CATCHING CATS START TO FINISH

Western anglers have plenty of options of species to fish for in June, but there’s an unsung hero often gets overlooked: the channel catfish. Widely distributed in lowland lakes and rivers, channel cats fight like bulldogs and make for a great fish fry. If you fish in the right place with the right bait, you’ll find them to be eager biters. Plus, daily bag limits are often liberal, and in portions of the Columbia River system they’re nonexistent.

You don’t even need to buy new a new rod and reel, assuming you already have a medium-heavy combo in your collection.

Unfortunately, a lot of folks aren’t familiar with the art of catching channel catfish, and they are missing out on some big fun. Here’s how to put a pile of these fine-eating fish in your cooler.

ROD, REEL AND LINE

There’s really no need to overextend