How do anglers go about fishing for channel cats right now? illiland suggests fishing shallow around laydown logs, riprap, and rocky areas on the bank. "I tell them to use a slip-bobber and some sort of prepared bait -- there are a zillion of them on the market," he said.

Channel cats will also hit worms under regular bobbers, cut bait, minnows, various bass fishing baits, and even flies as they defend their cavity nesting sites.

As for tackle, the ODWC biologist has a few ideas. "Tackle is pretty much a personal preference," Gilliland said. "There have been millions of catfish caught on Zebco 33s, the old pushbutton reels."

Because flatheads aren't classified as game fish, they can be hand-fished. Channels and blues have to be released if they're caught while you're noodling.

From Zebcos to spinning rod-and-reel setups or stout baitcasting rigs, just about anything will work, according to the biologist. But, he noted, the longer the setup, the better.

"The guys that are really into the drift-fishing for blues or the slip-bobber technique for channels do use really long rods," Gilliland said. "To set the hook on a catfish, you've got to move a lot of line. On a 5-, 6-, or 7-foot long rod, the line stretches out that much. Most serious catfish anglers seem to be going to 8-, 9-, or 10-foot rods."

Not to mention the use of circle hooks for their catfish baits. "I'm hearing more and more about circle hooks," Gilliland said. "When anglers use them, they're not gut-hooking a fish as much while bait-fishing. Circle hooks may have a slightly lower hooking percentage, but the injury prospects to the fish are hugely different. They are so much better for the fish -- if you catch one that you want to release, 9 out of 10 times, they are hooked right in the corner of their mouths and you can let them go."

Another reason that Gilliland is big on the use of circle hooks is that their use actually makes setting the hook an easier proposition for a novice catfisherman.

"I have really tried to steer novice anglers toward the use of circle hooks," he said. "When using them, it's not as critical to know when to jerk the bait. When a catfish picks it up, you just start reeling and hang on because a good circle hook will hook the fish for you." Oklahoma's final catfish species -- the flathead -- doesn't even require the use of a hook to catch them.

"Obviously, when you get into flatheads, it's not just a rod-and-reel proposition," Gilliland said. "They're often caught on trotlines and they're also caught when noodling."

Because flatheads aren't classified as game fish, they can be hand-fished. Channels and blues have to be released if they're caught while you're noodling.

Like the state's blue cats and channel cats, there are a number of good spots to give flatheads a try, whatever method of catching you prefer.

"Waurika Lake is one of our premier flathead lakes," Gilliland said, noting that the lake near the town of Waurika is a prime spot for trophy-sized flatheads.

"Eufaula is another really good one," he added. "Last year, the flathead fishing there was down because the lake was so low and it was just simply hard to find the fish. But right now (as of press time), the lake is actually up to above normal."

A final reason for the popularity of catfishing in Oklahoma is that the species can absolutely shine on the dinner table.