Catfish Sinkers
10 Things You Need to Go Catfish Fishing
Ready to go catfish angling? You do not need much equipment and it will not cost you a fortune. I am going to give you a list of what I believe to be the bare minimum catfish gear needed to fish from the bank and how to set your catfish rig. Ok, we are going to start with what you have to have.
1 Fishing rod 61/2 to 7 ft medium/heavy action
2 Fishing reel, type is your choice but if is the first time I suggest a spin casting model
3 Fishing line, your reel should have 8-10lb test line
4 Assorted sinkers, should include egg and split sinkers
5 Assorted bait hoots, sizes 6-1/0
6 Small package of corks or bobbers
7 Leaders, at least a half dozen 12-24 inches in length
8 Bait, zillions of choices here but suggest a tub of chicken livers and a tub of night crawlers
9 Small scissors, need something to cut your line.
10 Pliers, needle nose are the best. You will need to take the hook out of the catfish
That is it, bare minimum and you can not keep any of the catfish you catch. Ok, want a little bit more than the bare minimum, here are some accessories I am fond of for bank fishing.
1 Chair, much softer and more comfortable than a rock or log
2 Rod holders, a good stick with a Y at the top will work. Mine is homemade from pipe. You have to have someway to set your rod down if you are going to be there for any length of time.
3. Cooler, I have to have my soda. Mine is very small only holds 6 cans and a couple of sandwiches.
4 Tackle box, you do not need a big one but you do need something to keep and carry your tackle in
5 Stringer, if you want to keep the catfish you catch you will need this.
6 Lantern, much easier to rig your gear at night if you have a lantern. Turn it off though when you do not need it.
7 Glow sticks, you can find these for the end of your rod for about a dollar and they will work several hours
Pack everything above in advance and you can carry it from your vehicle to the bank in one trip.
Now its time to set up your catfish rig. I am going to assume that you have the reel on the rod and the line is through the eyes on the rod. Slip a 3-5 oz egg sinker onto the line. Tie a 12-18" lead onto the line using the Palomar knot. Simply put the leader though instead of the hook as shown. Clip your hook onto the leader and bait the hook.
Your ready. Cast it into the water and wait for the catfish to bite. If you have a glow stick and do not want to hold your rod all the time attach it to the tip and you will be able to see it when you get a bite. Do not get discouraged if you do not catch something your first time out. Catfish are very good at stealing your bait so reel it in every 20-30 minutes and check your bait. If the blood is out of the liver change it. Cast again into a slightly different location. GOOD LUCK!
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
where to buy "catfish walker" sinkers?
This is a sinker that resembles a T. The weight is at the bottom of the T and two small lines with hooks hang from both sides of the top of the T..but keeps the bait off the bottom.-
ANSWER:
Well, if what you are trying to do is keep the bait off the bottom, use what I call a wolf river rig. I've enclosed a link, but you can easily make your own.
http://www.peterson-outdoors.com/WolfRiverRig.htm
This place carries a lot of do it your self supplies, just in case you don't have any stores close by that carry what you what.
http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/fishing-sinkers-rattles/
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QUESTION:
What bait can i use for channel catfish when i use a sliding sinker rig?
What bait would be good thanks-
ANSWER:
You can use pretty much anything. Crawlers, minnows, shrimp, crawdads, chicken livers, or your own version of stink bait. You gotta get out and try. In some places they may like on thing in others they may want another. Wikipedia has some baits listed but if you can find a recipe for a stink bait online i would try that.
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QUESTION:
What do i need to do to get my catfish in my pond to bite?
I have tried using magic bait crawdad and chicken blood on a bobber. I have tried using an egg sinker and fishing on the bottom using the magic bait too. What else can i try to do/use to catch catfish in my pond?-
ANSWER:
chicken liver, dough ballls, goldfish, any stink bait. Pond fishing is some of the easiest. Cats rely on scent, so anything sticky will attract them.
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QUESTION:
What is a good bait for about 1-10lb catfish up in northern new jersey?
I use worms on a slip sinker rig. Any other better rig that I can use? I fish in a pond and reservoir with little to no current. Lots of bass and sunfish, and I fish from the shore. The whole shore is rip raps with no visible structure in the water
Also, how do I prepare bluegill as cutbait? steaks or 1 inch chunks?-
ANSWER:
Try small shad, herring, bluefish (yes,bluefish) shiners and bunker. Chop, or cut the fish in half and put it on a small circle hook. You can use these baits in all of our rivers, ponds and lakes for catfish. The larger baits you may want to cut into smaller chunks. If you are bothered by the smaller catfish and turtles eating your bait, use a larger bait and up to a # 7 circle hook. I've caught 10 lb. channel cats on 13" bunker fishing for stripers. Remember, catfish locate food by scent. Tight lines & catch some big ones!!!
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QUESTION:
what kind of tackle do i use to catch catfish? weights? lures? bobbers?
i dont know if i use sinkers or bobbers or weights to use to catch catfish. can anyone help?
the place i want to go fishing for catfish is parkway lake-
ANSWER:
here is what you should need.
1/2 to 1oz weight
medium size barrel swivels
6/0 hook
night crawlers or chicken liver1. cut a piece of line 8-10inches from your fishing pole
2.tie hook to one end of cut line,tie swivel to the other end. you now have yourself a leader.
3.slide weight onto line connected to fishing pole
4.tie leader to line.
it should look as follows from rod tiprod tip
line
weight
swivel
line
hook
1 now hook worm onto hook . be sure to hook worm several times as to only leave tips of worm less than an inch long but still able to wiggle a little bit.
2 now cast into deep water.
3 continue as I instructed in your last question to work in a fan motion. this is one of the most sure-fire ways to catch cats and one of the easiest way to rig up .
When you do catch a cat, be very careful taking them off the hook. their fins have spins that can cause infection if you get poked. Grab them firmly under the belly with your thumb and forefinger firmly against but behind the two pectoral fins. You do not want to be stuck.If you had any more questions, you could email me at guyservices2008@yahoo.com I have catfished all my life and am starting to do competitive catfishing. I would be more than happy to get anyone into the overlooked sport of catfishing.
