Channel Cats, Southern “Mascots”?
I’ve done a bit of snooping around the Louisiana High School Athletic Association records and quite frankly, I’m a tad disappointed. Louisiana athletic teams have picked a wide array of mascots to represent their teams, but there is one that is sorely missing.
There are dozens of Tigers; an equal number of Bulldogs; bunches of Lions, Bears, Gators, Cougars, and Wildcats. Nowhere, however, can I find a team represented by one of the most prolific, tenacious fighting creatures that lives in Louisiana. I’m speaking of Channel Catfish. The mascot for the team in my town is Bearcat. Why not the Ruston High Channel Cats instead of Bearcats? What the heck is a Bearcat anyhow?
I can see it now….instead of the Ruston High football team parading out in uniforms emblazoned with the image of a Bearcat – there’s really no such creature – why not feature a ferocious looking channel cat, wearing a football helmet with a menacing grin beneath its whiskers? You could even add an intimidated Tiger or Bulldog impaled on the catfish’s dangerous fins. Keep a big one in a tank that could be paraded out by cheerleaders before the game, just like Mike the Tiger at LSU.
Oh well……
While there may not be any football teams in Louisiana with a channel catfish as its mascot, it’s not because the channel cat is in short supply. They are one of our state’s most abundant fish, they’re easy and fun to catch, and when it comes to table fare, there is none better.
Fishing for catfish was, for me, the equivalent of Ned’s First Reader I tackled in first grade. For me and those with which I grew up, it was necessary to learn the ABCs before tackling Shakespeare. When it came to catching catfish, we started out at the bottom of the catfish barrel by fishing for bullheads. To us, they were “mud cats” but we loved them because neither trickery nor skills were needed to entice them to bite our offerings.
Later, we would graduate to fishing for more respectable species of catfish. Flatheads grew big and mean in the bayous near our home. Limb lines baited with live bream occasionally resulted in unparalleled excitement when we paddled up to one of our sets with a cypress limb lashing the water. The fish on the line could weigh five pounds – or fifty. You never knew until you wrestled him into the boat just what you had.
There is one species of catfish, though, that defines who we are as southerners; the channel catfish. When you visit a catfish eatery in the south – there’s one on nearly every corner nowadays – the fish you have served on a heaping platter garnished with sides of French fries, onion, pickles and hush-puppies is the channel catfish.
Granted, these crunchy, sweet, tasty morsels were reared in a pond at a commercial catfish farm somewhere. They were caught by a hydraulically operated net in a fish farming operation. The ones that flounce on the bank of my memory were caught by a kid with a cane pole and a gob of red wigglers.
When you consider the lakes and rivers around the state, there is none more suitable for catfish than Lake D’Arbonne.
The area best known for its production of channel cats on D’Arbonne is “the meadow”, a flat stretch of lake bottom, averaging six to ten feet deep and located between Bear Creek and the dam. This area is a hot spot throughout the year as anglers dangle Canadian night crawlers, popularly known as “cold worms” in the depths to catch hefty stringers of channel catfish.
Okay, so no football team in the state wants to be known as the Channel Cats. I think they’re missing a good thing. In my mind, these feisty fighters are capable of scoring plenty of points on the end of the line and are a slam dunk on the platter.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass are fair around the grass early on topwaters. Later if you can stand the heat, they’re around deep drops. Soft plastics and cranks baits are working fair. Crappie are around the deeper tops and are hitting jigs and shiners. Bream are slow. For information contact Caney Lake Landing at 259-6649, Hooks Marina at 249-2347, Terzia Tackle at 278-4498 or the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
BUSSEY BRAKE – Crappie are deep and are fair on shiners or jigs. Some bass are being caught early on topwaters and not many anglers are trying it later because of the excessive heat. Fishing overall has slowed because of air and water temps being so warm. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
OUACHITA RIVER – Bass are fair on crank baits and soft plastics. Crappie are fair in the river lakes. For latest information, contact the Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE D’ARBONNE – Bass are overall slow but best on topwaters early. Crappie are in deep water in the channel and fair on jigs and shiners. The bream have slowed now that the water and air temperature has warmed. Catfish are fair on red wigglers and night crawlers fished just off the banks. For latest information, call Anderson Sport Center at 368-9669 or Honey Hole Tackle Shop at 323-8707.
LAKE CLAIBORNE – Crappie are suspended where there is more oxygen. Bass are in the shallows early hitting topwaters. Not many are trying them later because of excessive heat. Night fishing is best now that the weather is turning hot. Bream are slow. For latest information, call Kel’s Cove at 927-2264 or Terzia Tackle at 278-4498.
LAKE YUCATAN – The water level is slightly rising. Catfish are being caught on trotlines and buffalo caught in nets. Nobody is trying the crappie and bass because it’s too hot. For info call Surplus City Landing at 318/467-2259.