What Fishing Line To Use For Catfish

Catfish aren’t line-shy, so matching your line to the size fish you’re going after is easy. For this book the channel catfish is our target.  Most are in the 2 to 10lb. range but the world record is 58lbs. High-strength, small-diameter monofilament rated 10- to 20-pound test is a good inexpensive choice for all-round use and is my recommendation for the beginner.

Braided lines have a much smaller diameter for the same test weight and do not stretch like the monofilament line when the fish takes the bait. Because they are thinner they also allow longer casts which makes them ideal for fishing from the bank. Braids can be purchased in 8 to 250 pound test. Most anglers that want the big fish will use braided line but I do not recommend it for the beginner. The braided line works best with a bait casting reel and is much more expensive.