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Categories: Catfishing Tags: catfish, catfish recipes, fishing tackle, sinkers urban dictionary, sinkers vs floaters, sinkers.org
Catfish Catching
Trouble Catching Catfish?
Catching catfish is supposed to be easy. You can use about anything and they will eat it. You have followed the advice of all the experts. Maybe even me. You have a good rod and reel. You maybe even have three or four of them in the water. So why aren't you catching any catfish.
There are a few things you might be doing wrong. Maybe you or someone your with is tossing rocks into the water or maybe you are wading in the water. Catfish scare easily and will leave quickly if they sense danger. Even you shadow on the water can spook them.
You may not have the right bait. Catfish like stinky bait. Cut bait, chicken livers, shrimp, cheese and night crawlers are some of the most common baits used. My preference is cut baits but that doesn't always work either. It's always a good idea to have a few choices available and switch them up if you aren't getting any bites.
Are you getting bites but no takers? Your hook might be too big. Experiment with a couple of different hook sizes and see what works. A few two to five pound catfish are better than zero unless all you want to do is to catch is the big one. I have caught many catfish over ten pounds with a number two hook, which many catfish anglers will tell you is too small, while filling my stringer with the smaller ones.
Maybe your hook stinks. aBut waita you say aisn't my bait supposed to stink?a Yes, your bait is supposed to stink but your hook is not. If you smoke, have suntan lotion or insect repellent on your hands the scent can be transferred to your hook and line. Catfish have an extra sensitive sense of smell and they may not like what they are smelling.
Still not catching catfish? Try another location.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
I need recommendations for catching catfish and bass in the following place:?
I live in a subdivision that has small man made canals running through the subdivision. Every house has their own small little peer to fish off of. The canals are stocked with fish. I can easily catch the perch but am having trouble catching the catfish and bass. Can somebody give me some suggestions? Where should I cast my line? What is the best bait etc...? It's catch and release so I just want to feel what it's like to catch something a little bit bigger than a perch.-
ANSWER:
Where to look-Where turbulent and smooth surface water meet.
Look for underwater structure such as a tree, or dock pile ons,... fish under and around the docks.
Look for shady area's in the daytime.
If you can see where the underwater ground drops off into deeper water, fish that area.
If you see a nest or hole in the ground under water, fish in and around them.
Bait-
Stick a golfball sized cheesy garlic dough ball out there a few times on a 2/0 or 3/0 hook and see what happens.
Split a perch in half and put it on a hook and see what happens.
Or just use the head, or side of a perch and see what happens.
If you don't get a bite after 15 minutes, use a fresh piece of bait.
I like the Broke back shad as a lure. (Jointed shad rap)
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QUESTION:
What is the best setup for catching catfish?
I fish in a lake and was wondering if anyone had any advice for catching catfish...e.g, bait, type of hook, line setup etc...thanks
Thanks for the advice "MRG" I will try some of those setups..does it matter at all that I am not fishing off of a boat??-
ANSWER:
Even though I have been fishing for Catfish for the past 20 years, I am no expert & will admit as such. However, I would advise you to try the following bait when fishing for any type of Catfish, be they blue, Channel or Bulls.1) Anchovies - 1" cubes should work just fine depending on the size of the Cats you are going after, which will give you about 4 or 5 pieces of bait per typical sized anchovy. Stripers like anchovies as well so you may be fighting them off.
2) Beef or Chicken liver - Are excellent, smelly bait that Cats love. However, Chicken liver is a very delicate bait, so be careful when you cast. The fresher the bait, the better. If the liver is frozen, it's not going to stay on the hook very well at all. Thawing it seems to greatly weaken it's integrity. Stripers like it as well, so...
3) Nightcrawlers - What fish does not like worms??
4) Live minnows - Catfish love live minnows. They really like shad.
5) Crawdads - It's a hard decision to make. Catch the crawdads to use as bait for to use as my dinner... Cats have been known to go a little nuts if you hook a live crawdad to your hook. Even been known to line up in a straight line waiting to be the next to scarf the bait as soon as you cast it.
6) Shrimp & Squid both work well, as both are more or less smelly. I have had great luck catching Catfish on the small shrimp that you would find to come on like shrimp salad. You can buy it for around or for about a 1/2lb to a 1lb tub at your local supermarket in the seafood dept. A 1/2lb tub should give you about 50+ small shrimp, though if they have been previously frozen, they may not stay on the hook all that well & thus you will need to be careful casting. You can use larger shrimp as well, though the cost goes up. Then again, if you aren't catching fish & get the munchies...
Depending on how strong the current is, will be the deciding factor for the "weight" of the weight I use. The below links show pics of the various ways I have my line setup.
1) http://www.luresonline.com/images/dropshot/crappie.gif
2) http://www.arkieprince.com/images/bottom.jpg
3) http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/tips/Surf_Fishing/photos/basic_bottom_rig1.jpgEnjoy & Good Luck!
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QUESTION:
Does the Berkley catfish bait really work? Whats your catfish catching secret?
I have no luck fishing with Berkleys dough cat fish baits. Everytime I put a worm back on my hook I get nibbles. Is this bait false advertisement?
What are your secrets to fishing catfish off a shore? What kind of baits or techniques do you use?-
ANSWER:
Personally I like stink baits. I have the most luck with them. If I don't have stink bait on hand then I prefer chicken livers. I always use a treble hook and a fairly heavy weight as catfish are bottom feeders for the most part. And last but not least, I usually fish for catfish at night.
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QUESTION:
I have a catfish question. I have heard alot about cut baits and that they work great for catching catfish?
and i was wondering if you catch a fish and it swallows the hook and dies will that fish work for cut bait. so will any fish work as cut bait for catching catfish.-
ANSWER:
Rocker,
Yes any species works for cut bait. I usually catch a couple of panfish bluegill or bass first. Then use them for bait. Works great.
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QUESTION:
I am catching catfish with 3 horns on there head?
