Be prepared for some odd looks when you show up at an Elk River canoe livery toting catfish tackle -- because this clear-water McDonald County stream became a “Black Bass Management Area” in 2004. Nevertheless, the portion of the river downstream from Noel supports a thriving channel catfish population. Most of these cats wouldn’t put much of a strain on the gear used by most Mississippi River catfishermen, but the opportunity to catch feisty channel cats on light tackle from water clean enough to see through is too good to miss.

The fact that Fellows Lake is home to fantastic numbers of channel cats ranging from 8 to 19 inches is no secret to catfishermen living in nearby Springfield. Even so, visitors to the lake in 2008 will find that fishing pressure has had little or no impact on the fishery. Be advised that Springfield City Utilities owns the lake, and the use of boats is subject to obtaining a permit.

Finally, for the benefit of those among you who’d like a simple statewide catfish forecast, here it is: Catfishermen seeking channel cats weighing less than 5 pounds will have a hard time finding a river, stream, reservoir or impoundment that doesn’t provide them with at least a fair chance for success -- and, far more likely, a good one. Channel-cat fishermen who dream of breaking the state record should stay home, because the chances of surpassing the current record are minuscule. Conversely, flathead anglers who fish in the state’s rivers and reservoirs have a legitimate chance to set a new state record.

To end this article way out on a limb, I predict that a new state-record -- if not world-record -- blue cat will be caught in 2008. If I don’t land it, I hope you do.