Damn Good Channel Catfish Fishing Guides

Check real-time availability and compare rates on channel catfish fishing trips. Confidently book your next day on the water.

Choose a Date
4.97/5 Average Rating

Damn Good Guides

Experts Available 24/7

100% Weather Guarantee

“Our Damn Good Guides go above and beyond, and we’ve handpicked every single one. We’re passionate about the outdoors and look forward to getting you out on the trip of a lifetime, every time.”

Jonathan and Attison   |   Co-founders   |   Austin, Texas

Channel Catfish Fishing Guides

Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Lake Fishing in Port Clinton

Lake Erie Catfish Special

NEW Managed by Scott
24 ft 1 - 6 People From $390
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Nearshore Fishing in Lakeside Marblehead

Channel Catfish Sandusky Bay

NEW Guided by Sam
18 ft 1 - 6 People From $360
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

River Fishing in Berlin

Eastern Shore River Bowfishing

NEW Guided by Greg
24 ft 1 - 4 People From $700
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Lake Fishing in Lorain

2-Hour Lake Erie Trip (Evening)

NEW Guided by Michael
21 ft 1 - 2 People From $650
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Lake Fishing in Lorain

2-Day Trophy Walleye Special

NEW Guided by Michael
21 ft 1 - 2 People From $2,200
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

River, Lake Fishing in Weston

Cat Fish Hunter

100% (2) Managed by Jonathan
22 ft 1 - 12 People From $400
See All Channel Catfish Trips

Everything to Know About Booking a fishing trip

What are the best channel catfish fishing trips?

The best channel catfish fishing trips are:

Why should I book a channel catfish fishing trip with Captain Experiences?

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 28 channel catfish trips, and the most popular trips are Night Bowfishing (4 Hours) guided by Randy, Half Day Lake Conroe guided by Richard, and Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore guided by Scott.

Our guides are rated a 4.97 out of 5 based on 3784 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.

All guides on Captain Experiences are vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.

Looking for kid friendly channel catfish guides / fishing lessons? Check out our beginner and family friendly channel catfish guides.

What types of channel catfish fishing trips are common?

Lake fishing is the most popular type of fishing for channel catfish as well as river fishing, inshore fishing, and nearshore fishing.

The most common fishing techniques are light tackle fishing, drift fishing, and live bait fishing but cut bait fishing and artificial lure fishing are popular as well.

How much does a channel catfish fishing trip cost?

Prices for channel catfish can range anywhere from about $400 to $1,800, but the average price for a half day trip for channel catfish is $614. The average price for a full day trip for channel catfish is $1,209.

Is booking a fishing guide worth the money?

Hiring a guide provides a number of benefits and many choose to book a fishing guide for a combination of experience, local knowledge, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

Working with experienced fishing guides who know the best local spots and techniques can dramatically increase your odds of a great day. Having someone who is on the water every day and knows the area like the back of their hand is going to give you the best chances of success.

Booking a guide is also more cost effective, especially if you only get out a handful of times per year. When you consider all of the costs you would incur on your own such as the price of a boat, maintenance, insurance, gas, high-quality gear and tackle, repairs, and more, you’ll find that DIY is sometimes not worth the expense.

Even if you’ve got a great setup already in your home waters, booking a guide also provides a great opportunity to experience new techniques, new locations, or even a chance at a new target species to knock off the bucket list.

What month is best for channel catfish fishing?

The most popular season for channel catfish fishing is spring, and most anglers book their trips 28 days in advance.

Do I need a fishing license for channel catfish and what are the bag limits for channel catfish?

See here for more information on channel catfish fishing licenses, channel catfish bag limits, and fishing season regulations for channel catfish. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right channel catfish rules and regulations.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    Best trip ever! Had never tried bow fishing before- Randy made it one of the coolest experiences ever! Great guide, awesome coach, and very knowledgeable. I will recommend this to everyone!

    Patrick K. | December 11, 2024

    Trip: Night Bowfishing (4 Hours)

  • ★★★★★
    Fantastic morning with Richard bringing in catfish by the dozens. Very helpful, informative, and easy to get along with. I highly recommend him for your next trip out on Lake Conroe.

    Kirk M. | October 20, 2024

    Trip: Half Day Lake Conroe

  • ★★★★★
    Couldn’t have been any better captain Mike put us on the fish all day long. Best time ever.

    Royce R. | September 29, 2024

    Trip: Bay and Jetty Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Jamie and his son were a blast 10/10 would recommend booking as soon as possible

    Brandon B. | September 13, 2024

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    Jamie was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable, super easy going and 100% knows where the fish are, will for sure be booking again on the next vacation! If you’re looking for a great fishing experience with the family that doesn’t break the bank, this is 100% the trip you want!