I am fishing in a small hole that runs into a under water cave and i am catching catfish with 3 little horns on there head. what type is this.-
ANSWER:
It is a BULLHEAD CATFISH (AKA mud-cat, yellow belly, yellow cat, etc.) their a small species of the catfish family. Usually don't get over around 5 lbs. Are pretty tasty if prepared right. They are a species of rough fish, which includes bullhead, carp, suckers, gar, etc. I love catching these little ole bullheads.Happy fishing.
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Catfish Fishing Rods
Catfish Rods - Recommended Rods
When choosing catfish rods, you need to be quite careful in making your choice. Depending upon the type and size of catfish you plan to fish for, you may need to be especially concerned with the strength of your rod and its ability to hold strong as you reel in your catch.
As with most fishing gear, catfish rods come in all strengths and price ranges.
For example, the Berkley Reflex 2nd Generation ranges between -23 and is offered with three casting and three spinning options. It can handle up to 40 pound test and 8 ounces of bait. In comparison to the original model, it's obvious why this one is so inexpensive; the design was changed drastically, leaving the rod itself much stiffer with fewer rod size options and a lack of scotchlite on the guide wraps.
However, one improvement is the cork handle. While it is affordable, the rod is limited to almost exclusively fishing for large Blue catfish and Flatheads.
If you are looking for catfish rods that are affordable and give you excellent visibility into the wee hours for nighttime angling, you may want to check out the Berkley Glowstick. It is distributed in four spinning and four casting options, made of E-Glass, and uses 3 AAA batteries to provide 40 hours of glow for use in the dark.
It has a cork handle and can use up to 30 pound test. The rod itself provides great action, and with its long-term glow ability and several sizes available, this rod, costing around , is a quality option for almost any angler.
Jim Moyer's "The Boss" comes in four different casting options. Jim Moyer was the designer of the Berkley E-Cat, and this is a continuation of his specialty series of catfish rods.
It is made of high grade E-Glass with a cork handle with trigger and a heavy duty reel seat. The two smaller rods have titanium glides, while the two larger are constructed with stainless steel glides.
While the actual rating varies depending upon the exact model, this rod can potentially handle up to 40 pound test. The two larger rods are great for medium and large rivers and can pull even the largest Flatheads out of the timbers, while the two smaller are viable for channel cats and small Blues.
This particular "specialty" rod will cost you around , which is more than most rods on the market, but the extremely high quality makes it worth every penny.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
What would be a cost effective catfish fishing rod and reel combo?
I am starting out ,so the expensive stuff like the AG 6500 will have to wait till I get more experience. What time do the channel cats typically bite , the big ones of course-
ANSWER:
ugly stik always works fine for me, whether on the river or lake. if you fish on a lake, dusk is your best bet, and night crawlers will do just fine. on a river, i would recommend chicken livers tied to a hook with fishing line, although depending on where you live and what spot's you fish, you may end up with a lot of baby stripers as they also love chicken livers.
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QUESTION:
Fishing rod, reel & line for Catfish..?
Im trying to put together a catfish fishing outfit (rod/reel/line).The rod & reel will be used in the aqueducts, with cut bait & chicken liver, and are usually thrown with a 1 oz weight. I'll probably use 12# line, on a Shimano Seinna 4000 reel; is this sufficient? What brand/type/weight of line is recommended?
As for the rod, I was thinking about a 7', because I dont need to cast too far, and in a MH action, for the backbone. It also needs to be a 2 pc rod for ease of transport. Here is what Ive found so far:
-Cabela's King Kat (CKKS702), 7' MH, 12-25 line,
-Berkley Glowstik Catfish (GSS702M), 7' M, 10-20 line, 1/2-3 lure,
-Shakespeare Wild Cat Catfish (WCATS70MH), 7' MH, 12-25 line, 1/2-3 lure,
-Shakespeare Ugly Stik Catfish (UCSP110270), 7' MH, 15-30 line, 3/8-3 lure,
-Shakespeare Ugly Stik Bigwater (BWS110070), 7' M, 10-25 line, 1/2-3 lure,
-Shakespeare Ugly Stik Tiger (BWS2201-270), 7' M, 10-50 line, 1/2-6 lure,They all have pretty good reviews. I know I cant go wrong with a Shakespeare; the Wild Cat and Ugly Stik Catfish rods have a very attractive price. Im ordering from Cabela's soon, so adding one of their King Kat rods is easy, but is it worth it (over the Shakespeares)? The Berkley Glowstik looks interesting; it lights up and glows in the dark. But how good is the rod?
Any, and all help/suggestions, are appreciated and welcomed. Thanks in advance.
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ANSWER:
Yeah a 4000-size reel and 12lb line sounds about efficient. I'd probably put 12lb Berkley Big Game on there, but a 40lb braid would work even better. I have the Berkley Glowstik and it's a decent rod, has a ton of backbone but is heavy and I think it needs a bit larger reel to balance better. Not that you need a Catfish rod & reel to balance at all, but it just would feel awkward to hold a small reel (compared to the rod) on the Glowstik. I've handled the Ugly Stik Catfish rods and they would be your best bet. The Bigwater's & Tiger's are great but their sizes are more tuned toward very large fish. The Wild Cat would be an okay rod and the King Kat would be okay but the best for what you need would be the Ugly Stik Cat rod.
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QUESTION:
Will light action rods be effective for channel catfish fishing?
I am having trouble detecting their bites and they have been sneaky so I was thinking about light action instead of medium-
ANSWER:
Try the Carolina-rig. Catfish, or any other fish for that matter, can't feel resistance of a sinker when they take your bait when you use a Carolina-rig, more commonly called a "slip-rig" in the Catfishing world.A light-action rod is not going to help you at all, it will have more flex, which will lead into insufficient hook-sets on those tough-mouthed Catfish. I'd recommend a Medium or Medium-Heavy rod rated from about 8 to 17lb or 10 to 20lb line. For smaller, eater-sized Channels, a Medium will have more flex, making the fight more enjoyable.
