Anoka dam cats

one of the first places I fish in the spring.No fish are up there as of yesterday,or at least did’t seem 2 be.every spring there is a time that the bullheads come up there thick.I have never caught any catfish there early in the year,but I was wondering is it possible that when the bullheads are up there if the channels are feeding on them as they(bullheads)get caught under the falls and smashed into rocks.Any local seems to think they don”t come up till later but I have never seen anyone using pieces of bullheads as bait.I believe by next weekend the redhorse,bullheads and northerns will be up there but how about cats?

I’ve spent a lot of time fishing there the last 2 years because of some monster carp that lurk below the dam. I haven’t seen very many cats caught there in spring or summer, but there is one caught occasionally. Many people use minnows and catch northerns and smallmouth, but not many cats although nobody uses cut bait. You are right about the bullheads, the place is overrun with them in May and June.

One place that has lots of cats is below Coon Rapids Dam.

I used to live up there and fish there often…. I have seen few cats caught there…. but like Carpchaser says.. there are some MONSTER carp up there…..I would guess right now the walleyes are packing into there…. there is a major spawning run that moves up there… its amazin every year they pretty much get in and out before the season opens!!!… and fishing for them before the season is illegal….. and the wardens are checking there often.. if you fish there better be for crappies or cats or something else that is open….. there ARE a few crappies that hang in the current breaks around there…. a little tube tail and a crappie minnow will do the trick for them (if you can fight through the pesky walleyes and northerns and even occasional big carp!)

I also concur that below the Coon Rapids dam is the best catfish spot…. that whole strecth has lots of cats….