Channel Catfish

Belton Lake in Belton, Texas, provides excellent opportunities for catching channel catfish. This reservoir offers a diverse habitat, from rocky shorelines to submerged timber, providing ample cover for catfish to thrive. Spring and summer are the prime times, as catfish are actively feeding and spawning. Use traditional catfish baits like stink bait, cut bait, or nightcrawlers fished on the bottom. Focus on areas with current or near submerged structure. A practical local tip is to fish near the dam or in the river channel for larger catfish. Public access is readily available at several parks around the lake, with good boat ramps at Temple Lake Park and Cedar Ridge Park. Expect to find a healthy population of channel catfish, with opportunities to catch both smaller panfish-sized cats and larger specimens. Many anglers have success using jug lines baited with cut shad. Check Texas Parks and Wildlife regulations for size and bag limits.