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QUESTION:
What are those big and tall fishing rods people use at dams to catch catfish called?
help?!?!?-
ANSWER:
They could quite possibly be Surf Rods. Surf Rods are often thicker, stiffer, and much more durable than other fishing equipment and I see it is most common that an uninformed fisherman will often buy the heaviest duty pole possible. This isnt always the best practice.On the other hand it is not uncommon for people to fish dams for catfish with a Cane Pole. Cane Poles are popular for both Catfish and Panfish. Cane Poles are often bamboo but can also be any old tree branch in the woods with some fishing line tied to the end. You dont really cast a cane pole, it is much longer to get that range but often catfish are laying on the bottom of the lake and eating anything oily, bloody, or smelly.
There's a great chance it could be a cane pole, but surf poles are commonly seen also.
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QUESTION:
What is the best fishing rod and wheel for catching carp and catfish both?
I'm going fishing for carp and catfish and want to buy one good rod without spending a trillion dollars...Please help.-
ANSWER:
Any rod and reel, I have caught many on line wrapped around a can, turn the can facing water spin weight and bait overhead and let fly then retrieve by winding line around the can you can make some really long casts this way.
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Free Catfish Bait Recipes
Make Your Own Fish Bait With Common Household Ingredients
If you would like to increase the chance of catching more fish in your next excursion, you might want to consider making your own fish bait. Why? If you look at the store bought baits, there are only a few brands. Imagine going to your favorite fishing hole and the majority of the baits cast into the water are from the same company.
The fish won’t have much of a choice but being attracted to the same store bought bait. Now imagine if you brought along fish bait that you made yourself. Your bait will stick out like a sore thumb from the other baits and the fish will seek you out.
Making your own fish bait is not only easy, it is fun and cheap. You can make the bait with your children and share the fun the next day catching fish knowing that you made the bait yourself. You can make pounds of bait for literally pennies and keep the unused portion in the freezer for months.
There is going to be some experimentation on your part. However, I have included the more popular ingredients and descriptions found in homemade baits. When you are making your bait, make sure to write everything down because if you fill your stringer full of fish, you want to be able to duplicate the winning formula.
Most of the following ingredients can be found at a well stocked grocer and feel free to experiment with other ingredients not listed below. Also, these ingredients are commonly found in trout baits so I would like to advise you that you will probably have more success utilizing these ingredients for catching trout.
Also, this list is not the end all be all of ingredients. Feel free to add your own ingredients. Who knows, you may find an ingredient that no one has even considered.
1) Uncooked oatmeal – popular as a base (keeps all the ingredients together in a doughy mixture)
2) White bread – also popular as a base
3) Water – required in most cases to help make the mixture workable
4) Garlic salt – found in most store bought baits (probably a good idea if you used it also)
5) Garlic powder – similar to salt but may alter the fish attractant properties
6) Mini marshmallows – also found in store bought baits (helpful for flotation purposes)
7) Can of tuna – found in many homemade bait recipes. Maybe the old timers know something.
Anise oil extract – almost a requirement for trout bait
9) Red food coloring – it seems color attracts along with smell and taste
10) Yellow food coloring – same
11) Cheese – I’ve seen recipes with American and especially Velveeta cheese
12) Ziploc bags – great for mixing your ingredients, storage, and taking to fishing hole.
I hope this information gives you a great head start in developing your own homemade secret fish bait. Just remember to have fun.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Catching Catfish Bait
Use The Best Catfishing Bait And Catch Huge Catfish
Different types of catfishing baits are available in fish bait stores, or if you prefer you could just make them at home. If you are trying to get the best out of your fishing, you need to have a good idea of what type of bait to use. After all, the bait is the most important thing while fishing.
About catfish
Catfish are bottom feeders. This means that they tend to stay at the bottom-most level of the water hole. Catfish are generally carnivorous. They will eat any live animal, so it is best to use that type of bait to catch them. The difference between which bait you should use depends on what type of area you are fishing. Fresh water catfish are more abundant and easier to catch than other salt water, coastal catfish.
What's the water look like?
The water environment, whether there are rough waves or the water is calm, also affects your decision about which bait to use. If you plan on fishing in calm lake water, using bobbers, then your best catfishing bait choice would be using cut bait.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
what is the best bait for catching catfish?
hi i was wondering what the best bait to use for catching catfish is in your opinion-
ANSWER:
MY best luck has come with nightcrawlers.
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QUESTION:
Does the Berkley catfish bait really work? Whats your catfish catching secret?
I have no luck fishing with Berkleys dough cat fish baits. Everytime I put a worm back on my hook I get nibbles. Is this bait false advertisement?
What are your secrets to fishing catfish off a shore? What kind of baits or techniques do you use?-
ANSWER:
Personally I like stink baits. I have the most luck with them. If I don't have stink bait on hand then I prefer chicken livers. I always use a treble hook and a fairly heavy weight as catfish are bottom feeders for the most part. And last but not least, I usually fish for catfish at night.
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QUESTION:
What bait works best for catching catfish in the Mississippi River?
If there is a specific rig that works better depending on the bait, please also include the rig. But to give an exact location of where on the Mississippi, it's going to be between Alton and Elsah. It will be shore/surf fishing.-
ANSWER:
I'd just use some stink bait. Catfish have a highly sensitive sense of smell and can track down stink bait at great ranges.
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QUESTION:
what is the best bait for catching catfish on a river?
i live in missouri and i do not live close to the missouri river or the mississippi river so the large rivers are out of the question. the main river around here is about 180mile long and is feed buy a lake at one end and leads to a lake at the other and i'm right in the middle. the water is kinda muddy brown color most of the time and about 15 to 40 ft deep in most places around here. any suggestions-
ANSWER:
just curious.
which river exactly is that? seems very deep for one that short.
but yes, find the deepest holes with the biggest log jams and those are your cat spots. chunks of gizzard shad, bluegill, sucker or carp will all work. whole smaller shad.
stink baits and dip or punch baits are in their element in those slow moving rivers.
try some live bluegills for some big, mean flathead cats. muddy water is fine. check also where another smaller creek enters the river.
most of those missouri rivers carry a host of other fish species also. even the small ones. but most likely will have a ton of one to ten lb channel cats.
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QUESTION:
Best catfish bait and if its a dough bait please give recipe?
