Team Bottom Dwellers

Team
         Bottom
                     Dwellers

Writing & Photography
by Josh Brown


When most people think about fishing Northeast Alabama, the first thought that comes to mind is Bass. But the real excitement down in Dixie is the big blues. Alabama is known for the big cats that lurk in Wheeler lake, Guntersville, Logan Martin, Coosa River, and many more lakes and rivers.

My partner Cody Haynes and I have fished for these "monsters" for years. I have learned most of my skills from my grandfather and have picked up some along the way. Most people think you can just throw some chicken liver or worms on a hook and toss it in the water to catch Catfish. Sure that works, but only for the nibblers. When it comes down to the wire there are so many variables to insure a successful day on the water: air temperature, water temperature, water levels, current, time of day, moon phases, bait, and the most important one, a little luck.

Our personal favorite catfish species to hunt are Blues. We hunt these kings for their sheer size and brute strength. So far our record is a 65 lbs on the Coosa River in Gadsden. We waited for 2 weeks for a tropical storm to drop 8 inches of rain on Alabama. This lowered the water temperature dramatically and forced the dam to release more turbines. Most nights on the water we have pretty good luck. However, some nights are very different. We know a type of bait fish that blues go nuts for. No its not Shad, Skipjack, or Bluegill. These fish are very elusive and are mainly found in small creeks. 95% of anglers in America have never heard of our "secret fish."

The gear you use is very important if you’re looking for Moby Dick. When it comes to rods and reels any catfish rod can catch you a good fish: my personal favorite is the 60 optimax spinning reel on a ft  Shakespeare wild cat rod. It’s very cheap and reliable. But your tackle is the key to it all. We order all of our tackle from teamcatfish.com. We use the 100 lb nuclear yellow braided line, the 10/0 super circle hooks, and a 2 ounce bank sinker.

In the hot summer and cold winter you want to look for the deep holes this is going to be your best chance on catching fish in the rough conditions. In fall and spring the fish will be in the shallower water. We like to fish steep ledges, where the current is strong.

This spring, we plan on entering as many tournaments as possible. One of the trails were excited about this upcoming year is the Grizzly Catfish Trail. This year it will be the largest trail in Alabama. Fish 5 of the 7 tournaments in this trail will automatically qualify you for the Classic in August.

We are a fairly new team, so not too many people know who we are. If you would like to contact us or see all of our river monsters check out our Facebook page "Team Bottom Dwellers." Thanks to all of those who support us. Tight lines and blue skies.