How to Catch Catfish Step By Step

 Embarking on the quest to catch catfish is an exhilarating adventure that promises both challenge and reward. These formidable fish are not only a delight to reel in but also make for a delectable meal. Whether you're a novice angler or looking to refine your skills, this guide will navigate you through the essentials of catfishing, ensuring you're well-prepared for a successful outing.

1. Gear Up for Success

Selecting the right equipment is crucial. Opt for a medium-heavy to heavy power rod paired with a reel equipped with a bait-runner feature. This setup is ideal for handling the strength and size of catfish. A bait-runner allows you to hear when a catfish takes the bait, giving you an advantage in setting the hook promptly.

2. Master the Art of Baiting

Catfish are known for their diverse palate. Effective baits include live options like nightcrawlers, minnows, and shad, as well as prepared baits such as chicken liver and stinkbait. The strong scent of these baits is particularly effective in attracting catfish, especially in murky waters.

3. Choose the Perfect Fishing Spot

Catfish are often found in deep holes, river bends, and areas with submerged structures like logs or rocks. They prefer slow-moving or still waters with muddy bottoms. Fishing during dawn or dusk can increase your chances, as catfish are more active during these times.

4. Rigging for Success

A simple yet effective rig for catfishing is the Carolina Rig. Slide a ½ oz weight onto your main line, tie on a swivel, attach a leader to the other end of the swivel, and finish with a 2/0 circle hook. This setup allows your bait to move naturally with the current, enticing catfish to strike.

5. Patience and Technique

Once your line is cast, patience is key. Catfishing often involves waiting, but the thrill of the catch makes it worthwhile. When you feel a bite, give the fish a moment to take the bait fully before setting the hook with a firm upward motion. Maintain steady pressure and reel in smoothly to land your catch.

6. Safety First

Be cautious when handling catfish, as they have sharp spines on their pectoral and dorsal fins that can cause injury. Using a net to land the fish and handling them with care will help prevent accidents.

With the right gear, bait, and techniques, you're well on your way to experiencing the excitement of catfishing. Each trip offers the opportunity to hone your skills and enjoy the great outdoors. So, gather your equipment, head to your chosen fishing spot, and embrace the adventure that awaits.

Here's a really good article on catfishing at night 

Catfishing Rigs And Baits Hooks Swivels Lines Etc!

Hooks swivels lines, catfishing rigs and baits is a HUGE subject, but George seems to be able to simplify everything so anyone can get to grips with this massive area of catfish fishing!There are hundreds of catfishing techniques and as many catfishing tackle, so the more research you do, the better!

Catfishing Rigs - All About Hooks, Swivels, Baits, Lines and Much More

Most Southerners use a Palomar Knot - and slider weights for setting up their catfish rigs. Here's the lowdown on how you could set up a rig for yourself. There are plenty of other techniques too; you just need to experiment with them until you find the one that suits you the most.

Setting up catfish rig involves a little research and a trip to your local fishing equipment store. Pick up some medium to large hooks from the hooks on display. Sizes 2/0 and above will be good to start with. You can buy Kahle hooks or treble hooks. Circle hooks are good if you are planning to catch and release your monsters. The catfish rig line ought to be able to stand high tension and support big weights, because catfish can grow to enormous sizes and can put up quite a fight.
You will also need a swivel. It helps to keep the line snag free. You should also attach slider weights to your line just above the swivel. These weights cause the line to sink to the depths where all the catfish hide.

If you need to tie a catfish rig line, you need to learn how to tie a Palomar or Dropper loop Knot, or any other kind of Knot that will securely tie your hook to the line. The idea is to make the Knot so strong that the line would break before it comes loose.
Another excellent idea is to attach two hooks to your leader line. That will be twice as nice. Attach two lines to the swivel or two hooks on the same line. See what works best for you.
The leader ought to be 12 to 18 inches long. Put your line through slider weights like no-roll weights or roll weights so that it can free roll if the drag is set to lose and you get a bite or even a nibble of interest.