I wanna know the best bait and the hook for the bait how should i hook the bait to make ot work best also the weight and pretty much everything for that bait for catching catfish-
ANSWER:
Catfish hunt with smell AND their lateral line(movement).Slowly bleeding live bait fish (hook through it usually does the job).
Any food you have that smells HORRIBLE works. I had OLD hot dogs work, worms always work (size doesn't matter with the worms, cats love them), and shrimp. The shrimp can smell horrible as hell, be dead as a door nail, and they will LOVE it.
Like they all say, cats love the bottom of the water you fish on.
I usually drop the bait to the BOTTOM of the water (if you can without getting snagged on logs) and roll my reel up twice... Takes it a foot or so off the bottom right into the catfish's face.
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How To Make Homemade Catfish Bait
How to Use Catfish Traps
Catfish traps are regulated or prohibited in many states. Before learning how to use catfish traps you should know the regulations for your area ahead of time. The reason for them being regulated so stringently regulated is that channel catfish must be able to move to breathe. If they can't breath they suffocate and die. You must also take responsibility for how you use the catfish traps. If you use the catfish trap to catch channel catfish for food that is fine but if you place the trap you must check it at least every 12 hours.
There are two types of catfish traps that are commonly used. One is a box made from wood slats with the entrance on one end across the bottom. The entrance into the box is angled out from the box. Another type is a box made from heavy wire mesh with a funnel made of wire at one end that narrows to a small opening in side the box. Both traps work by guiding the catfish through a small opening into the box. Whichever one you choose make sure it is big enough for the size fish you intend to trap. Big catfish are strong and can move a small trap especially if they have current helping them.
Once you have choosing what type of trap you will be using you need to decide on what bait you will be using. A lot of people use dog food. It does not cost much as a large supply can be purchased for fewer than ten dollars. Some of the other baits used are cheese, chicken livers, stink baits, and anything else you would normally use to fish for channel catfish. Another bait that seems to work very well is canned cat food but since cat food dissolves rapidly the best way to use it is to poke holes in the can and place the can in the trap.
That is all there is to it. Now you know how to use catfish traps. If it is legal in your area and you decide to use a catfish trap be responsible and check it as often as possible. Do not leave it in the water if you are not going to check it. Fish will swim into it and die.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
Do you buy catfish bait or make homemade bait for catfish?
We make our own homemade bait very powerful bait 100 time better than Shad, worm, chicken liver in all above even better than Sunny D too.. Amazing bait.. How make it??
Think like your calender Season
January to March little sweet, April to Aug no sweet, Sept-Oct. more sweet Nov-Dec very sweet think like that look at all cool aid for kid which ones are very sweet and less sweet no add sugar!!! no add water!! just powder alone you learn it add them to chicken liver frozen do not leave on over night and sun get it burn cooked let it stay fresh red blood mix with powder when you thew it watch out big catfish will eat your boat up crazy over it...I am not kidding..one came knock my boat over...one night..-
ANSWER:
i have found that velveta cheese catches some monsters all year round!
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QUESTION:
Is there any way to catch nightcrawlers during day?Do you know any easy to make homemade catfish baits too?
If not tell me more on how to catch them?I don't wake up till around 1 in the afternoon and then I decide...I wanna go fishing.I'm running out of money so I need to find a way to catch nightcrawlers.Thanks,
Cutter Klown-
ANSWER:
When I was a little kid my uncle and I would catch night crawlers any time of day or night using this method. We would use a 12 volt car battery and a pair of jumper cables and two 12 in steel rods (small rebar would work, too). Step one is to find an area where night crawlers are prevalent... usually grassy area that are moist all the time. Step two, sink the two steel rods as deep as you can push them. Six inches should be deep enough. Space them about 2-4 feet apart. Step three, attach the jumper cables to battery and then (+) to one rod and (-) to the other rod. The night crawlers hate the current and come out of the ground. It may takes a couple of minutes before you see any, so be patient.
I have never been shocked but I have heard of it happening. Just to be safe quickly detach the positive cable from the battery before you grab the night crawlers.
Try several areas to get enough for your fishing outing.
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QUESTION:
Just a quick question regarding carp bait.?
Hi, I live near Lake Michigan and as a lot of you probably already know the carp in there are large and plentiful and given a certain amount of patience they are willing biters. I just have one problem. I've been using a commercial bait called "Uncle Josh Carp Bait" There's no doubt it's a good bait because it's bright colored, releases scent into the water nicely and it's easy to form into a dough-ball but the particular container of bait I bought was pretty soft and it's very hard to get it to stay on the hook. On the back of the tub it says that if the bait is too soft to mix it with fine dirt. I might try that as a last resort but in the mean time I'm searching for alternate methods. Does anybody know how to make an affective homemade carp bait that's nice and firm? You know, soft enough to be appealing to the fish but firm enough that it will stay on the hook with ease and withstand intense casting? Not that this is too huge a problem but I'm also looking for a bait that's appealing to carp but also something that those annoying nibbling sunfish will ignore and not destroy. Is there also a way that I could maybe keep the bait I already have on the hook easier? Maybe I should use regular bread dough, it seems pretty strong, would it work? Are carp attracted to large night crawlers? I know they work for catfish and they are almost guaranteed to stay on the hook but the sunfish and gobies would probably tear them up before the carp ever got to them. Well anyway thanks, I'm hoping to head out to the marina in again today so if there's a bait I could prepare in just a few hours that would be nice. I sure hope you fellow fishermen out there can help. Thanks a bunch.-
ANSWER:
Your bait selection is good. It's your bait presentation that needs to be modified. The simplest way to keep your bait on the hook while making it almost inaccessible to bait fish and sunfish is to bag it with small squares of fabric taken from a pair of women's nylons. Cut a square about two inches across place the ball of bait in the center and then bring the sides and corners together and tie them off with a short piece of cotton thread or string. Then trim away the excess material with a sharp scissor. There are two ways to do this bagging method. One is to place a suitable sized treble hook INSIDE the bag with the bait secured around it and then tie the corners to the shank of the hook with the eye exposed out the top of the bag, or just bag the bait and use a conventional single barbed hook to pierce the bag and bait with the bag then slid up the shank of the hook and the point/barb turned to rest around the curve of the bag to make it relatively weedless. Either way works for me and I think it will for you too. Good luck!
