Chad
Ferguson.
Owner and head guide of North Texas Catfish Guide Service, with 29 years of full-time guiding experience on Dallas–Fort Worth lakes and rivers. Featured in 200+ media stories, and clients have broken 29 state and water-body catfish records.
29 years
on the water.
I've been fishing the lakes around Fort Worth for as long as I can remember, and I've been a full-time professional catfish guide for 29 years. Catfishing isn't a hobby or a side gig for me — it's my livelihood, my profession, and the life I've built for my family running North Texas Catfish Guide Service.
I've spent thousands of days on the water learning seasonal patterns, weather changes, fish behavior, and how the lakes I fish set up day to day. My job is simple: put people on fish. Whether you've never held a rod before or you're chasing the biggest catfish of your life, I work to read the conditions, locate active fish, and give you the best opportunity possible to catch them.
When clients step onto my boat, they're not getting a weekend guide who fishes occasionally. They're fishing with someone who lives this every single day. We're based on Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth, our home water. Other North Texas lakes are available by request, depending on season and scheduling.
Outside of guiding, I run Catfish Edge, design products for Whisker Seeker Tackle and manage their marketing, host fishing shows for Fox Sports Outdoors, and contribute regularly to outdoor publications including In-Fisherman, Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, and Texas Monthly. I've published over 100 podcast episodes and 375 YouTube videos teaching anglers how to catch more catfish.
But at the end of the day, the place I'd still rather be is on the water — watching rods load up and people make memories they'll talk about for years.
Who I Am & What We Do.
I'm Chad Ferguson, owner of North Texas Catfish Guide Service — a fully licensed and insured guide service helping anglers catch channel, blue and flathead catfish on Dallas–Fort Worth lakes since January 1998. I founded the company after nearly a decade as a paramedic, and I've been a full-time professional catfish guide for 29 years.
I run guided catfish trips across North Texas: typical catch-and-clean days, trophy blue and flathead trips, and teaching trips for anglers who want to learn. All bait, rods, reels and tackle are provided. You bring a valid Texas fishing license and whatever you want to eat, plus water or soft drinks. No alcohol on the boat at any time.
I guide from a 2026 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide Patriot. Rods, reels and tackle are covered on the catfish guide gear page.
Why Anglers Look for Us
North Texas Catfish Guide Service is the longest-running dedicated catfish guide service in Texas. Clients travel from across the country for a real guide day — not a vague "maybe we'll catch something" outing. The business is built on repeat and referral customers; people who booked with us in the early years are still fishing with us.
Our foundation is honesty. If you call wanting a trophy flathead or trophy blue and it's a poor time of year for that goal, we'll tell you. We're upfront about what you can reasonably expect by season, lake and species — we want you to leave happy and want to come back.
Hands-On. Clear Expectations.
I own and operate the service and personally guide the vast majority of our trips. That hands-on approach keeps service consistent and expectations clear. Each trip is tailored to what you want to accomplish, with the same goal every time: a safe, enjoyable day on a roomy catfish boat.
What We Provide
- All bait
- All rods, reels and terminal tackle
- A fully equipped guide boat and experienced guide
- Keeper fish cleaning on standard trips; trophy trips carry an extra cleaning charge
The Boat and Gear (2026)
A 2026 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide Patriot, purpose-built for guide work. It fishes 6 anglers comfortably (trophy trips up to 4), with room to move, fight fish and stretch your legs. Boat, bait, tackle, gear and instruction are included. Layout, power and electronics are on the boat page; rods, reels and rigs are on the gear page.
Tell Us What You Want.
Typical Guided Fishing Trips
A classic day: get on the water, catch fish, enjoy the lake and go home with a good story — often with fish cleaned for the table. These trips can focus on any catfish species: eating-size fish in the 1–10 lb range, mixed bags, or chances at larger fish when conditions allow. Cleaning is included.
Trophy Catfish Trips
Focused on the biggest catfish in Texas waters — blue and flathead catfish. These days are about size, not numbers, and a trophy can't be guaranteed. We'll be honest about seasonal odds before you book. Cleaning on trophy trips is available for an extra charge.
Teaching Trips
For anglers who want to learn while they fish — baits, rigs, where and when to fish, reading sonar, and patterning channels, blues and flatheads. There are no secrets on our boat; we cover as much as you want to absorb.
Compare prices, lengths and seasons on the trip options page.
Home Water, Plus Options.
Where We Fish
Eagle Mountain Lake is our home water and is always available. By request, depending on season and scheduling:
If another lake is a better fit for your goals or the time of year, we'll say so. See where we fish.
What We Fish For
Seasonal, when conditions and regulations allow: white bass and hybrid striped bass and crappie.
Deep Texas Roots. Catfish Only.
My connection to Texas goes back a lot further than I ever realized.
My family has been in Texas since the early 1800s. My great-great-great-grandfather, Edward Taylor Wingate, fought in the Battle of Goliad, survived after being shot and crippled, and later served again in the Mexican War. That history was passed quietly through generations of my family, and I only recently learned the full story through a hand-carved walnut box my father made sure I didn't lose before he passed away.
