What is the best fishing rig for catfish?
The egg sinker slip rig is, hands down, the most popular rig for still fishing catfish. Consisting of an egg sinker on the main line held in place above the hook by a lead shot, this rig is ideal for keeping the bait near the bottom, which in turn, allows a catfish to swim off with the bait with little tension.
What is the best bait for catfish in a river?
- #1. Nightcrawler. First on the list is the ubiquitous nightcrawler, favored food for all fish species.
- #2. Gizzard Shad.
- #3. White Suckers.
- #4. Skipjack Herring.
- #5. Stinkbait.
- #7. Bluegills.
- #8. Punchbait.
- #9. Chicken Livers.
How do you rig a channel catfish?
- Tie your mainline to one eye of a three-way swivel.
- To one of the remaining two eyes, attach a short 12-18 inch piece of line and then secure a ½ to 2-ounce sinker (depending on depth and current).
- To the last eye, tie another 2-4 foot piece of line, and then your hook.
What is the best size hook for catfish?
1X gauge hooks should be more than adequate for catching most catfish. Large Blues could be caught with a 2X gauge. A 3X gauge would likely be too large for most catfish. Most catfish anglers will not need fishing hooks of this size.
Should I use a bobber for catfish?
When catfishing with these techniques the sound of the float hitting the water helps draw in fish and gets them to strike. Using a streamlined float that doesn’t make a good “splash” in the water would actually work against you so the traditional bobber rig is preferred.
What is the best pound test line for catfish?
Catfish aren’t line-shy, so you can use light or heavy fishing line as situations dictate. High-strength, small-diameter monofilaments testing 15 to 25 pounds are good inexpensive choices for all-round use, but when hunting the big boys, you may have to upgrade to 30-, 40-, even 80-pound-test.
How long should a catfish rig be?
If you’re using a standard hair stop then the length should be 1.5 times the diameter of the baits.
What weight should a catfish rig be?
Where do catfish hide in rivers?
Large rocks and boulders are great cover for catfish in rivers. Rocks and boulders will hold some catfish in lakes as well, but in rivers, the big rocks and boulders provide a place to hide and a place to rest out of the current. Drifting your baits near these bigger boulders can be very productive.
Where do big catfish hide in rivers?
These areas usually form deep, mysterious holes with funky currents, a perfect spot for a catfish to hang out and sniff its next meal. Our second favorite spot to find big catfish in rivers is in the deep scoured out heads of pools, and holes in rivers.
How do you catch big catfish in a river?
What is the best time to catch catfish?
Late March, April, and early May are some of the best blue catfish fishing of the year for numbers of fish and also offers excellent opportunities for trophy class catfish as well. Channel catfish action is typically excellent and very consistent also.
How do you set up a river fishing?
What do I need for catfish rig?
- Main line.
- 3-way brass swivel.
- Monofilament sinker line.
- Sinker (style and weight will vary depending on bottom composition, water depth, current speed, and bait choice)
- Monofilament leader line for the Triple Threat Hook.
- Peg float.
- Triple Threat Hook.
What colors do catfish see?
Based on the research that I did, channel catfish are visual predators. Their eyes focus mostly on greens and blues because those colors stand out in most water conditions.
Are circle hooks better for catfish?
Using circle hooks for catfish can result in more hook-ups and reduce mortality of caught-and-released fish. If you had checked the end of a catfisherman’s line just 20 years ago, you might have found almost any type of hook tied on.
Why are circle hooks better for catfish?
Should I fish on the bottom for catfish?
As versatile and effective as drift and float rigs often are, many catfishing situations call for live or dead bait still fished on the bottom. The most popular bottom rig for all species of catfish is the egg sinker slip rig.
How deep should I fish for catfish?
Conclusion. The best depth for catching catfish is between 15 and 20 feet deep in lakes. This is known as the catfish zone because they reside within such depths in most lakes. However, depending on the time of the year and the temperature of the water, they can also reside in shallow areas.
What are catfish attracted to?
Catfish are bottom feeders and are attracted to food by both sight and smell. They like bright colors such as orange or red. One of the best lures are Cheetos puffs. The bright orange color attracts their attention and the cheesy corn smell encourages them to bite.
What is the pound leader for catfish?
Leader Line: 40 to 50 Lb clear monofilament leader or fluorocarbon leader. The heavier weight leader line helps serve as a shock absorber during aggressive strikes as well as additional abrasion resistance for the rough mouth of a catfish.
What do catfish like to eat the most?
Channel catfish are very good to eat. Fresh baits such as peeler or soft crab, shrimp, squid, chicken liver, processed catfish bait, hot dogs and cut fish are good baits and popular angling methods include bait casting and bottom fishing.
Do you need a leader line for catfish?
Catfish leader line also serves as a “shock absorber” when a catfish strikes. This absorbs the force of aggressive strikes from big catfish. That shock absorption is important with mono and braid but due to the lack of stretch in braided fishing line you should always use a monofilament leader.
Should the sinker be above or below the hook?
Attach the sinker about 2 ft (0.61 m) above the hook. Leaving space between the sinker and hook helps your bait float up so it’s more visible to fish. Measure up from the top of your hook and pinch the line so you don’t lose your place. Positioning your sinker much higher on your line may make it difficult to cast.