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Sonny S Super Sticky Catfish Bait
2008 Review Gillhams Fishing Resorts Krabi Thailand
Please check out our web site ... http://www.gillhamsfishingresorts.com for all the latest news and info about fishing in Thailand at Gillhams Fishing Resorts.
2008 Review Gillhams Fishing Resorts Krabi Thailand
What a year 2008 was - it was the first full year Gillhams was open. We first opened the doors to anglers in August 2007, and the very first anglers to fish were my old friends Terry Eustace and Joe Taylor. Terry caught his first ever arapaima here, and to this day it is still my favorite arapaima picture. Many of my friends own and run fisheries, and they all warned me how hard this business is. I did not believe them, but I now know why. Over the course of a year we have met some truly lovely great people, some OK people, and some extremely horrid ones. Luckily the really nice ones by far outnumber the a-------s! Perfect examples are people moaning because they have not had a big arapaima when it was 130lb, or saying they've had no big fish today when they have had a couple over 60lb, or that it's a bit slow when they had a 100lb fish in the morning and a 150lb fish in the afternoon! We even had a guy who caught 150lb, 220lb and 340lb arapaima plus a 60lb carp and two red tails of 50lb and 60lb all in a day say it was OK but not what he expected! Christ I would love to fish his local lake. Another one we hear is, aThe line broke - it's crap.a No, it broke because they don't know how to play fish, and when trying to stop a 300lb-plus beast at 30 miles an hour, something has to go! The list goes on, but the happy smiling faces as a decent angler catches a big fish far outweighs the idiots! Seeing grown men reduced to tears as they catch the fish of their dreams is what it's all about to us. What a shame the good guys sometimes fail and the prats catch the whackers!
Pet hates are the fellas you haven't seen for 15 years suddenly coming up to see us at a show, announcing he lost his contact details for me, his long lost mate, then asking for a mate's rate! Come on - I have never been hard to find! Or the ones who come here on holiday and make you their best friend in the whole world, and invite you to their house or a couple of days thinking it now qualifies them for free holidays for life! How about advising someone what bits of tackle to bring to increase their chances, only for them to present us with a bill for it afterwards - people bringing piles of junk that we will never use and wanting us to buy it. Or moaning because the drinks and snacks in our fridge using our electric, and which our staff refill, is five pence more than the supermarket 15 miles away, then filling our fridge with the stuff they saved three quid on with a ten quid taxi fare. Or bringing end tackle with them, and then taking a few bits home along with our bits and bobs - we have hook link material, baiting needles, pliers etc stolen every month. We even had one prat who whinged so much that we wouldn't buy some overpriced items he had brought with him that we purchased stuff off him that we get for free of our sponsors, only for him to take it out and use it during his holiday, and then take home some of the bits we had been forced to buy!
Then we get the ones who go to the local pet shop, buy some goldfish, and want to use them as bait in our lake! No wonder carp pox is on the increase in the UK with these morons about! All our fish are photographed in the water to protect them; 100lb fish bouncing across the ground does them no favours. But hey, for the ultimate photo, who cares?
Wanting to hold them out of the water for pictures on three cameras and a video, then wanting their mate to hold them the same, all in the name of 'look what I caught!' Get the camera ready, work out your angles and background, and take a couple of good shots - believe it or not it's the fish that matters. Guys who get a repeat catch - this happens when fishing one swim for a holiday, as a lot of predators are territorial. If you photographed a fish two days ago in the dark in the same swim, why on earth would you want another picture? Even if you are wearing a different shirt? Well folks, the list goes on and on, but as 90% of anglers who come here care about the fishes' welfare and want them to be just as pristine for the next person. We meet so many lovely people, for us it outweighs the bad, but when the bad ones come it spoils our day. If you are one of these people, please do us all a favour and stay away.
Anyway, that's the griping done, so onto the year, and what a year it has been with 3,465 fish landed of 29 species. The list below shows the figures from January 08 to December 08.
Arapaima - 432 total, best 400lb, best month November - 44 fish.
Alligator gar - 151 total, best 35lb, best month August - 21 fish.
Arawana - 12 total, best 8lb, best month September - five fish.
Asian red tail catfish - 40 total, best 31lb, best month November - six fish.
Barramundi - six total, best 31lb, best month February - two fish.
Big head carp - two total, best 30lb, best month July - one fish.
Black pacu - 186 total, best 55lb, best month December - 33fish.
Black shark carp - two total, best 10lb, best month March - one fish.
Chao-Phraya catfish - 62 total, best 64lb, best month September - 11 fish.
Common carp - six total, best 25lb, best month April - two fish.
Giant featherback - three total, best 21lb, best month May - one fish.
Giant freshwater stingray - two total, best 90lb, best month November - two fish.
Giant Gourami - nine total, best 15lb, best month March - five fish.
Julian's golden prize carp - 105 total, best 45lb, best month May - 25 fish.
Mekong catfish - 46 total, best 185lb, best month May - seven fish.
Mrigal (Asian grass carp) - five total, best 18lb, best month November - three fish.
Red tail Amazon catfish - 504 total, best 80lb, best month August - 76 fish.
Rohu carp - 83 total, best 21lb, best month December - 37 fish.
Catfish Bait Homemade
Live Fishing Baits - the Minnows
Fishing with live bait is still considered as one of the best way to catch fish, including the trout. It is true that lures will probably out fish live bait in some situations, but live bait is the natural way where real bait is presented to the fish. One of the most popular types of live bait is the minnow. Minnows are available in many types. Below is the list of popular freshwater minnows that are proven effective and successful in catching various kinds of fish. Here is the list:
#1 - Fathead minnows. This minnow species is the most common type bait fish for freshwater fishing. It is liked most since it's the favorite treat for many freshwater fishes and they are quite strong to stay alive while attached to the hook struggling to get the attention of the fish.
Fatheads can also stay alive in the bait bucket for quite a long time with only a little care. If exposed to cooler temperature or cold weather they can even stay alive for days in a bait bucket. Fathead is the excellent live bait for walleye, bass, perch and crappie.
