Never fished for catfish? Dont know where to start? This article is for you!
Catfishing has increased in popularity at an alarming rate over the past ten years. This is largely due to the fact that some species of catfish can be found in almost any body of water in North America. To get started catching catfish you do not need a big fancy rod and reel or a tacklebox full of expensive lures. Below you will find some pointers on selecting a rod and reel, terminal tackle, and bait. With a little research and a small investment you could be catching cats on your first outing!
Rod and Reel
To get started catching catfish it isn't necessary to go out and spend 150 dollars on an extravagant rod and reel combo. If you are a fisherman, many of your current combos will probably work great to get you started. Ideally, you want a rod with medium-medium heavy action and a stout reel that can hold a fair amount of 20 lb test fishing line. With the eminent possibility of catching a large fish, an ultra-light or light action rod with 6 lb test is not a good choice for catfish. There are many "catfish" combos available online and at your local retailer that will be great to get you started. Many of these can be purchased for 20-30 dollars. Great starter combos are available at Walmart, Amazon.com, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, and other fine retailers.
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| Ugly Stik Catfish Combo. |
Fishing Line While the line that comes on many combos will catch fish, new line is one of the best upgrades you can make to your new rig. Choosing a line can be a little intimidating because there are an infinite number of choices, color, lb test, braid, mono, etc. There are a few things to consider when choosing a new line: where you will be fishing most often, size of your gear, size of the fish you are targeting, and the size of your reel. Braided line is a great choice because of its relatively small diameter, castability, and superior strength. Its only downfall is its lack of abrasion resistance. Do not grab braid with bare hands as many brands feel somewhat serrated, it can cause severe cuts. If you are fishing an area with alot of sharp rocks, braid may not be the right choice. Mono line has good abrasion resistance and its strength is comparable to a braid of the same test. Mono's major downfall is its memory. It tends to want to conform to the shape of the spool that it is on leading to poor castability and knotting. Choose your test by determining how much your reel will hold and by the size of the fish you are targeting. You will want a minimum of about 100 yards on your reel. If you are targeting fish 10lbs or less 20lb mono or braid should work nicely. If you are fishing heavy cover and/or are targeting monsters, braid or mono up to 100lb test can be used.
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| Berkley Big Game, PowerPro Braid. |
Knots are the link between you and your fish! It is very important to learn some basic fishing knots to ensure you do not loose fish due to a knot failure. Check out our knot page HERE.
Terminal Tackle (hooks, sinkers, swivels)
Choosing the correct terminal tackle can be just as daunting as picking a rod and reel or fishing line. There is such a wide array of hooks, sinkers and swivels its almost mind boggling. Here are a few ideas to make it a bit easier.
Hooks: To choose an appropriate hook, it helps to decide on a bait. A good starting point for j hooks and circle hooks is a 2/0 -4/0. This hook is large enough to accomodate a relatively large bait and will still fit in a smaller fish's mouth. If you are planning on going after monsters, using palm sized cut baits or large live baits, a larger hook 8/0 to 10/0 may be a better choice. If you are interested in using stink or dip baits there are many tubes and baitholders that are rigged and ready to go at your local tackle shop. Treble hooks can also be used for some baits such as liver, but they are commonly swallowed by catfish resulting in the loss of tackle or even killing the fish.
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| Circle hook, dip bait tube, j-hook, treble hook. |
Sinkers: Sinker choice will depend on a few things: rig choice, rod and reel capability, casting distance needed, and area you will be fishing. For most catfishing rigs you will need assorted sizes of egg, bank and no-roll sinkers. Most rods will have some sort of guide telling what weights of sinkers will work without causing damage. If you are fishing calm waters any of these sinkers may be used. When fishing in current such as rivers, streams, or dam outlets, no-rolls are a great option because they are designed not to be rolled around by the current. A good rule of thumb is to start out with 3/4-1oz and adjust according to the area you are fishing.
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| Bank sinker, no-roll sinker, egg sinker. |
Swivels: This one is a bit easier. Just match up size and strength of your swivels with your other gear. 1-2/0 swivels, without the snaps, is a great place to start. These are strong enough to handle just about any freshwater fish. Depending on your rig of choice, you may find it helpful to use a 3-way swivel for drift fishing or still fishing with a 3-way rig.
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| Three-way swivel, barrel swivel. |
Learn to tie the most commonly used catfishing rigs HERE.
Catfish Baits
There are hundreds, if not, thousands of baits that will work to catch catfish. From home-brewed concoctions, bait shop fare, and even items from your local grocier, catfish baits are readily available. Commercial dip and stink baits are available anywhere tackle is sold and are a great bait to get started catching cats. Easy to use, they play to the catfish's amazing sense of smell and can call in fish from great distances. Liver, shrimp, and fish available at the grocery are also great catfish producers. Nightcrawlers and minnows, available at your local bait shop, have been used forever to catch catfish. If you want to start getting into bigger catfish, catch your own bait at your favorite fishing lake. Nearly anything that lives in or near the water can be used for bait. Bluegill, frogs, crawdads, shad, and minnow can be caught in nearly any lake. They can be used live, dead, or even cut in to pieces.
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| Minnow, worms, Secret 7, bluegill. |
After getting down the basics, its all about putting in some fishing time and honing your technique. Find a fishing spot and maybe a partner and wet your line often.
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