So when I say I'm a native Texan, there's a little more behind it than where I was born.
I grew up in the Dallas–Fort Worth area and have been fishing as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest memories are fishing Possum Kingdom Lake with my father and grandfather.
I spent a stretch chasing bass before realizing I didn't enjoy the constant chunking and winding of lure fishing. By the mid-1990s, I'd narrowed my focus to catfish, and eventually that obsession became a career after I left nearly a decade of work as a paramedic.
Nearly 30 years later, catfish are still what I do.
Most of my time is spent catching them on North Texas lakes, whether I'm guiding clients or fishing on my own. When I'm not on the water, I'm usually writing about catfishing, producing videos, designing and testing fishing tackle, working on outdoor media projects, or spending time outside with my family.
I've been happily married to my wife, Leanne, for 30 years, and we have two grown kids, Lane and Ava.
Texas, family and fishing have been tied together in my life for as long as I can remember.
Turns out they were tied together long before I got here.
Catfish Edge, Whisker Seeker & Outdoor Media
- I founded Learn To Catch Catfish in 2009 as a resource for catfish anglers across the United States. What began as a late-night project grew into one of the most popular and respected catfishing sites online, and I turned it into Catfish Edge.
- I design, develop and market Whisker Seeker products — rods, reels, line and terminal tackle I use on guided trips.
- I work as an outdoor writer, photographer and television contributor, with writing, TV, photography and fishing reports in In-Fisherman, Outdoor Life and more, along with books and other outdoor media projects. See the full media list.
Media and product work have grown in recent years, but the guide service remains the foundation. The boat, the lakes and the customers are still where the real-world testing happens.
525+ Five-Star
Reviews.
Real reviews from real clients, straight from Google.
"One of the best days I have had fishing in my life! Chad had us catching fish within the first 5 minutes on the water, and it did not stop until our time was up. Chad clearly knows his stuff and he knows the lake like the back of his hand. DO NOT hesitate to book a trip — you will not regret it."
"His boat is awesome — top of the line and comfortable. I do a lot of fishing, and Chad's knowledge of the lake and where the fish would be was unmatched. He was a professional and went above and beyond. We slayed them. My buddy even caught about a 27-pound blue cat on light tackle."
"Best fishing guide service. Never disappointing trip. We have done like 6 trips. Will continue. If you are looking for a fun fishing trip, Chad F is the person to call."
We'd Rather Lose a Booking Than Set the Wrong Expectation.
Call about a trophy trip in a tough window and we'll tell you. Ask for a numbers day when the bite is slow and we'll say what we're seeing. Prefer a lake that isn't fishing well for your goal? We'll explain why another option may be better. That's why so much of our business is referrals and repeats — people trust the answer, even when it's "not this month for that fish."
North Texas Catfish Guide Service · 6600 Peden Road, Fort Worth, TX 76179 · 817-522-3804
Chad Ferguson &
the Guide Service.
Chad Ferguson is a native Texan and the owner of North Texas Catfish Guide Service. He founded the company in 1998 after a career as a paramedic and has guided catfish full-time in the Dallas–Fort Worth area for 29 years. He founded Learn To Catch Catfish and turned it into Catfish Edge, designs, develops and markets Whisker Seeker products, and works in outdoor media focused on catfishing.
Yes. txcatfishguide.com is the official site for Chad Ferguson's North Texas Catfish Guide Service — trips, boat and gear information, and booking.
Since 1998. Chad has 29 years of professional catfish guide experience built on that full-time guiding career. It is the longest-running dedicated catfish guide service in Texas.
Yes. All bait, rods, reels and tackle are provided. Bring a valid Texas fishing license, weather-appropriate clothing, and any food and non-alcoholic drinks you want (no alcohol at any time) for the day. Gear details are on the catfish guide gear page.
Chad's primary guide boat is a 2026 26-foot SeaArk Pro Guide Patriot. Full specs and electronics are on the catfish guide boat page.
Typical catch-focused guided trips (fish cleaning included), trophy blue and flathead trips (fish cleaning available for an extra charge), and teaching trips for anglers who want to learn baits, rigs, electronics and patterning. Trips are tailored to what you want to accomplish.
Dallas–Fort Worth area waters including Eagle Mountain Lake, Lake Worth, Lake Lewisville, Lake Grapevine, Lake Ray Roberts, Benbrook Lake and Lake Bridgeport, with flexibility for other waters by arrangement. Lake choice depends on season, conditions and your goals. See where we fish.
Primarily channel catfish, blue catfish (including trophy blues) and flathead catfish, plus seasonal white bass/sand bass, crappie and hybrid striped bass when conditions allow.
Chad owns and operates the service and personally guides the vast majority of trips on North Texas lakes.
Use the booking page at txcatfishguide.com/book. Tell us your preferred dates, party size, trip type and goals so we can match you to the right day and water.
Pro Boat.
Pro Gear.
The brands Chad represents, designs for, and runs every day on the water.
Ready to wet a line?
Peak season fills 30–60 days out. Lock yours in now.