Now you may be asking, why combine Catfish & Stripers in one article. Catfish are bottom feeders and Stripers are roamers. Catfish sit on the bottom of the lake. Stripers are constantly in motion, never stopping. Catfish are scavengers. Stripers attack schools of bait fish. So what’s the deal, why Catfish & Stripers in the same article.

At Shabbona Lake, Catfish will suspend in the standing timber all year long. They will suspend in the tree tops about 10 feet down. They will also be on or around the two building foundations at area 25 & area 11. The Catfish will be along weed lines early & late in the day. The tips of the 5 earthen piers can be very productive. Often Catfish can be found under feeding Stripers.

Stripers will follow the bait fish, which is mainly gizzard shad, in Shabbona Lake. Their location is often wind related. Which way was the wind blowing the previous 3 days? Paying attention to this fact, will put more Stripers in your boat.

The Stripers will force the shad up to the surface for easy feeding. They do this over feeding flats such as those located at area 22 (East Bay) and area 7 (Earthen Pier # 1). With a west wind, always check out area 21, the East shoreline.

Find the feeding Stripers, you will find the Catfish. As the Stripers slash thru the schools of baitfish, many baitfish are wounded and fall gently down to the waiting Catfish for an easy meal.

Now what should you use for bait? Is there something that will catch both Catfish and Stripers? Yes there is!!! Years ago we found out that the best bait for Stripers is Chicken Liver!!! Yes, the same chicken liver we use for Catfish.

Stripers, like Catfish, have a very good sense of smell. Both fish use this enhanced sense to find food and your chicken liver.

Another trick is let your chicken liver thaw out a little. Take your lively night crawler and dip it in the chicken liver juice surrounding the thawing liver. It will more than double you catches of Stripers while using night crawlers. And you may get a bonus, a 10+ pound Catfish!

Fishing with chicken liver for Catfish, suggests that you put a large chunk of chicken liver on a chicken liver hook. The hook is specially designed to hold the liver from flying off during casting. It looks like a large safety pin. Throw you liver out and let it sit on the bottom. Set the hook hard as the Catfish engulfs the liver.

Fishing with chicken liver for Stripers, suggests that you put a large chuck of chicken liver on a circle hook. Cast out your liver and hop it back towards the boat, like you would jig and minnow. That hopping action leaves a blood scent trail that the Striper zeros in on and he hits it hard. Do not set the hook hard, merely put pressure on your line and the circle hook will set itself.

So go Catfish fishing and catch Stripers or go Striper fishing and catch Catfish. See you all on April 20th & 21st. It should be a great weekend!

PS, I hope you enjoyed and learned something from the short articles!!!