The catfish rig line can either be a monofilament nylon line or a fluorine bonded fluorocarbon line. I prefer a fluorocarbon line because it is practically invisible underwater. Make sure that your line can carry loads over 20 pounds. Catfish can grow up to be really big. Trust me you do not want to come home shaking your head in disbelief because you couldn't bring in the biggest one because the line snapped and the monster swam away with the hook and the bait.
Some people set up live bait rigs for catfish fishing. You will need smaller fish like bluegill, shad, or goldfish to set up a live bait rig for catfishing. You need to use a 7/0 or bigger hook to hook the bait fish. The bait needs to be hooked just below the dorsal fin; when you hook them just below the dorsal fin, they struggle more and send out more distress signals. These signals are then picked up by the cats, which swallow them with the hooks. You can get similar attention from catfish with chicken liver bait if you find working with live bait too yucky or cruel.

People ask me. What else can be used to catch a catfish? Here you can find more secrets about Catfishing rigs [http://www.catfishingpoint.com/catfishing-rigs/]. Click here and discover techniques [http://www.catfishingpoint.com] used by pros. Talk to you soon.

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Catfish Fishing In The Fall

Becoming great at catfishing techniques, involves understanding everything about catfish! Here is an excellent article from Robbie, giving some brilliant catfish fishing advice about catfish fishing in the fall.

Fishing for Catfish - Fall Fishing

As I steered the pontoon out of the no wake zone, it was a welcome relief not to feel the muggy heat of the morning on my face. Fall fishing had finally arrived and I headed out to a chilly 64 degree morning. All summer long while fishing for catfish, I had complained about the heat. Now as I head out for a full day of fishing I had a grin on my face just like a kid. I have loved fishing since as early as I can remember, but over the last 15 years I have been obsessed with catching big trophy catfish. During the Fall fishing season is some of the best times to catch a true trophy sized catfish. Now everyone has their own classification of a trophy, and I am no different. My idea of a trophy is any fish over forty pounds, but the area I fish is known for many 20 to 30 pounders. Your trophy may be smaller in weight or larger, but no matter what the size, the cooler water during the Fall fishing can mean exciting fights with mister whiskers.

One thing to remember when the seasons are changing from the hot waters of summer to the cooler waters of fall, is that summer patterns will continue to work for a while. Do not totally change your method of fishing just because you get a 60 degree high temperature one day. In the beginning of Fall fishing the fish will start to become more active during the day. This is due to the fact that baitfish start to move around more. As the weather continues to cool down, the bait fish will gather in schools. When this starts to happen, it makes fishing for catfish a little more predictable. Catfish, especially Blue cats will hang out under these schools of bait waiting to grab the ones that venture to far away or the ones that may be dying. You should also pay attention to any schooling activity from striper or largemouth bass. When these fish school and attack the baitfish, catfish will usually be under this activity grabbing all of the wounded baitfish.

To begin locating active catfish in the first onset of Fall fishing, start by finding the deeper water near your summer time holes. As I said in the beginning, this is not an overnight change, so the catfish will not be far from where you normally catch them. Find some creek channels, or ditches, or even just a deeper depth near some shallow spots. Watch for feeding fish, or birds diving in the water. You can also watch your fish finder, because schools of bait fish will show up very well on the screen. Once you locate the schools of bait, then try to match your presentation with the same size as the baitfish. No matter what bait you are using, you want to keep it close to the same size as the baitfish in the water. When catfish are actively feeding on schools of baitfish, they are focusing in on the kill. If you present bait that is larger while fishing for catfish they may possibly swim right by it in order to get the schooling bait because they are easier prey.
As the water continues to cool down, the summer pattern will not work nearly as well. At this time you will need to focus most of your day on your fall fishing patterns. Change your locations to deeper waters, and if you can find deep water structure it will be even better. Give these ideas a try when you're out fishing for catfish this fall and that trophy cat might just be in the boat this year.