#2 - Rosey red minnow is a variant of the fathead minnow characterized by its red-orange color. Other characteristic of the rosey red minnow is the same as the flathead and is also an excellent treat for the same type of fishes: walleye, bass, perch and crappie.
#3 - Suckers are large live baits that can grow up to 12 inches, hence very good to catch bigger fishes. You can buy suckers at a bait shop and are available in various sizes, usually those 3 - 4 inches. Some shops can provide the larger size, even bigger than 12 inches. The 5 - 8 inches suckers are suitable for the big largemouth bass, while to catch muskie or northern pike you can use bigger size of suckers.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
I need a good homemade catfish bait with chicken liver for the Suwannee River?
I have some chicken livers that have been sittin out in the heat for almost 48 hours.. what do I do with them now?-
ANSWER:
chop 'em up fine and throw them in the water to chum your fishing hole.
then buy and use fresh ones.
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QUESTION:
Does anybody know any good homemade catfish bait that you can make with just 4-5 ingreidents?
i rlly need help.-
ANSWER:
* Just the right amount of corn starch to make able to stay on a hook
* 1 cup of fish oil
* LOTS Garlic Powder and fresh garlic
* 3 cans of sardines in mustard (mash them up)
* 5 finely chopped chicken livers (in blood)Let sit in direct sunlight for a day or two, so some of the water evaporates and get to like a play dough like constancy with lots of grit, than put it on hook than in a bucket of water to see if it will stay.
(i no it's six ingredients, but no biggy, right?hint: let this sit a long way away form the house.
but in my opinion, all in all, chicken livers in garlic work best .
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QUESTION:
I am looking for a good catfish bait homemade.?
I have tryed and tryed homemade dough but it was always pasty not hard enough to stay on the hook
garlic dogs did not work ether so pppllleeeaaassseee hhheeelllppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!thanks
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ANSWER:
Get some shrimp from the grocery store, this recipe calls for 1 poundput them in a zip lock and add the following:
1 cup salt
1 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup of Tabasco sauce
1/2 of a red onion cut up really fine.
4 tablespoons of anise (crushed)Mix well making sure that each shrimp gets coated.
seal the bag and leave it in the direct sunlight for 12-15 hours depending on the outside heat (less time the hotter it is), you don't want them to fully cooked OR put them in a sealed coffee can, for 3 or 4 days with the bag open till they start smelling really tasty.
Good luck.
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QUESTION:
how to hook chunks of homemade catfish bait for fishing?
ok so i have just made some catfish bait and it is about an inch and a half long.. and im wondering how should i hook it so then it will be easy to set the hook when i get a bite? ~>Th@nkZ 4 All AnS3rZ<~-
ANSWER:
Run it longways down the hook.
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QUESTION:
What is some good homemade catfish bait recipe?-
ANSWER:
Pound of very old bloody liver...very smelly, now mix this up with old cheese and corn mean to make a small dough, get small square peices of mesh cloth, now after you mix all this really good, tie a nice dough ball with the mesh cloth, tie it good with a string, put your strong sharp hook through it and fish it off the bottom of your river or lake using a once sinker.
good luck fishing
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Most common searches:
Catfish Charlie Bait
Bait Fishing: Pond Channel Catfish Fishing Strategies Details Here!
Much like in rivers, the hole will hold the channel catfish for bait fishing action in ponds. Catfish will winter in the deepest holes in a pond and they will roam structure like points and flats that are close to their hole during spring, summer and fall before the ice is on. In barren ponds look for channel catfish along banks that drop off fast into deeper water. You can find them around docks and weed beds.
Getting the bigger channel catfish in a pond to bite is sometimes very challenging, but not impossible. One of the best catfish fishing rigs to use is a simple slip sinker rig. To make a slip sinker rig to be used for bait fishing for channel catfish in ponds follow the following simple steps. Silde a small ¼ ounce egg sinker up your line, then tie on a two way ball bearing swivel. Make sure the ball bearing swivel is large enough so the egg sinker does not slide over the top and past it towards the hook. Next tie on a 8" to 12" inch leader with a 3/0 to 5/0 bait fishing hook. Use creek chubs cut into 2" to 3" chunks for catfish bait. You can also use gizzard shad cut into strips or chunks if creek chubs are not available. Dip baits work well if you ar targeting small channel catfish.
To catch the large channel catfish it is best to fish at night. When you find the spot you want to set up for the night you can increase your chances of catching some larger channel catfish if use a underwater fishing light and you chum the area. You can use fish guts and blood, or small chicken guts laid out in sun all day for chum. If there are some large catfish in the pond the small and taste of the chum will attract them. The underwater fishing light will attract small bait fish to the area and they will start feeding on the chum. The larger channel catfish will much les wary and come looking for an easy feed.
Its best to use bait fish using natural catfish cut baits such as creek chubs and gizzard shad. Although the shad are not native to most ponds bigger channel catfish like to eat oily fish as food. The reason chumming attracts the bigger catfish is because it intensifies there smell and taste senses. Also because as I said earlier the chum also attract small bait fish to the area. Large channel catfish cannot resist a feeding school of bait fish and you can use this fact to your advantage on your next bait fishing trip to a pond.
Well folks that conclude my article about channel catfish strategy in ponds. Have a nice day and the best of luck on your next fishing trip!
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
what is the best catfish bait????
I get catfish charlie blood type A it says worlds best but i have never used it.
PLZ answer before monday-
ANSWER:
I believe.Catfish Charlie is dried liver blood.mixed in filler.mix in dampen dry dogfood broadcast in area you want to fish. leave for about 12 hours. come back and fish with eighter beef liver or night crawlers . I like beef liver better, also the cats like it just as good as chicken liver.beef liver stays on the hook better, because its stronger.The broadcasting dog food is the real key here.
