As summer approaches, just about any bait fished in the labyrinth of rotting logs, washouts, undercuts, nutria burrows and alligator dens along the bank is as likely to be grabbed by a serious catfish as it is to be swatted by a bass. In the rivers, streams, bayous and big reservoirs, many channel and blue catfish make a move out of their typical deep-water haunts and into the shallows to accomplish their annual spawning ritual. That puts them within reach of bank-bound anglers and in the areas where most boaters concentrate their angling efforts. Butch Terpe said recently. You can find them in the deep water around baited holes, but they move shallow, too.
People fishing from the bank off bulkheads and piers can do very good.
There are reasons for that. First, some East Texas lakes such as Conroe have incredible catfish populations. The size distribution is awesome. It's really one of those fisheries that people are just rediscovering. Conroe isn't the only area waterway holding excellent catfishing.