Early Spring Channels

The early spring next few weeks is sooo underrated for river channel cats. They stack up in deep holes in the rivers. They're not real aggressive, but they'll hit. Has anyone ever tried to fish for cats this early? How did you do??

I second that more quality fish and less pressure in lakes and rivers minus erie tribs! But I seem to catch better fish of all species that I fish for early!

I also had a channel give me a nice fight in the spring before.  I haven't targetted them in the spring though.  It was a little warmer, than early spring when I wrestled one.  Had it hit a small sassy shad, while I was spring pan fishing.  I was on my kayak, and thought for sure it was a musky.  I was actually glad, when I got it closer to the boat (about 20 minutes later), that it was a channel cat.  Pretty nice size fish, especially on lighter gear.  Wasn't all too thrilled to have it on board my kayak with me though.  They are definitely a fun fish to tangle with when they are fiesty.  Not too much of a fan of the line sliming..  When their big, you need to trim a good bit of chewed line anyway.

I'm sure it was more like 5 minutes...  It did take a few nice runs, and was convinced I had a musky or possibly hybrid on.  It was near some wood, so was thinking musky.
 
I had some really drag burners below Lock 3 as well on a Rebel crawfish a few years back too.  Most other larger cats that I catch are on heavier gear.

I always thought fish liked low pressure?  Maybe I should stop fishing in the rain, it doesn't seem to help much...

If you wake up, and air is still going in and out of your lungs, it signals a good day for fishing.

  Rats, thought I had you on that one. Think "glow - in -the - dark" floats are new? Robert Howlett's Angler's Sure Guide of 1706 offers up translucent quill floats stuffed with glow - worms! How 'bout that????
 
  Later

Any chance anyone ever fished near kittanning this early for channels?  I'm about to explore some more options for catfish this year along that river.

Kittanning we start fishing for Big flatheads at number 7 and 8 about the 3rd  week of june. We have hit some rod busters. I mean we are using heavy action 7 half foot rods spooled 80 lbs spider wire 4 -5 ounce lead. Big bluegills alive and cut bait.
 
 
                                       Centerpin_drift!~

ORIGINAL: CATMAN610

7 or 8,,isn't Kittanning at lock 6?  I'm not really familiar with the numbers,,i haven't been downstream from there more than a few times.

 
Lock 6 is the Clinton-Kelly Station pool of the river.  Lock 7 is Kittaning downstream to Kelly Station and Lock 8 is Templeton downstream to Kittaning.  They all have excellent channel cat populations.  I personally like the higher muddier water for catfishing, they seem to be more aggressive feeding.  There are nice channels but you will weed through alot of smaller channels unless you fish bigger bait and even then they will pester your bait.