Catfishing east of Des Moines

[Foreverfish1]

In the next couple of weeks I'll be heading back down to Grinnell for my second year of college and after an unsuccessful fall last year trying for catfish, I'm seeking some shorefishing tips. I'm most near the Iowa River, North Skunk River, and South Skunk River. Are there any spots or baits that seem to work well in any of these locations?

I'm a catch and release fisherman looking to catch his first cat and would love any help I can get!

Goodluck out on the water!

[JIvers]

For catfish, start out checking off-current areas below any dams near you. Also check the deeper pools below rock bars, and the water just above current snags and in cut banks.

If you just want to catch some fish, use crawlers. Both channel and flathead cats will hit them, as will walleye, sheepshead, and pretty much whatever else you might catch in central Iowa. Bring along some stinkbait for the eating-sized channel cat. You may try bait shrimp for the channel cat, and live or smashed minnows, bluegills, green sunfish, or bullheads (all legal bait in Iowa) for multiple species.

I wish I could give more specific advice, but Grinnell is a little west of my current location. Right now, the rivers down this way are bank-high, so if you're not back in school for a few weeks things may get better.