UTERWhite catfish fishing in California freshwater
In California freshwater, white catfish peak March–July and October and are around year-round, spawning in May–June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta — white cats on clams and anchovies.
No note for October — see the months around it.
White catfish in California freshwater, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchPeak
- AprilPeak
- MaySpawningSacramento–San Joaquin Delta — white cats on clams and anchovies.
- JuneSpawning
- JulyPeak
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish white catfish near Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, Clear Lake, Lake Oroville
The Delta's tule-lined sloughs, Clear Lake's trophy bass, the foothill spotted-bass reservoirs, the Sacramento's salmon and striper runs, the Sierra's trout streams and high lakes, and the southern reservoirs' Florida-strain giants.
What to use for white catfish
- Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
- Grass shrimpTwo or three on a #6 hook under a small cork — the bream, crappie, sheepshead and mangrove snapper bait nobody sells.
- Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–3/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 45–90°F water, best at 65–82°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch white catfish in California freshwater?
Peak season is March–July and October, with fish spawning in May–June (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). White catfish are here year-round. May: Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta — white cats on clams and anchovies.
Where do white catfish hold in California freshwater?
Look on river, lake, pond / pit — around Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, Clear Lake, Lake Oroville, Bullards Bar, Lake Shasta, Eastern Sierra.
What is the best bait for white catfish in California freshwater?
Live bait: live shrimp, grass shrimp. Live shrimp: Under a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–3/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for white catfish in California freshwater?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and change — read the current rule at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing.
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All about white catfish · California fresh water, the whole year