If you fish most channel cat waters in the United States, 12- to 17-pound-test line is about all you need. If you fish places like the Red River, or places wherever there can be numerous fish that run 15 to 30 pounds, I recommend using 30-pound line. Of course, as the fish get bigger, so should your line.
What pound line I need 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 line is best for catfish?
Long a favorite of catfish anglers for its ease of use, shock strength, abrasion resistance, low cost, and forgiveness, monofilament line is, as the name implies, spun from a single strand of material — typically nylon.
What size fish can I catch with 6lb line?
The 6 Lb test strength is great for targeting multiple species. It’s light enough to pull in a pile of Panfish, and heavy enough to get your Largemouth Bass dockside. However, when you get more specialized a lighter test (2-4 Lb.) for Panfish and a heavier test (8-12 Lb.)
What pound line should I use?
Line Strength
It should roughly match the weight of the species you are fishing for (e.g. use line in the 30-pound test for tuna in the 30-pound range). A typical line to cast for trout would be 4-pound test. Consider braided line of 30-pound test or more if you go after large game fish.
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.
How far should you cast for catfish?
Casting 100 yards (300 feet) or more is typical for an experienced long-distance catter, achievable for most anglers with the right equipment, good guidance, and practice.
Is braid or mono 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.
How long should a catfish rod be?
7 feet long
There are still advantages to a longer rod so you’ll want to ultimately use a catfish rod that is at least 7 feet long. Shore fishing is a different story and there are a variety of approaches to shore fishing. Some anglers finesse fish and walk the banks and target areas right against and near the shore.
What size fish can you catch on 12lb line?
JonD. It depends on what sized sinkers you plan on using and how hard you cast them. 12 lb is actually quite strong enough to most most fish including jews, you just need a good smooth drag setting of around 4-5lb. I use 15lb as my heaviest from the shore but I do up the leader line when targeting bigger fish.
What size fish can I catch on 15lb line?
What Type Of Rod and Reel Should You Use
| Saltwater Fish | Rod Length (ft) | Reel Size |
|---|---|---|
| Pink Salmon | 6 – 8 | 4000 (40) 4500 (45) 5000 (50) |
| Sea Bass | 6 – 7.5 | 4000 (40) 4500 (45) 5000 (50) |
| Sockeye Salmon | 7.5 – 8.5 | 4000 (40) 4500 (45) 5000 (50) |
| Spiny Dogfish | 5 – 7 | 4000 (40) 4500 (45) 5000 (50) |
What can you catch with 10lb line?
What type of fish can you catch using a 10 lb fishing line?
| Freshwater Fish | Saltwater Fish |
|---|---|
| Bull Trout | Pacific Barracuda |
| Carp | Bluefish |
| Freshwater Drum | Chub Mackerel |
| Kokanee Salmon | Greenling |
What is 20lb fishing line good for?
General Rules for Monofilament
For small trout and sunfish, a 4 lb test is okay. For bass or general freshwater fishing, 6-8 lb test is the norm. In saltwater, 12-15 il test is standard when using light tackle for smaller species, while 17-20 lb test allows you to target bigger fish.
What does 20 lb test line mean?
Braided lines are also labeled with a nylon monofilament equivalent diameter, stated in pounds. For example, a braided line labeled as 20-pound-test may be labeled as having a . 009-inch diameter, and the label will state that this is equivalent to the diameter of a 6-pound-test nylon monofilament line.
Does the color of fishing line matter?
And does the color of fishing line matter? The truth is, no single color of braided line has ever proved to cause fish to bite more readily, but that shouldn’t preclude fishermen from being mindful when selecting line.
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.
Why use heavier leader than Main Line?
When To Use A Leader Line Stronger Than Your Mainline? Most anglers tend to use a stronger leader than the mainline to prevent the line from being cut through. There are a bunch of different factors that can contribute to your line being cut off, such as: Fishing rubbing against a fish’s sharp teeth or body.
How do beginners catch catfish?
During the day, look for catfish in muddy water areas, such as a tributary and its outflow. Also good are deep structures, like river bends, the base of drop-offs, deep holes, and humps. Catfish will also hold around cover, like standing timber and deep weed edges. Night brings excellent fishing.
What is the best month 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.
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 time do catfish usually bite?
The best time of day to catch 3-seasons catfish is from an hour before sunset until 2 hours after sunrise and during the winter, from late morning until just before sunset. These are not hard and fast rules, but you will find the most active and hungry catfish consistently biting in these windows.