| When you think of catfish, you usually think of | | | | way the catfish can pick up the bait and not feel |
| the small bullhead catfish you used to catch when | | | | any resistance. Leave the creel open on the reel |
| you were younger. Those can be fun to catch | | | | so the fish can run with the bait and then you can |
| and are very tasty, but they are just one of the | | | | set the hook. This way you will have less chance |
| types of catfish to be caught. | | | | of the fish getting away. Always use a hook |
| Flat head catfish, leopard cats, channel catfish, | | | | remover or needle nose pliers to get the hook |
| shovel billed catfish and salt water catfish are | | | | out of the catfish. |
| others that are a lot of fun to catch. The channel | | | | If you are using the sliding sinker rig, the |
| catfish seem to be more plentiful and popular. | | | | nightcrawlers work well as the primary bait, |
| Channel catfish are the farm raised catfish that | | | | although in certain areas you will sometimes need |
| are used to make catfish nuggets and that is | | | | to use other baits, so be flexible when choosing |
| what you will probably get in most restaurants. | | | | your bait. Sometimes crawdads or small minnows |
| The channel catfish is definitely one of the most | | | | might be just the right thing for that particular |
| sought after of that species. They are very tasty | | | | area. |
| when fried in a golden batter and are very easy | | | | Try to locate an area that has some kind of |
| to catch. | | | | structure such as dips, a cove, a dam, rock |
| Live bait is used the most for catching catfish and | | | | croppings, or maybe a point as these are good |
| is really the best. Some of the baits used are | | | | places to catch catfish. |
| leaches, small sunfish, worms, crawdads, minnows | | | | When you are stream or river fishing you want |
| and grubs. Using nightcrawlers, which are so easy | | | | to stay where the current isn't so strong when |
| to get, will be your best bet to catch plenty of | | | | you are fishing behind a point of rock. A too |
| catfish. | | | | strong current will cause your bait to not stay in |
| Catching catfish can play havoc on your fishing | | | | place and you would need a sinker that is heavier, |
| gear so you need to use an outfit that will handle | | | | but continue with the sliding rig to keep down the |
| a large catfish if you hook one. Use at least a | | | | resistance on the bait. |
| medium heavy pole and use a 10 to 15 pound | | | | You can get some really big catfish fishing right |
| test line and this should handle a very big fish. | | | | off the deep part of the lake when fishing in the |
| Your hooks need to be strong but not necessarily | | | | large and medium sized lakes. |
| really big as even a small hook will hold a big fish. | | | | If you like to fish for catfish, try some of the tips |
| A good rig for catching catfish is to use a sliding | | | | above and you'll be sitting down to a platter of |
| sinker with o-ring so that it won't slide down to | | | | golden fried catfish, the best eating in the world. |
| the hook and tie a 16" leader to the hook. This | | | | |