There is nothing like the feel of a catfish tugging on your line waiting for you to set the hook! Once you decide to go fishing make sure you are prepared, stop by my site where I try to update often and help you Catch more fish [http://www.moonlightfishing.com]!

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Catfish Fishing Techniques Part 2

Here is part 2 of 3 articles from Jeff, who is a catfish fishing techniques expert. In this second article, Jeff starts to reveal his catfishing tips and catfishing techniques. click Here for part 3 and here for part 1

A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques - Part II

Method 1
Equipment
I fish baits at all depths, not just the bottom, in wide-open water. I always set up and fish deep lake structures. Besides an understanding of the contours on the bottom of the lake, being mobile and being able to read your fish locator are the keys. The tools I use are 8-foot heavy action rods, circle hooks, cut and live shad, balloons and the all-important fish locator. I use 30-pound line, large capacity reels, 8-foot heavy action rods, 2 oz. Egg sinkers, barrel swivels and #7/0 circle hooks.
Basically a Carolina Rig, I have a hook with an 18-inch leader tied to your barrel swivel, which is connected to your main line, which is where your egg sinker is attached. My boat is equipped with steel rod holders, a hand-controlled trolling motor, two fish locators, a big dip net and marker buoys. My equipment is not the most expensive but it is practical. The main thing to remember is to keep whatever equipment you use in good condition. Many know all too well about the disasters that can be caused by old line and improperly maintained fishing equipment and big Blues will test everything from your knots to your rod holders. If there is a weak link, they will expose it.

Find the Big Fish
You need to know how to tell the difference between larger fish and bait fish while using your fish locator.
There are two main structures that I catch Blue Cats on: ledges and humps. Blue Cats are creatures of edges and they seem to congregate on the brake lines of ledges and humps. The one-two punch comes when you find these structures with both bait fish and big fish mixed together on your locator. There are very few spots that I will stop and fish where I don't see either big fish or bait fish on my locator. The ledges that I primarily fish are old river channels edges. The fish can be scattered up and down the edge but the best fishing occurs when they are on the top.

Catching Them
Typically, when I set up to fish these ledges, I run my boat over them and throw out my marker buoy where I see the fish. A little trick to using your marker buoys is to throw your marker upwind of where you are going to fish. If you drop the marker right on top of the fish, you will be bumping it and will eventually move it while the wind is pushing you around. If you throw it upwind of the fish, you can run your trolling motor right up to it without the wind pushing you over it.
Next I bait my rods, staggering them at the depth I see the fish. If the fish are up high, above 10 feet, I use a balloon and live shad on two rods. The other four rods will have half live and half cut shad, which I will suspend over the fish, continuously moving around the marker until the first strike occurs. In the warmer months the bite will usually occur on live shad. The colder the water, the better that cut bait seems to work.

Keep moving the depth of your baits up and down according to what your locator is telling you. An easy way to determine the depth of your bait is to measure the distance between the first guide and your rod's reel. My rods are two feet from reel to the first guide so when I pull out twenty sections of line between my reel and the first guide, my bait will be approximately 40 feet deep. Stagger the depth of your bait so that you know how deep each is. When you get your first strike, move your other rods to that depth. If no strikes occur within 30 minutes move to another structure. I have set on the same ledge for many hours and caught fish, but I will usually have to move after catching 5 to 10 active fish. If you do not have a trolling motor you can use anchors, but it requires many sessions of heaving up heavy anchors and can soon kill the fun of ledge fishing. When water is at its coldest, the anchor method will work better due to the inactivity of the fish below.

In other words, the warmer the water the faster the fish will spook out from under your boat. The colder the water the less chance the fish will want to move away due to their comfort zone in the water column.

Make sure to read Part 3 of this article to learn about Capt. Jeff's second non-typical technique!
You have permission to publish this article free of charge as long as you are not selling it and that you include the author bylines immediately visible with the article and, if published in an electronic medium such as on a web site, you provide a link back to http://www.ozark-lodges-fishing-trips.com in the author bylines, both where the web address is listed as well as well as with the text "Lake of the Ozarks Catfish Fishing Guide Service"...

