"In fact, a lot of the largest fish my clients have caught were taken on the head portion of a big white perch," Taylor said. "Even if it's fairly large perch or gizzard shad, the whole head is great bait for a big blue. The cut bait section I'll cut from the body is often two or three fingers wide. This is a case where the saying 'a big bait equals big fish' is really true. Blue catfish are eating machines and they'll readily bite these really big baits. Plus that cuts down on annoying bites from small fish."

Once baited up, Taylor will cast the rigs out around the boat in a fanlike manner downcurrent from the boat. He said he likes to cover the slope into the deep water, the edgeline and the shallower water on top of the ledge.

"Usually, the fish orient along the drop, but at times, they'll actually be a bit deeper down the slop or back up on the top," he said. "It's best to cover all possibilities."

Once Taylor is rigged out, he'll give the area at least 30 minutes to produce.

"You need to have some patience, but not too much," Taylor said. "If I'm not getting any fish activity, not even catching smaller fish or not getting small fish tugs on the big-fish rigs, then I'll seldom give a spot much more than 30 minutes. I may not move far, but I'll move locations. Sometimes, if things just don't look right, I'll make a big move and go up or down the lake a good bit. The key is to remember you're actually fishing for big game and it's important to give the fish time to bite."

Taylor said that patience is also important when you get a bite. When using a circle hook, he said it's imperative that the fisherman gives the fish time to set the hook before the rod is picked up.

"I specifically like the circle hooks because I seem to hook up more often with these hooks than I do with the regular style of hooks," Taylor said. "Keeping my clients from grabbing the rod too quickly is important. When a big blue hits, many times the rod will just bow over and the fish is already loaded on and hooked up almost instantly. However, there are times when the catfish will bump the bait a couple times, and then just pick it up and slowly swim off. Sometimes the really big blues will do this. It's crucial that a person let the fish get totally hooked up before taking the rod out of the holder."

Because the strain on the rod holder can be extreme, Taylor uses the best he can find.

"I like the DriftMaster models," he said. "These rod holders are super strong and dependable. When a 40-, 50- or 60-pound blue catfish bows the rod down and swims off, the rod holder is a real key. If you lay the rod unattended on the gunnel of the boat, odds are great it will be snatched out of the boat and gone before you can react. The big blues often are very aggressive in the biting nature, even in the coldest part of the winter."

Taylor said that he will continue to move around until he finds a hotspot for the day. When he catches a big fish from a specific spot, he'll give that area even more time to produce another fish.

"When I catch one big fish, it's clear the conditions are right for the big blues," he said. "Most of the time, we'll get another big-fish bite or two from a place that produces a big fish. Sometimes, I get a bite very quickly after setting up on a spot, so be ready for a fish to bite at any time. If there's forage and a drop and you catch a big catfish, it's usually just a short while before another fish bites. Sometimes we'll double up, but that usually occurs later on in late winter and early spring when the smaller fish (10 to 20 pounds) begin to move in. However, if I go another 30 to 45 minutes with no action after a big-fish bite, it's time to move again."

If you're not familiar with Lake Wateree, I'd strongly suggest going with Taylor. He enjoys teaching folks how to do what he's doing with these big catfish as well as putting anglers on big fish. You can contact him on his Web site at www.catfishon.com, and the site also has photos of typical wintertime catches.

"Not a lot of fishermen have found out about this fishery yet, but it's a great catfish fishery, close to a lot of people," Taylor said. "And some of the best fishing of the year is when most fishermen aren't thinking about catfish, especially on Lake Wateree."