Dupree Keeps Catfish On The Menu
If you like to catch and eat catfish, there is nobody anywhere more fortunate than Roy Dupree. He lives with his wife on the shores of Clear Lake in Natchitoches Parish and two of his sons and their families live next door. He discovered awhile back that the lake was teeming with one of his and his family’s favorite things to have for dinner.
Catfish.
Clear Lake is full of channel catfish and Dupree has mastered the technique of being sure, no matter the time of year, that his family has plenty of catfish filets all fried and crispy on the table.
Dupree has figured out the best times of year to use certain techniques and he explained how and when they work best.
“Beginning September and October, I’ll use trotlines, but I don’t fish them like most folks do. I sink the trotlines and let them lie on the bottom; that’s where catfish like to feed anyhow and trotlines suspended above the bottom can be inadvertently snagged by passing boats,” he explained. “I use small hooks on my trotlines because I want to catch and keep smaller fish in the one to two pound range. These small hooks are all that are necessary and if a bigger fish gets on them, he’ll get off which is fine with me because I only want the smaller ones,”
There is a time when trotlines are taken up and put in the shed until next fall. Catfish and low oxygen aren’t compatible, according to Dupree.
“With my lines on the bottom, when it gets too warm, oxygen levels drop to nothing and fish die, so I take my trotlines up until it turns cool again,” he said.
Does this mean that Dupree turns to other exploits and forgets about catfish until next fall? Not a chance; he just switches to another method of catching catfish that works as well as using trotlines. He switches to fishing with noodles.
I’m not talking the kind of noodles you eat; I’m talking about pool noodles. Dupree explained what they are and how and why they work.
“Look outside the front of any dollar store and there will be a barrel of pool noodles displayed. I’ll get these and cut them into 18 inch sections, run a line through the section with a small weight to keep the noodle in place on one end and a baited hook on the other end. I experimented with the noodles at first and set them out weightless and I’d spend too much time chasing them down. Now, I’ll pour concrete in a paper cup and use that as a weight and the noodle is not going anywhere, even with a decent sized catfish on it,” he explained.
What’s the best bait for catfish? Dupree has experimented with several baits including chicken livers, gizzards and pieces of weiner soaked in garlic.
“I found that chicken hearts are the absolute best baits. Catfish like them and they stay on a hook better than any of the others,” he said.
It has become a tradition that Sunday after church, the whole family, sons and spouses and grandkids gather at Roy and Linda’s home for lunch. What’s on the menu?
If you guessed fried catfish, you’re right.
FISHING REPORT
CANEY LAKE – Bass are fair around the grass early on topwaters. Reports are that bass are schooling early mornings and late afternoons and hitting shad imitations and soft plastics. 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 continue to be so warm for the past month. 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 with some schooling activity noted. Crappie are in deep water in the channel and fair on jigs and shiners. The bream are slow. 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 around and above the thermocline where there is more oxygen. Bass are in the shallows early hitting topwaters with some reportedly schooling. 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 still fallingwith a little bump coming next week. Catfish are being caught on trotlines and noodles 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.