The list of best catfish baits is usually a mix of live and dead bait, but Lake of the Ozarks guide Jack Uxa unveils his innovative jig and minnow plastic technique for targeting blue catfish. In this video, Uxa details how he locates cold water catfish and trigger bites by shaking a minnow with the real-time feedback of forward-facing sonar. While cut bait remains highly effective, a jig and plastic minnow offers a more active way to catch catfish in the winter and beyond.
Featured Tackle
- PLASTIC 1 – Berkley PowerBait Drip Minnow, 5-inch: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
- PLASTIC 1 – Berkley Gulp! Minnow, 4-inch, color – Starry Night: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
- JIG – Chompers FFS Horizon Head, 3/8: Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at Amazon
- LINE (braided mainline) – Berkley Forward Braid Flame Green, 17-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE (leader) – Berkley Big Game Monofilament Line, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
- ROD – Abu Garcia Zenon Spinning Rod, 7′ Medium Heavy – Fast: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- REEL – Pflueger Supreme Spinning Reel, size 30X: Buy at Bass Pro Shops | Buy at Tackle Warehouse | Buy at FishUSA
How To Find Blue Catfish In The Winter
Blue catfish spend much of their adult lifecycle suspended near baitfish schools on reservoirs, commonly holding in 20 to 30 feet of water. Unlike many predator fish that sit directly in or adjacent to bait schools, Uxa has observed that the most targetable blue cats hang below, perhaps waiting for an easy meal to break from the school. Uxa scans for active fish along deep flats and drop-offs, using his Garmin LiveScope to spot individual targets before casting.
Best Artificial Baits And Presentation For Winter Catfish
The same jig and minnow presentation that dominates in bass fishing works well here. Uxa uses a jig head paired with scented plastic minnows, alternating between the ultra-realistic Berkley Drip Minnow and Gulp! Minnow. Both presentations are excellent shad and minnow imitators with the added benefit of scent. He works the bait slowly and methodically, shaking it just enough to keep it in the strike zone.
Best Rod And Reel Setup For Blue Catfish
Uxa upsizes his gear to slightly heavier spinning setups to handle powerful blues for this technique. A typical 7-foot medium-heavy power spinning rod provides the optimal backbone for powerful fights yet a soft enough tip for subtle bite detection. He favors a size 30 spinning reel spooled with a 17-pound braid to feel subtle takes and drive hooks home at depth, while a shank of 20-pound monofilament leader adds needed stretch and abrasion resistance.
Perhaps the list of best rigs for catfish has expanded to include the jig and minnow, as this method consistently puts fish in the boat. For Uxa, the first step is locating fish through mapping and then confirming the presence of bait and catfish with forward-facing sonar. Choose a plastic that matches the natural forage and adjust the jig weight based on depth. Make an accurate cast, hang a minnow in their face, then hang on!
Boat Setup and Misc.
- FISH FINDER – Garmin GPSMAP Touch-Screen Fish Finder/Chartplotter Combo, 12-inch: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- FORWARD-FACING SONAR (FFS) – Garmin LVS34 LiveScope Plus Live Scanning Sonar Transducer: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- BOAT – Lund 2075 Pro-V Bass XS: Check out at Lund Boats
- MOTOR – Mercury Pro XS 250hp: Check out at Mercury
- TROLLING MOTOR – Minn Kota Ultrex QUEST, 112lb, 36V, 52″: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- AFTCO Hydronaut Insulated Jacket: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- AFTCO Hydronaut Insulated Bib: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
