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Timing

Weather, Moon and Wind: When Big Catfish Actually Bite

Weather changes who bites, not just whether anything bites. The conditions that give you the most fish are often not the ones that give you the biggest.

Here's what I've seen on the water — what switches the bite on, what shuts it off, and what to do when the weather isn't on your side.

Cold Fronts: Slower Bites, Bigger Fish

My biggest catfish have come in cold weather. In the deepest part of a cold front, with the temperature around 10 degrees, I landed an 18kg catfish on nothing more than a piece of fillet. The bites take longer in the cold — you need patience — but if you want a big catfish, a cold front or the middle of winter is the best option I know.

Heat: Plenty of Fish, Smaller Ones

As the temperature climbs, I notice the change straight away: more catfish, but smaller ones. In hot conditions you'll catch fish, but they're mostly in the 4kg range, with a good number of 5 to 8kg fish mixed in. The really big ones are rare. Just last night, with the weather warming up, I landed my first 16kg catfish in over a week and a half. If you do want a big one in the heat, you have to go hunting for it on purpose — a bait and a spot aimed at big fish, not at whatever bites first.

Rain Helps, Thunder Doesn't

Catfish like rain, like most fish, because it puts more oxygen into the water. Light to steady rain is a good time to be fishing. Thunder is a different story — storms with thunder tend to spook the fish and put them off.

Pressure: Low Is Better

Pressure matters. When it's high, expect to struggle a bit. When it's low, the fish bite far more willingly. If you can choose your day, pick a low-pressure one.

The Full Moon

In my experience catfish don't like to bite on a full moon, and I generally don't fish it. I haven't found a clear pattern for the rest of the moon cycle, so I won't pretend to have one.

Wind Direction on the River

Wind didn't bother the fish in itself, but direction made a difference on the river last year. With the wind from the west, the catfish didn't bite much during the day, though they came on at night. With the wind from the east, it flipped — a good bite during the day and little at night. That's what I saw on the water I fish; check whether the same pattern holds on yours before building a plan on it.

What I'd Do With All This

If you just want to catch fish, almost any weather will do it. If you want a big catfish, plan around a cold front or winter conditions, a low-pressure day, and a night or day that matches the wind. Skip thunderstorms and full moons if you can. And when it's hot, accept that you'll catch smaller fish unless you target the big ones deliberately.