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. 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!
Your First Time 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 Bells, these can be attached to the tip of your rod and will sound off when you have a bite
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. Click here to view the illistration. 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 don’t want to hold it all the time there are little bells you can attach to the tip of your pole. You will here them when you get a bite. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t 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!
Catfish Fishing Reels – Beginner
As with rods there are a large variety of reels to choose from and what you choose will depend on the size fish you are chasing and your skill level. You don’t want a reel filled with 20 lb test line if your angling for a 2 lb fish and if your looking for a 20lb catfish you don’t want 2lb test. Since we are catfish angling we will want start with a reel for 8-12 lb test line. Prices range from very affordable to obscenely expensive.
There are three types of reels. The Spin Casting Reel also known as the Closed Face reel is a favorite for beginners due to how easy it is to use. It does however have many limitations. Next in line is the Spinning Reel also know as the Open Faced Reel. These are slightly more difficult to use than the Spin Casting Reel but are much more versatile. They range in size from 2lb test to 50 lb test and can be used for anything from pan fish to monster cats. The Bait Casting Reel is the Cadillac of reels. They come in all sizes and once mastered allow for pin point accuracy of your cast.
Now that you know a little about each reel it is time to decide which one you are going to use. If you are only going to fish a couple of times a year I suggest you purchase a Spin Casting Reel with 8-10 lb test line. If you have fished before as a kid and want to take it up again or are truly interested in catfish angling you will want to purchase a Spinning Reel. With just a little practice you can easily master casting with these.
Ah, the Bait Casting Reel. If you recently went fishing with some of your friends and you have the fever that makes you want to go out and get the best. Don’t. Until you have mastered the open faced spinning don’t do it. Chances are you will end up spending most of your time untangling your line from the backlash your reel caused. If you don’t know what backlash is a good comparison would be a bird’s nest made out of nylon. To cast with a Bait Casting Reel you have to keep your thumb on the reel to act as a drag while casting. If you raise your thumb the reel turns faster than the line can go through the guides on your fishing rod. The result, a tangled up mess that can take forever to get sorted out.
Whichever reel you choose be sure to change the line before you go fishing. Have a good catfish fishing day.