    John P. | August 31, 2024

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome time with Aaron and Captain Andy! Guaranteed a great fishing experience. Many crappie and catfish. Looking forward to doing it again in the future! Thank you from all 4 of us!

    Rick H. | July 28, 2024

    Trip: Trophy Crappie Fishing in North MS

  • ★★★★★
    Nick was great! Super knowledgeable and friendly. Will definitely book with him again.

    Mary C. | June 29, 2024

    Trip: Inshore Spin Fishing

  • ★★★★★
    Awesome company to book with. Real professional makes the trip a good time. Will definitely book again

    William Z. | June 29, 2024

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    We had a great trip with Cap’n Jamie and his son Zach. 3 hour trip with 50 Spanish caught a king and a 22# Jack. Great day catching! I highly recommend these two gentlemen!

    Steve F. | June 25, 2024

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    Excellent morning on Calaveras Lake! Capt Bones couldn’t have been more accommodating to my husband, myself and our 6yr old son who had never been on a chartered fishing trip before. It was a slow start but it turned on a little later and had a blast! Highly recommend Bones Fishing!!

    Heather C. | April 20, 2024

    Trip: Redfish Trips

  • ★★★★★
    We were able to schedule a bow fishing trip with captain Bobby. We had an absolutely amazing experience with him. Ended up shooting a ton of fish and saw them constantly. Bobby was knowledgeable and very personable. I would recommend booking with Bobby, we will next time we’re in the area.

    Taylor A. | April 16, 2024

    Trip: Night Bowfishing (4 Hours)

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Richard was great! Myself being an experience bass fisherman, He was very informative. He put us on some bass even when the bite wasn't great! We will definitely be back!

    Bill J. | April 9, 2024

    Trip: Half Day Lake Conroe

  • ★★★★★
    Great experience, will do another trip soon. We caught a ton & had a real good time.

    Pierre C. | March 11, 2024

    Trip: Trophy Crappie Fishing in North MS

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Jamie was amazing, he knew exactly where the fish were and we had so much fun! He was great with our kids, they are already asking when we can do it again! Thanks for a great adventure!

    Kevin D. | March 11, 2024

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    Even though it was a day after a front and the wind was blowing Jamie still was able to put us on some redfish. Eventhough we didn’t rack up we still had a good time.

    Avery H. | February 21, 2024

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    Raymond was a great guide. We really enjoyed the trip and will definitely book with him again when the weather is warm. We are from South Carolina and here on our anniversary trip, but we WILL be back.

    Michael S. | February 15, 2024

    Trip: Redfish Trips

  • ★★★★★
    Wow, I had such a great time. I went out with JJ and he found the fish, big fish in really tough conditions. He taught me a lot about the live scope and is just a really great guy. Aaron went above and beyond to set up my trip for me and it went off without any problems. I would highly recommend these guys and have already started making plans for my next round of big fish. At the end of the day, I come away with someone that I consider a friend!!

    Carl H. | November 4, 2023

    Trip: Trophy Crappie Fishing in North MS

  • ★★★★★
    Wonderful trip!! We had a great time. We caught a ton of fish! I am already planning to come back. I always say life is adventure…you just gott book it??

    Kerri C. | October 10, 2023

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    Jamie is awesome! This is the 2nd time we have fished with him. He got us all on the biggest fish we have ever pulled in. 24 & 26 lbs Jacks! Would love to go again! So much fun. He definitely knows what he is doing. Made all the right calls for our trip. Weather was a bit choppy when we where supposed to orginally go out. So he had us wait and that was absolutely the right thing to do. Ended up being the best day. 3 year old even had fun. Seeing dauphins where and added suprises. Definitely recommend.

    Kameron B. | August 17, 2023

    Trip: Gulf Coast Bites by the Shore

  • ★★★★★
    Amazing Trip. Great crew with Capt Mike and Amanda. Caught personal bests all around. Highly Recommend!!!

    Paul S. | July 22, 2023

    Trip: Bay and Jetty Fishing

States

Cities

Countries

Other Fishing Species

Featured Cities

What's biting?

View Channel Catfish Fishing Reports from our damn good guides.

Didn't Find What You Were Looking For?

Our guides are Damn Good Guides, which means they’re vetted by our team of outdoor experts who know them on a first-name basis. We hand pick each and every one of them, and our network spans all across the US and beyond.

The proof is in the pudding, and we’re incredibly proud of our 4.9 / 5 average review score. Hit the button below to see more trip options:

See All Channel Catfish Trips