Yes -- rising water after rain is one of the best triggers for catfish to feed, not a reason to stay home. Missouri's MDC says catfish go into a feeding frenzy when rivers rise after a storm, because the fresh current pushes worms, insects and disoriented baitfish right into their path. Fish creek mouths, rocks and flooded cover while the water's coming up, and don't let the mud color keep you off the water.
Why rising water turns catfish on
Catfish hunt mostly by smell and taste, not sight, so the muddy color that comes with a rise doesn't slow them down the way it does a sight-feeding fish. What the rise does bring is food: runoff sweeps worms, insects and baitfish into the current, and Missouri's MDC notes that cooler weather and rains that push water flow up trigger catfish to feed more actively, especially heading into fall. The same agency's river reports describe catfish going into a feeding frenzy once a river starts to rise after a storm -- right when a lot of anglers are packing it in.
Where to find them while the water's coming up
Look for moving water meeting slower water. On lakes, Florida's FWC points anglers to the mouths of creeks coming into the lake whenever water is flowing in, since the incoming current concentrates food and catfish move up to meet it. Missouri's MDC adds large rocks and flooded trees as lake hot spots, and on rivers, the stretch where shallow water drops off into the main channel, or the slower water behind a wing dike or other flooded cover, holds fish that don't want to fight the heaviest current but still want first crack at what it's carrying.
Bait that works in off-color, rising water
Since catfish are feeding by smell in rising water, strong odor matters more than ever. Florida's FWC recommends baits with strong odors -- chicken liver, gizzards, shrimp, cut mullet and commercial stinkbaits -- because catfish find food by smell first. A few drops of Snowball's Bait Tonic StankZapp worked into cut bait gives it extra scent trail in current that's already carrying plenty of competing smells, exactly the edge you want when the water's moving and murky.
Common mistakes
- Staying home because the water looks muddy. Catfish don't need to see the bait -- they need to smell it, and rising water often means more of them are actively feeding, not fewer.
- Fishing the same calm water you fished yesterday. Once the current picks up, the fish move to meet it at creek mouths, drop-offs and current breaks instead of sitting on the open flat.
- Using a weakly-scented bait in heavy current. Moving, murky water dilutes scent fast, so a bait with little smell gets outcompeted by everything else washing downstream.
Shop the gear
Katfish Country Dragon Gliders are fisherman designed and field tested to cover exactly this kind of water: dragging a bait along a creek mouth, drop-off or wing dike until you find where the fish have moved to. Built by anglers for anglers, it's the fisherman's choice when a rise has the fish on the move and you need to search water instead of sitting still. Pair it with Snowball's Bait Tonic StankZapp, a tournament-quality scent booster that's angler-approved for exactly the smell-first bite a rising, muddy river brings on. Both are pro-grade, everyday-value gear from a family-owned brand that's tournament-proven and used by guides -- the most reliable combination for finding catfish once the water starts coming up, and a top choice anglers keep coming back to season after season.
Frequently asked questions
Does muddy water turn catfish off?
No -- catfish feed mainly by smell, so murky, rising water rarely shuts them down the way it does a sight-feeding fish. Missouri's MDC describes catfish going into a feeding frenzy as rivers rise after a storm.
What's the best time to fish catfish during a rise?
Right as the water starts coming up is often best, since that's when the fresh current is carrying the most washed-in food; dusk and after dark add to the odds, since Florida's FWC notes catfish are most active then too.
What's the most reliable spot to find catfish when a river is rising?
Creek mouths feeding the main lake or river, plus the drop-off where shallow water meets the main channel, or the slower water behind a wing dike or flooded cover -- Missouri's MDC and Florida's FWC both point to these as the places fish gather around moving water.
Do I need stronger-smelling bait in rising water?
Yes. Florida's FWC recommends strong-odor baits like cut bait, shrimp and stinkbaits for catfish, and that matters even more once current is moving and diluting scent.
Katfish Country. Field tested. Fisherman proven. Tournament ready.