This period, when water temperatures are usually around 40 degrees Fahrenheit -- and often even below that mark -- has Patterson anchoring the boat below rock dikes. He noted, however, that he'll also work what he called "reverse current sandbars," which are created by the current circling back upstream in areas between the rock dikes, or revetment banks. Here, he said, you can find the same slower current that he targets below the rock dikes in late winter to early spring. Usually, a 2-ounce to 3-ounce weight is, in his words, "just enough weight to keep it on the bottom."

Then, use a sinker in conjunction with line in the 30- to 40-pound-test range and shad or skipjack rigged on a three-way swivel.

For anchoring down, Patterson suggested, keep the sinker lead line shorter than the hook lead line, thus allowing the bait to move more freely in the current rather than just burying in the mud at the river's bottom.

While fishing can be quite productive during this part of the year, the river can fluctuate greatly from day to day, Patterson warned, and inclement weather -- from thunderstorms to ice storms -- can always create a travel plan akin to the worst backlash bird's nest in history.

APRIL-JUNE
Spring has sprung, so the catfish are leaving their winter haunts to move into their pre-spawn feeding phase, and will be working toward areas of stronger current. High water is common, but big fish are more commonly caught during these months. That rule generally holds true for both blues and channels, with the latter sometimes exceeding 10 pounds.

Stressing how the April-June period can produce big fish, Patterson exclaimed, "I can remember one day in May of 2006. I had a guided trip out. We caught 23 fish that weighed a total of 451 pounds in just six hours."

The average water temperatures in the Mississippi have started warming to or above 50 degrees by now, so a change in tactics is on the way. Anchoring down for the catfish is in the process of being replaced with a controlled drift.

JULY-SEPTEMBER
"This is the best time of the year for the drift technique," Patterson asserted, speaking of what he referred to as the "most interesting" among the methods he employs for catching catfish.

"This controlled drift involves lifting and dropping the bait, up and down," he said, "keeping it in contact with the bottom. So you have to pull it up to get it over a ridge, and you have to let it down to drop it in a hole." He added that the lead line for the sinker is longer for this technique -- roughly the same length as the bait lead line.

Unfortunately for Patterson, this also seems to be the method of fishing that's hardest for his clients to master. "People need to realize that to catch lots of catfish," he explained, "you have to put in some work. The better the fishing, the more work you must generally do." Further, he noted, he wasn't trying to discourage people from catfishing, but was instead trying to encourage them to learn more about how to fish well for catfish.