So I've always read that there is a good bite for channel cats right after the ice comes off when they feed on winter kill shad. I'm not much of a cat fisherman so I've never experienced it. I do have a pair of ponds close to my house that have good populations of shad and catfish. What areas should I target? How long after ice out does this bite stay good?

Wind blown banks are usually best. They'll get surprisingly shallow, 1-2 feet of water, looking for winter killed shad.

11 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Wind blown banks are usually best. They'll get surprisingly shallow, 1-2 feet of water, looking for winter killed shad.

Is this a bite that stays good for a few weeks or is it just a few days? My ice has been out about a week I'd guess

Couple weeks to a month. A big rain can mess it up, or it can fire it up even more.