Catfish can be caught at anytime of day. Catfishing all night is a lot of fun–but I have caught a lot of fish–especially channels in the middle of the day. I love to catfish and I think you will enjoy it!
–Whitey
Whitey is right! The best time to fish is any time you can. Channel cats will bite in the day but generally the best times to fish for just about anything is early in the morning or later in the evening. I have had my best luck with channel cats in the evening and flatheads very early in the morning, but have caught both in the middle of the afternoon. You just need the right bait in the right spot and with a little practice you’ll have some fish on the table. Also if you want some info that has helped me quite a bit, check out Channel Catfish Fever, by In-Fisherman. It’s a very detailed book on catfishing. Although, the best learning is in in the boat(or on the bank), it would be a great read this time of year when the cats aren’t really biting. Best of luck to you and let us know how you do this year! 
Hey Whitey,
Thanks for your reply…
Noel
Hey Mile 832,
Thanks for the info. I’ll have to check that book out. I have a couple more questions – How soon do you start fishing after ice out? Do you start with cut bait or stink bait?
Thanks,
Noel
The channels cats start biting usually around the time the grass turns green and the river rises and warms from a good spring rain. I catch most of my channels with fresh cut bait or night crawlers most of the year, but some guys say that a rotten cut bait or stink bait work well early in the year. I think that may be due to the cats getting a taste for rotten fish from the winter kill.
I usually fish two poles when fishing from shore (not in MN of course). One has cut bait on it. The other has a fat chub hooked to the end to keep away the nibblers. 
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Is the catfish bite primarily a night thing? Do the big ones bite only at night? Thinking about trying “catting”…interested in some eaters. What do I need to get started?