Stable conditions always make for the best fishing. Having all conditions basically the same for days or even weeks, with very little change, keeps fish feeling normal and going about their fishy life.

Over the past few years, finding stability in the weather has been difficult. It’s been more like a couple nice days followed by a stormy day, followed by wind, followed by big heat or big cold. Getting a fish pattern to line up seems daunting at times, and we must make constant adjustments to find fish.

I have not seen a stable spring on the Red River in years. Going back to 2019, we had a flood. In 2020, we had another flood and weather that would not warm up. In 2021, we had extreme drought. In 2022, it was low water, and then major flooding for two months before becoming somewhat normal. In 2023, it was yet another flood that ended with extreme heat, followed by low water.

In 2024, we knew the rivers would be low as winter ended. What we were greeted with (while thinking we would have drought conditions) is near-perfect river levels for weeks on end. There was just enough runoff to keep the river within a two-inch range for almost a month. It was just a matter of waiting for the water to warm up and for it to be catfish time.

Spring took some time to arrive, and there were some timely rains to keep the water levels stable. Finally, with she sun doing its job, we got to the magic 50-degree water temperature. It never did get much warmer for a couple weeks, but just sort of hovered in that 50-degree range.

Normally, there is spring high water, and the levels are falling when the water temperature reaches 50. The fish start out sluggish until the water levels off. Then, as anglers, we are hoping it doesn’t get too hot, too fast.

This year (2024), with stable water levels and temperatures, the fish came to life all at once. On the first few trips, we found that the smaller fish started their upstream move in the cooler water, and bigger fish were not far behind.

Even though the water temperature remained very cool and the catfish metabolism was slow, the stability told the fish to feed—and feed hard. As of this writing in late May, everything is as stable as can be, and a catfish angler’s dream.

How to catch stable-water catfish

I explained what happened to prove that stable conditions are key. Here is how to catch these aggressive catfish.

The first thing is to start in traditional faster-current feeding areas, such as the outside bends of a river. I usually start near the bank, cast into the center of the hole, and put baits near the shore for more sluggish fish. You should know in very quick order if the fish are in these areas, as the most aggressive feeders will be in the most aggressive feeding areas.

If you find fish right away, keep a rough timer (or reel timer) and don’t fish for more than 20 to 25 minutes without a fish before moving on. If they are not in these faster-water areas, they will not be very far away.

At this point look, for areas where the current is pushing away from the hole or shallow bank areas, rather than on them. Follow the same situation, putting bait in the hole and next to the bank. This time, give the spot a bit more time for the fish to react to the bait.

Shore fishing

If you find catfish in the off-current situation (especially in spring), you may see your bite fall off in mid-day. This just means to move back to the heavier current, because the fish likely turned back on and are aggressively feeding. Again, that is why you fish the slower-water areas near the faster feeding areas.

The real beauty of stable-water conditions is that the bite tends to be good, but also, the patterns don’t change until there is something major to disrupt it.

These stable situations make shore fishing much easier, too. Once a shore angler finds the right spot, the fish will cycle in, especially in pre -pawn. Getting on a good spot can provide many days of great shore fishing success.

One key to shore fishing success, like any, is finding the right current seam where catfish are traveling from hole-to-hole and spot-to-spot. From shore, this might take a few casts and sinker adjustments to keep the bait right in the proper current seam. While this seems trivial, a foot or two from the right current seam can mean the difference between catching or not catching fish, especially during spf ring migrations.

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As summer goes on

We all hope that consistent water and weather conditions persist through an entire year, with the exceptions of some summer storms. I have never seen a full summer of perfect stable conditions; there is always some hiccup that requires some thought and adjustments to bait, technique or location.

Should stable conditions persist throughout the summer, just keep doing mostly what you did earlier in the year, which has already been mentioned in this article. One adjustment as pre-spawn goes through spawn and into summer is that the fish will spread out over more miles of river, with less fish in certain areas.

All that means is, just stay on the move, working the river the same way you have. Keep working the timer to figure out when the fish are biting and keep on the move. Look at holes with an on and off current seam, as always. Early in your outing, should figure out which current seam the fish are preferring, and from there just move hole-to-hole, using that seam until the bite tells you to look elsewhere.

If your river has snags, don’t forget to check snags, either. They offer great shade and protection, making them good areas for fish to rest and wait for an easy meal.

Stable water is a gift from God. It happens from time to time, making for amazing fishing, but it tends to not last all season. Use these little tips to get the most from stable conditions to make the most of your catfish adventures.