In July through September, cat anglers on the Mississippi can expect to find the blues and channels in a good mood most of the time. Fish in the 1- to 20-pound range are common, but some trophies can be caught at this time. Flatheads are usually in a biting mood early and late in the day, when low-light conditions prevail. The only drawback to this period is the spawn, which occurs between the April-June and July-September periods.

"The cats will not bite during the spawn," Patterson said. "The male will back up in a hole and guard the nest. The bite will be good both before and after the spawn. But he will be up in there guarding the young until they hatch and can swim off.

"As far as the summer bite, you want to find lots of current. That water is more oxygenated. For instance, water running around or over a revetment bank will hold catfish. They'll be there feeding on mussels, shad, Asian carp or other smaller fish."

Otherwise, Big Cat warns that one of the most important keys to a good catfishing trip at this time of year is preparation for the sun, heat and humidity.

OCTOBER-DECEMBER
Patterson swears by this time of the year as the absolute best for catching blues and flatheads, with October being the high point.

The drift technique is still effective right now, plus water conditions and weather conditions are usually more stable and comfortable for the fisherman, which can make it easier to concentrate on this technique.

"This is my favorite time of the year to fish," Big Cat said, explaining that the flatheads and blues are beginning to "cycle" back toward their wintering habits.

As long as the water is above 50 degrees, though, Patterson said the flatheads will continue to "put on the feedbag" -- a phrase he uses to describe the times when the various cats are feeding heavily.

Then, his attention shifts to the blues again as the water temperature retreats below 50 degrees once more.

Often, the proper rig will require up to a 16-ounce sinker until the water temps begin their annual drop. Then, Patterson begins to work the waters with lighter weights in lighter currents again.

SAGE ADVICE
For the catfishing novice or the educated cat-catcher wanting to know a little more about the whiskerfish, Patterson enumerated a few things to keep in mind.

"Shad guts are the best bait ever for catfish," he began. "You can catch fish in shallow water, deep water, slow current or fast current on shad guts. . . . If you are looking for the fish, you can begin by checking around revetment banks, behind islands or along sandbars. The fish could be in slow or fast flow. They could be in 4 to 10 feet of water or deep holes. So the idea is anchor and fish a spot. If you have not gotten a bite or caught a fish in 15 or 20 minutes, move. But don't just take off and go somewhere else. I see lots of people make that mistake: They will pull up to a spot where they have been catching fish, and not do as well, so they will say, 'The fish just aren't biting today.' Well, they may not be biting there -- but they may be biting somewhere."