Jeff Williams runs a Truman Lake Hybrid Bass and Lake of the Ozarks Catfish Fishing Guide Service offering lodging and guided trips in Missouri. To book a trip, learn more tips, or find out how Capt. Jeff would fish your own local waters, call 1-866-HOOKSET or visit [http://www.ozark-lodges-fishing-trips.com] today!

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Catfish Fishing Techniques Part 1

Here is part 1 of 3 articles from Jeff, who is a catfish fishing techniques expert. In this first part Jeff gives an introduction into his style of catfishing techniques. click Here for part 2

A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques 

Introduction
Many of the people about to take one of my guided trips don't believe that Catfish feed as aggressively as other game fish. People are used to throwing out their bait and letting it set while they wait. Some days this works and they don't have to wait very long, but some days we all know that the wait can be very long. This waiting is what encouraged me to try to catch Blue Cats using other methods. Some techniques are passed down from generation to generation and these tried and true methods have caught Catfish since people have fished for them. I have used these methods most of my life and it was the way I was taught to catch Catfish. On the opposite end of the Cat-fishing spectrum, however, are two newer methods that I have been using to consistently catch Catfish, as well.

Fishing for Catfish
Ah, the American Catfish! The big three: Blues, Channel Cats and Flatheads; aren't they a wonderful species of fish? Each one has its own outstanding features to thrill Catfishermen and women throughout the United States and even worldwide. Flatheads, with their big, wide heads and flat tails, have my vote as the hardest pulling fish pound-for-pound in fresh water. No Catfisherman can talk very long without telling their favorite Channel Cat story.
Channel Cats live almost anywhere in fresh water and eat an enormous variety of baits, from prepared stink baits to live baits. I believe these whisker fish are the most versatile and adaptive members of the Catfish family. The next Catfish member, the Blue Cat, also commonly called a White Cat, gets my pick for the best all around, year-round Catfish. This is also the fish I target with my non-typical Cat-fishing techniques. Although Channel Cats and Flatheads are caught using these techniques, Blue Cats remain the king in mass numbers. These dudes grow big and fast and will strike your bait with a vengeance. Plus, they pull hard in the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.

The Blue Catfish
The Blue Cat is truly an amazing fish. I have caught these fish as deep as 96 feet at the bottom of a river channel in cold water conditions. I have also seen them come right up to the top and smash a school of shad just as a Striper or White Bass would do in warm water conditions. As far as I can tell, these fish feed aggressive all year, which in my opinion sets them apart from Flatheads and Channel Cats. Reports of Blues falling for lead spoons, jigs, crank baits, and many other artificial lures are not uncommon any time of the year. The other Blue Cat bonus is their size, growing much larger than Channel Cats and a smidge larger than Flatheads. That makes your chances of catching a Blue Cat over 20 pounds a big time reality. Fish over 50 pounds are not that hard to find in reservoirs and rivers that have had time to produce that size of Catfish.
These fish grow to be over 100 pounds - it's the exception and not the rule, but it does happen. That's the beauty in setting up and fishing for Blue Cats: your next fish might be 1 pound, 51 pounds, or 101 pounds.

Make sure to read Part 2 and 3 of this article to learn about Capt. Jeff's non-typical techniques!
Copyright © 2002-2005 Jeff Williams
You have permission to publish this article free of charge as long as you are not selling it and that you include the author bylines immediately visible with the article and, if published in an electronic medium such as on a web site, you provide a link back to http://www.ozark-lodges-fishing-trips.com in the author bylines, both where the web address is listed as well as well as with the text "Lake of the Ozarks Catfish Fishing Guide Service"...

Jeff Williams runs a Truman Lake Hybrid Bass and Lake of the Ozarks Catfish Fishing Guide Service offering lodging and guided trips in Missouri. To book a trip, learn more tips, or find out how Capt. Jeff would fish your own local waters, call 1-866-HOOKSET or visit [http://www.ozark-lodges-fishing-trips.com] today!

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