has an incredible carrying capacity. Anglers can except to run into tons of walleye, smallmouth bass, catfish, northern pike, ciscos, and more when fishing Lake Oahe in South Dakota.
Lake Oahe is one of the top walleye fishing destinations in the country. Each year giant walleyes exceeding fifteen pounds are caught. Along with the giant fish that are present, the sheer amount of walleyes is staggering. Fifty to one hundred fish days are common for anglers.
Winter Locations For Catfish
Channel catfish can become fairly predictable in the winter months. They have a tendency to school up, meaning if you are able to find one, it’s a sure bet more are there. Channel catfish prefer deep, stagnate or slow moving water in the winter. On smaller lakes catfish prefer the deeper basins, and can often be found in areas where you would search for crappies in.
On Lake Oahe catfish can be found on many of the main lake points in depths between twenty and forty feet of water. Often times these schools will be suspended several feet off of the bottom. Many times anglers will find walleyes and ciscos mixed in with the catfish schools.
Baits For Catching Catfish Ice Fishing
Channel catfish are active predators throughout the winter months and there are a number of different baits anglers can use to catch catfish through the ice. Jigs, set lines, and various ice fishing spoons all will work. However, one of the best ways to catching them is with the Rapala Jigging Rap.
The Rapala Jigging Rap does a great job imitating small baitfish that catfish commonly feed on. The size seven and nine are perfect for catching catfish when ice fishing, because they are heavy enough to get down to the deep water that channels cats commonly patrol.
No matter what bait you choose to catch channel catfish through the ice, tipping your bait with livebait is necessary. Fathead minnows, shiners, or small suckers are good choices when tipping your baits.
Cleaning Catfish
Catfish are a great sport fish and a fantastic table fare. When it comes to cleaning catfish many anglers prefer skinning them, but there is more than one way to clean a catfish. Filleting them out is a simple and easy way to get a great boneless catfish fillet.
- Start by making a cut behind the head of the catfish and run it along the backbone towards the tail. It should be noted that there is a bone on the pectoral fin you will have to go around.
- Once you have made your cut down towards the tail, work back up towards the head of the fish. Cut around the ribs to remove the fillet.
- Flip the fish over and repeat this on the other side. After this step you should have two catfish fillets with the skin on.
- Channel catfish can be skinned like you’d do a walleye or northern pike. Start at the tail and cut towards the top of the fillet. Do this on both sides. You should now be left with two boneless catfish fillets.
- Once you skin the filet, you will want to trim away any dark meat on the fillet. This will prevent your fillet from having a strong “fishy” taste.
- After this step is complete your catfish fillets are ready to go and can be prepared any way you would like.
Oahe Wings and Walleyes
Chad Schilling is the owner Oahe Wings and Walleyes. He runs a first class operation that provides guest with word class walleye fishing and pheasant hunting opportunities. It is located 2.5 miles north of Akaska, South Dakota near Lake Oahe. Guest can experience guided fishing and hunting trips.
South Dakota pheasant hunting is considered second to none. South Dakota pheasant numbers have skyrocketed in recent years. Oahe Wings and Walleyes control over 15,000 private acres of well managed, prime South Dakota pheasant habitat. With twenty plus years of habitat development that focuses on pheasants and other upland game has made our area the place to visit on your South Dakota wild pheasant hunting adventure.
FAQ’s
Are catfish good eating in the winter?
Yes. Catfish are a great table fare. As long as they are cleaned properly they are one of the best tasting fish out there.
What is the best size eating channel catfish?
Smaller sized channel catfish between one and four pounds produced the best eating fillets.
How big do channel catfish get?
Most channel catfish are between one and seven pounds, however many of the record channel catfish caught exceed weights of thirty pounds.
How active are catfish in the winter?
In the winter months catfish feed but the cold slows their metabolism and activity down. They won’t move as quickly or aggressively as they do in the summer.
Conclusion
While Lake Oahe is traditionally known for it’s fantastic walleye fishing, those looking to chase something a little different can experience a unique ice fishing opportunity when targeting channel catfish. These great tasting fish can be found in large schools providing consistent action for ice anglers. With the proper baits and ice gear you can have a great time on the ice chasing channel cats on Lake Oahe.
