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(Iowa) -- Good news for Iowa anglers wanting to enjoy the warm temperatures this weekend....catfish are biting throughout the state.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says channel catfish often feed heavily this time of year after having eaten very little during the winter months. Catfish often feed on small fish that have died over the winter, and the DNR says as the ice melts, catfish can be found near windblown shorelines, areas where dead fish have piled up, and shallow areas. John Lorenzen, fisheries management biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources says you don't have to be an experienced angler to catch a channel catfish:
"Catfish are very easy for fishermen of all ages and experience levels to catch. Now, if you want to target really jumbo catfish, that gets more complicated, but just going out and catching a channel catfish from the bank, anybody can do that."
The DNR recommends using cut bait or shad sides fished on the bottom and bringing disposable latex gloves to keep the bait smell off of your hands. Channel catfish can be found in almost any body of water in Iowa.
More information on where fish are biting can be found on the DNR's weekly fishing report.