Therefore, if you are going to target catfish in your local lake, you should cast your bait somewhere between 15 and 20 feet deep as this is the best catfish catching zone.
How long should my leader be for catfishing?
Twelve to eighteen inches is a good general length and is preferred by most anglers. The longer the leader the more a fish can move with your bait without you feeling it and the more the bait will move around in the water.
What is the best rod length for catfish?
Get the right length of rod for the best catfishing results
Rods 7ft / 2.1m or longer offer several advantages over shorter rods when catfishing. Casting distance increases with a longer rod – important if you’re bankfishing or angling in clear water.
What pound test is good 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.
What is the best setup for catching 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.
Should you use braided line for catfish?
Braided superline has its place in catfishing, for sure. Braid has no stretch, so it sets hooks right now when you pull back on the rod. It has far less diameter, making it glide through the water easier when drifting or trolling. Braid also has no memory.
What is the best catfish bait?
Best Catfish Baits
- #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.
What size hooks for catfish?
The optimal size for channel catfish is typically a 2/0 or 3/0 hook when using a Kahle hook. If you choose circle hooks for small to medium-sized channel catfish then a 5/0 or 6/0 size will usually work best.
What is best rod and reel for big catfish?
You want a reel that can handle the heft often required with catfish bait and tackle.
- Best Overall: Abu Garcia C3 Catfish Special.
- Best Rod/Reel Combo: Ugly Stick Catch Ugly Fish Catfish Spinning Combo.
- Best Spinning Reel: Team Catfish Gold Ring 5000.
- Best Casting Reel: KastKing ReKon.
- Best Spincast Reel: Zebco Omega Pro.
What is bumping for catfish?
Bumping is a natural presentation that mimics food washing down current where catfish will lay facing upstream, waiting for something to come by.
Is mono or braid better for catfish?
There is no arguing with the pure power of braids in the 100- to 250-pound range. At the upper end of this range, these lines become difficult to break—even when you want to break it. Using mono of this breaking strength is impractical due to the bulk of monofilament and its memory.
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.
What depth do you fish catfish?
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 bait is irresistible to catfish?
For catfish scents, the smellier the better. Ingredients like chicken liver, gutted fish, Limburger cheese and rotting shrimp are examples of things that can be combined together. The best stink bait is left to marinade for a few days and “ripen” so that the blend of scents is irresistible to the catfish.
How do you target big catfish?
Use large chunks of native fish or entire fish for bait.
Using bait like chicken livers or other species of fish may work, but they are not as consistent. Two types of freshwater fish that are good at luring catfish are shad or skipjack, as they are natural to most catfish habitats.
Should you soak braid before spooling?
Braid does not need soaking like you do with mono prior to spooling up. Thread your braid through the eye on the but section of the rod. Double check that your spool is as far forward as possible. Tie a slip loop knot in your braid.
Are treble hooks good for catfish?
Treble hooks are standard catfish hooks for any kind of fishing. They work especially well when you’re trying to hook channel cats. You can pick a treble out of a crowd because it’s a three-prong hook. They’re common in a lot of fishing rigs for catfish.
Do catfish see color?
Yes. Cones in the eyes indicate catfish have color vision, and this is borne out by the experiments of some anglers.
Does WD 40 catch catfish?
“I’ve caught all different species of catfish with it, but mostly blues and channel cats,” says Porter. “I usually have other baits out, too, like cut shad, but most times the WD-40 chicken outdoes the others.”
Are hotdogs good catfish bait?
Hot dogs are a common food taken along on fishing excursions and double as excellent catfish bait. Points to remember when using hot dogs as catfish bait include: Cheaper hot dogs seem to catch more fish.
Do you fish for catfish on the bottom?
Smaller fish are preferred for cooking because bigger ones, except for flatheads, can get tough. For the most part, catfish are bottom feeders and usually hold in deep water, although they will move into shallows to feed, especially at night.