West Point Lake Catfish Report – May 14, 2024

The flathead catfish at West Point Lake are on the brink of going to the beds.

I don’t mind sharing with you that my focus is almost always catfish. And, my methods are almost solely toward big fish. Complete honesty… I want to catch the biggest fish in the lake!   

What is evident over the past two weekends is that the blue cats are most definitely in spawn. Their bite has indeed slowed quite a bit. I hear tell of a couple of monsters caught upriver. My guess is that water temperatures may still be a bit low in those parts.

The flathead bite lasted a bit longer, but this weekend proved that they are also on the brink of going to the beds. For the next several weeks, your best bet for finding active, feeding catfish is going to be the main channel ledges where they will be traveling between feeding spots. Expect more “dinks” through the summer as most mature fish are laying eggs or tending the nest.

I managed to find a nice 26-lb. female this weekend. My guess is her eggs are laid, so she continues life as normal. Blues and flatties will be a little tougher until July, but there are no shortage of channel cats in West Point if you just have to get your whiskered fix. Small cut shad are irresistible to channels!

It may be a good time to sharpen your skills on other species. As for me, I still want a strong pull on my line. I may well indeed turn my attention toward some commonly considered “less desirables,” like gar or carp! But I will be on the water somewhere!

Tight lines!

Check out more with T.R. Clark on YouTube’s Fishing With TR.