Catfishing Central Iowa

So the waters in Iowa have become too warm for me to safely release a muskie, at least on the lakes I fish with regularity…I have a new obsession in lou of that…its trying to catch catfish especially one around 20 pounds (channel, flathead, blue)…problem is I really don’t know where to go, what to use, when the best time is, etc…can anyone throw any advise out there for a beginner to catfishing…I have caught a couple in my life but I would really like to give a hard go at it and my brother has never caught on so I want to get him one too…I live in central Iowa and am willing to drive 30 miles if needed but I hear there is a lot of good fishing around Des Moines but just don’t know enough about it to have a good go at it…any help would be greatly appreciated…thanks

Matt aka Perc

I’ve been to Camp Dodge several times and I always take a few fishing poles along. Below Sailorville Res. there are some very large cats. Last time I was there I remember one over 55lbs being caught. Go below the spillway, catch a few sunfish along the rocks and chunk them out in the deep holes. That’s how I saw a few guys catch some good ones, but you might want to explore further downstream to get away from some of the pressure as it’s real heavy below the spillway.

That’s just what I gleaned from the few times I’ve fished there and I’m sure there are more places to hook a big cat. ….Which reminds me we did catch some good ones on the northwest end of the reservoir from shore so you could explore the impoundment itself and connect with some good ones I’m sure.