Summer Mudcat Locations

This summer I plan to spend a few nights on the Mississippi fishing for Mudcat. I have never caught a 40, or even a 30 for that matter, but have caught a few in the 20’s. I plan to use large, livebait such as suckers, mooneye, sheepshead and perhaps bullhead. My question is what type of locations do you all think is best. For example, above or below main channel wingdams, main dams, islands with sand flats, slough, deep or shallow, etc. To date the catches have come from below a side channel wingdam by Winona and sloughs with moderate current in the Fountain City area. Your suggestions would be appreciated.

as long as they are not near this MudCat’s locations …hehe

I have been fishing 5A as well. No bites until after dark. Been fishing the back waters where there is a little current and some logs and stumps laying around. I haven’t really gotten into them yet though. Waiting for this weather to pass, will be out again this weekend. Fished cut bait and liver and stinkbait. Liver seems to work best for me, how bout you?

I would definitely try fishing the below the wing dams that jet out close to the main channel. Cast along the current break on the tip of the wing dams. The active fish will feed there. Good luck

Matt

From my small amount of experience I would say side channels off the main river are excellent places for big flatheads. of course on the main river there will be some cats below dams and other structures but I think your best chances are finding a place where the fish are concentrated. In the summer, backwaters can get too stagnant so I think the majority of cats stay where there is:
-sufficient cover
-current
-deep water
-lots of baitfish
-little noise and other unnatural disturbances, let’s face it, why would a big fish stay out in the main river where there are speed boats, barges, and yachts going over you every minute when it can be somewhere with similar conditions and nobody bothering it?