When it comes to fond fishing memories, none can overshadow the all those frying-size fiddler cats caught on a lazy summer day spent navigating the Angelina River in deep East Texas.

Best I can remember, it was August of 2009 when my good friend called to invite me along on the day-long float. We were to put in at the State Highway 21 bridge, then motor southward where we’d anchor just upstream from major bends and drift live crawfish and earthworms into the “deeper holes.”

When the rivers get down low it’s usually the best. Those channel cats will bunch up in the deeper river bends where the water is cooler. There won’t be much size too ‘em. But it sure is a lot fun. You might even tie into one of those big ol’ drum. Always game for an off-beat outdoor experience, I jumped at the chance. And I’ve never regretted it once.

Not only did the trip result in more than enough fiddlers for a shoreline fish-fry at noon, but it shed some valuable light on unique facet of fishing that most anglers never go to the trouble to pursue. I say trouble, because at times summer river fishing can be work – hard work.

Ripe conditions mean water levels will be low, which translates into rocky shales to traverse, shallow sandbars to navigate and massive logs to jump. When you go river fishing and play the game right, you can pretty much bet you’re gonna get wet to some degree. Eastern Texas is one of many southern hotbeds where a river rat can get all wet. Among the top-ranked catfish rivers in the region are the Angelina, Sabine, Sulphur, Trinity, Neches and Red River.

Judging from what I’ve seen on recent road trips, conditions on most of the rivers couldn’t be better for summer cattin.’ The prolonged drought has dried up many feeder creeks and tributaries. Minus the major inflow, most of the channels have been sucked down well within their banks, concentrating catfish populations in the deepest water they can find.

As a rule, the deepest water in a river will be found in places where the flow makes a sharp turn left or right. The text book term for such a spot is a “bend.” The deep hole is created as the result of years of erosion. Outside bends with steep banks or sharp bluffs will generally hold deeper water than the inside bends. But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll always be the most productive. The shallower inside bend may hold the most fish one day, whereas you’ll strike gold in the outside bend the next.

As is the case with most other facets of fishing, utilizing the proper technique will go a long way towards making the river catfishing experience a pleasurable one. River cats in general are bottom dwellers, so that’s where rod and reelers are going to have to go catch them. Consequently, that means you’ll be coming in contact with just about every type of underwater snag imaginable.

That in mind, probably the first order to fill is to make sure you’ve got plenty of hooks and sinkers. You’ll lose plenty. But it’s all part of the trouble. Tackle? No need for fancy or expensive gear, here. The basic Zebco 303 or medium-action spinning rig matched with 10-14 pound test will work nicely.

How you rig up is strictly a matter of personal preference. Some river rats like to use an in-line, pinch-on sinker a foot or so above a small treble or snelled hook. Others will stage the weight in a manner that it dangles on a separate line from the hook. The theory behind the latter rig is the fish won’t feel any resistance when it takes the bait, which can make a difference when a finicky bite is brewing. Channel cat, the predominant sub-species you catch on area rivers, will hit a number of baits, both live and dead. But for river fishing, live nightcrawlers, crawfish (if you can find them) and catalpa worms are tough to beat.

As mentioned earlier, one of the best ways to make a river bend pay off is to anchor or tie off to a snag ahead of the bend and allow the slow-moving current to drift the bait into the strike zone. For this reason, you’ll need to use a weight that’s heavy enough to keep the bait on the bottom, yet light enough that it won’t hold it in one place. Experiment and it’ll become evident pretty quick as to what is working and what isn’t.

As side kick to drift fishing, you might consider baiting up a few limb lines in the area you’ve chosen to fish. It’s a good idea to check them for takers every couple of hours. There’s nothing complicated about making a limb lines. The basic line consists of nothing more than a heavy-duty piece of nylon twine or mono tied to an overhanging limb along the river’s edge. Cut the lines long enough that the bait (chicken livers,hearts, blood bait or live bream work best) will stay at least two or three feet below the surface. Some weights may be required, depending on the amount of current that’s flowing.