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QUESTION:
what are some good stink baits for catfish?
i bought some magic bait liver and cheese big bite liver and cheese hog wild premo dip bait danny kings punch bait cjs punch bait cat fish charlie any of these sound familiar? which ones work best-
ANSWER:
I've used Hog Wild, Magic Bait, and countless others. I've used them a lot with hardly any luck at all. The best 2 baits by far that I have used for Catfish are chicken livers and cut bait. I've pulled in fish nearly everytime I've used these 2 things whereas when using stink bait I will rarely get in more than a couple if that. If you insist on using stink bait I would go with the Hog Wild on either one of the sponges or catfish lures which you physically put the bait in. That seems to be the most productive from my experiences with stink bait.
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QUESTION:
I'm tired of this, I need a net!!!?
I just lost another damn fish because i didn't have a net. No i have no problem with bass, it is the 20 inch plus carp. Let me tell you the story. Yesterday evening, me and my friend was out fishing a BACKWATER (hence the name backwater charlie) for bass, then switched to carp. I was using my world famous dough bait that catches catfish and carp, and i had two carp rods with me, a shakespeare tiger combo, and a zebco combo. I cast them all in good looking spots, he cast his in good looking shady spots, also. In a few minutes he gets a bite and misses the run.In a few more minutes, he hooks a 13" catfish with my top secret word famous dough bait. Nice fish to start off with. Well, we wait and wait and wait, and finally i get a little nibble on the tiger rod. I wait for 4-5 minutes and see my rod HEADING FOR THE WATER. I grab the rod & set the hook while at the same time my friend was casting and he wrapped his line all over the bail of my reel!!!!! While he cut his line, i was trying to battle this huge ass carp out of a big pile of brush submerged and finally get him up to the bank. My friend goes down to get the fish, and the hook falls out of it's mouth ... I need a net. A cheap, BIG net. I'm looking at this one - http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=37127&cmCat=WISHLIST
I was wondering, does anyone know of a cheap net at wal mart? big enough for carp (up to 30")? Just here to also tell you this true story.
Other than a net, i need some expensive hooks!
Yea, i have a local wal-mart.And yea i have a few gamakatsu ewg worm hooks. Sharp as can be.
AIRFLOW, yes I am going to release all the carp. And for that rubber net you recommended, i just can't go pay for a net. I know that this will help by not taking off as much of the fish's slime but, I think anything over for a net is just outrageous. But if i could just put that much money out for the net I CERTAINLY would. Thanks a lot.-
ANSWER:
get yourself one of these. you won't even have to touch the fish.
and wal-mart sells them!http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_97490_100011005_100000000_100011000?cmCat=CROSSSELL_THUMBNAIL
doesn't take up as much space as a net and they even have a model that weighs them.
besides, bill dance or one of them guys uses them.
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World S Best Catfish Bait
Catfish Baits: What Is The Right Cut Bait Presentation ?
Catfish have a very tuned sensory system that allows them to taste catfish bait from sometimes 15ft away. They can smell and taste very small concentrations of your catfish bait when it dissolves in the water and can detect them from some distances away. This is definitely an advantage on any waters where there is a current because the smell and taste drift down stream. It is also a distinct advantage in murky waters where sight is impaired. There are many catfish anglers who prefer prepared baits, and there are many fishing situations where they do work very well but our article today will only concentrate on natural catfish baits.
Cut baits work great as catfish baits in rivers, lakes, ponds, and reservoirs because most catfish such as blue catfish and channel catfish feed on dead fish as part of their diets. Also cut baits work well because they immediately release small particles into the water and create a smell and taste trail for any blue catfish or channel catfish in the area. During the summer flat head catfish will normally only feed on live bait that is near their area such as shad, yellow perch, pan fish and other forage fish in the area, but during the pre-spawn time right after ice out they will feed aggressively on dead catfish bait such as cut bait chucks. An excellent cutbait for blue catfish and channel catfish are oily forage fish such as skipjack herring, and gizzard shad. Mussels also make an excellent catfish bait fresh or seasoned in sour milk for a few days.
There are some basic cut bait fishing rigs that work well for different fishing situations. The types of catfish rigs we will mention are quick hit rigs, three way swivel fishing rigs, a basic slip sinker rig, modified slip sinker rig, and a basic slip bobber fishing rig.
A quick hit fishing rig is used a lot to fish for flat head and blue catfish. To make a quick hit rig you will need two number 2 to 1/0 treble hooks, a three way swivel, and a bell sinker large enough to keep your live bait close to the bottom In shallow water areas a ½ ounce will usually work but if you are fishing for blue catfish in current or trying to anchor your catfish bait for flathead catfish you will need much larger bell sinkers typically from 3 ounces to 8 ounces. The size you select will be determined by how large your bait is and how strong the current is.
First tie on the three way swivel to your main fishing line, then tie on a 6 to 24 inch dropper that has your bell sinker attached. Then tie on the quick hit rig to the last open eye on the three way swivel.
To make your quick hit fishing rig tie the lead treble hook on to a 12 to 30 inch leader using aimproved clinch knot. Next, tie the second treble hook about 4" away from the lead treble hook using a snell or uni-knot. You will want to use a gizzard shad for your catfish bait in the 8 inch to 10 inch size range. Insert just one of the hooks of the lead treble right behind the shad's head in the upper flesh area. Next insert just one of the hooks of the lead treble behind the dorsal fin in the top flesh area.
To make a standard three way swivel rig first tie your three way swivel to the main line. Next tie your dropper to one of the open leads of the three way swivel. The dropper rig should have a bell sinker ½ ounce for shallow water or 3 ounces to 8 ounces if you are using large size catfish baits foe blue catfish and channel catfish. The leader should be 6 to 24 inches long with a 5/0 to 7/0 hook.
To make a basic slip sinker rig slide an egg sinker on your line then tie on a 5/0 to 7/0 hook. Then clamp on a split shot sinker up the line 6 to 24 inches from the hook. This type of slip sinker fishing rig tend to hang up quite often and many fisherman use the modified slip sinker rig instead, because of this reason.
To make a modified slip sinker fishing rig slide a ½ to 4ounce bell sinker up the line. Next tie on a two way swivel. The tie on a 6 to 24 inch le 00004000 ader with a 5/0 to 7/0 hook.
Well that concludes my article on catfish baits and fishing rigs. Have a nice day and we wish you the best of luck on your next fishing trip.
