Catfish are one of the biggest and hardest fighting fish to target in UK waters.
Often nocturnal, these creatures of the night go hard on the feed as the weather warms up, and aren’t often fussy with what they’ll put in their mouth either. Big cats will take pretty much anything, from bunches of worms, boilies or big halibut pellets to dead and live fish. But your tackle has to be up to the task to take on these monsters, which now reach up to 100lb in numerous waters around the country. There’s no need for finesse here.
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Many worry about handling cats, but as long as you have a suitably large unhooking mat and landing net, you shouldn’t have a problem. If in doubt, go with a friend, and with really large fish, try to take catch shots laid down next to them on the mat – instead of trying to hoist what is effectively an overgrown tadpole off the ground!
Here we have listed some great fisheries to go to and meet one of these whiskered giants…
Anglers Paradise, Beaworthy, Devon
A number of the lakes at this famous venue hold good cats. On a day ticket you can fish the Carp & Catfish Lakes 1 & 2 on the Eldorado complex, with the biggest specimens found in Lake 2, where a 30-pounder is a real possibility – even in daylight! Big chunks of meat and worms work very well here. If you want to take it to an even more monstrous level, head across the road to the day-ticket Nirvana Specimen Catfish Lake, which holds 60lb-plus beasts.
Contact: 01409 221559
Postcode: EX21 5XT
Todber Manor, Sturminster Newton, Dorset
Cats can be found to 50lb-plus in the eight-acre Big Hayes specimen carp lake, and are often banked on carp anglers’ boilies. To specifically target them, however, your best bet is to book a session on the two-acre Paddock Lake, which has seven swims and monsters in excess of 80lb, with a good head between 20lb and 50lb. Pellets, fishmeal boilies, meat and lake-caught livebaits are all good options. There have even been huge catfish banked on a fly in the past.
Contact: 01258 820384
Postcode: DT10 1JB
Oak Lakes Fisheries, Southminster, Essex
The three-acre dedicated Predator Lake has a good head of cats to
140lb-plus, which can be fished for from five bookable swims. Catfishing trips are available from April 1 to September 30, with other dates open to pike anglers. Be ready and prepared for the fight of your life!
Contact: 07702 384027
Postcode: CM0 7BJ
Crow Green Fishery, Brentwood, Essex
Perhaps one of our most incredible catfish waters, the Main Lake at Crow Green is for the accomplished angler who wants the biggest catfish the UK has to offer. The three-acre water holds 350 fish, with carp to over 40lb and at least 10 cats over the magical 100lb mark, all of which give anglers the most ridiculous fight they’ve ever experienced once hooked. You won’t go far wrong with strong fishmeal boilies and stinky pellets. Check the fishery rules before booking, though – you need some pretty specialised kit to fish effectively, such is the size of the fish swimming about here.
Contact: 01277 375172
Postcode: CM15 9SL
White Acres Fishery, Newquay, Cornwall
A giant moggie weighing a whopping 95lb 6oz set a new lake record on Pats Pool last year – a water that’s a great bet for your first of the species. The 22-peg lake is one of three specimen waters on the complex, along with two other lakes known as Nelsons.
Contact: 01726 862519
Postcode: TR8 4LW
Linear Fisheries, Oxford, Oxfordshire
Every carp angler will know of Linear Fisheries and its famous St Johns Lake. But only those who have fished there will know of the monster catfish that lurk in the 18-acre gravel pit. They’re caught on all manner of methods, from big beds of pellets and boilies, to carp angler’s zigs. Hold on tight, too – the lake record now stands at more than 100lb.
Contact: 07885 327708
Postcode: OX29 7QF
Milemead Fisheries, Tavistock, Devon
The two-acre Cat N’ Carp Lake is perfect for a beginner to learn the techniques and tactics required to bank their first cat. There are 31 cats in the lake, which run to an impressive 46lb, and live alongside around 300 carp. Book a slot on one of the 12 pegs to be sure of some action.
Contact: 01822 610888
Postcode: PL19 8NP
Beaver Fishery, Lingfield, Surrey
There are eight swims on Westlake (formerly known as Tuscany Lake) which is now a catfish-only water. The fish average 30lb-40lb and can be caught on a variety of methods, including very close in to the bank.
The lake has three islands and depths from 4ft-15ft.
Contact: 07710 656041
Postcode: RH7 6HL
Office Lake Fishery, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
This is a very old lake which was dug back in the late 1950s, and is now home to some huge catfish weighing
70lb-plus. Parking is available behind the swims, too, making this the perfect venue for those who want convenient fishing for specimen fish.
Contact: 07903338923
Postcode: NG14 7JX
Oakwood Park Predator Lakes, Thetford, Norfolk
Pay a premium for some incredible fishing on the 4.75-acre Predator Lake, where you can target catfish up to a massive 120lb, and some big carp too. The venue is fished on a booking-only basis, and please check the fishery rules prior to your visit.
Contact: 07919 865636
Postcode: IP26 4JW
Llyn y Gors Fishery, Anglesey, Wales
This Welsh venue last year opened its Catfish Lake to anglers, offering those who want to catch one of these hard-fighting fish a chance to target them without too many other nuisance species butting in. There are more than 20 catfish in the lake, and they run to 46lb. The fishery has a running rig rule in place, which is generally the preference for catfish that are very sensitive to resistance.
Contact: 01248713410
Postcode: LL59 5PN
Water Meadows Fishery, Skegness, Lincolnshire
Get on Rush Pool if you want some frantic action from some powerful fish. The six-peg runs water is well stocked with both carp and catfish, the latter running to over 40lb. Meat or squid hookbaits seem to be a winner for the moggies.
Contact: 01754 879600
Postcode: PE25 5UA
Marchamley Pools, Hodnet, Shropshire
All four lakes on this fishery offer superb fishing, but predator anglers need look no further than the Cat Pool. As the name suggests, this water is home to some huge whiskered monsters to 60lb-plus. Popped-up worms, meat and big beds of pellets are all winning baits on here. There is also a superb food van located at the entrance of the fishery.
Contact: SY4 5LE
Postcode: 07949125843
Lakemore Fisheries, Crewe, Cheshire
One of the leading cat venues in the UK – if you exclusively want to target the species, this is the venue to do it. The two specimen lakes, Horseshoe and Long Lake, both offer exceptional sport for cats, which run to 75lb in Horseshoe. Beginners should try Long Lake, where popped-up worms and pellets can both score well. All visitors must become a member before they can fish the lakes.
Contact: 07771 848801
Postcode: CW1 5SQ
Emmotland Lakes, Driffield, Yorkshire
Book a trip on Pond 1 of this three-lake Yorkshire venue and experience some of the best fishing the North
has to offer. The two-acre lake holds carp to mid-thirties and some giant catfish over 65lb. Most of these fall to the same tactics as the carp, but something a little different may well fool the largest specimens.
Contact: emmotlandleisure@gmail.com
Postcode: YO25 8JS
