There are hundreds of variations of reels, rods and who knows how many different types and styles of fishing lures and weights when it comes to bass fishing.
Many understand the popularity and importance of the catfish market but very few have managed to produce products that truly meet the need of the catfish angler. This results in less interest in the research and development of products for catfishing. There are countless examples of these product failures that have taken place in the past ten years and I still see them today on a very frequent basis.
These are nylon or canvas slings used to weigh catfish and some of the sales pitches are nothing short of hilarious. One of the questions I am constantly asked is about how to get the best deals on catfish tackle. Despite the presence of tackle and sporting goods stores it is still very difficult to find the catfish tackle items I need and when stores do have them they rarely have enough in stock to last me a week.
Driving around in a Chevrolet truck that burns a ton of gas and wasting time in traffic adds to the expense of the tackle so I have found over the years that I am better off buying online in bulk and having these items shipped to me. I buy most of my tackle through Amazon. The only time I typically buy anything locally in a retail store is when I make a mistake and run out of something and this usually involves going to three or four different stores to get enough of one single item to get through a short period of time.
Order as many items as you can in one purchase and consolidate shipping. Buy through Amazon when possible. They have shipping centers all over the United States and have super fast shipping and excellent customer service.
Amazon has almost everything listed here. Sign up for an Amazon Prime Membership. Not all purchases are eligible for prime shipping but many are and it saves a ton of money over the course of the year especially if you buy more than fishing items from Amazon.
You can learn all about this on their Amazon Prime Membership information page. When possible buy in bulk packages or larger quantities. There are many examples of this. Watch for free shipping deals at Bass Pro Shops. They run them all the time. When buying fishing weights sinkers buy them in bulk and buy them through eBay.
Buy sinkers in bulk. A package of 25 or 50 sinkers will save you a significant amount of money over buying packages of 5 or 6 at a time. Contact sellers through eBay and ask them to bundle purchases and shipping to get better deals.
My tackle storage is simplistic. There are two, one for blue catfish and flathead catfish and the second is set up with everything I need for channel catfish. The latches are heavy-duty so I never have to worry about them coming open and spilling or the tackle getting mixed up. When fishing from the boat, my leader line and scissors stay on the console of my boat along with the Secret Catfish Rigs. It easily holds my small tackle box, leader line and scissors, Secret Catfish Rigs, and a couple of bottles of water plus I can strap it on my waist or throw it over my shoulder for ease in carrying it.
I also have plenty of room in the bag for my GoPro camera so I can shoot video or photos while fishing if the urge hits me. Extra tackle is carried in a dry storage box. The dry storage box is used to store extra weights, hooks, swivels, scissors, and my digital scales for weighing fish. When I first started fishing for catfish there were very few options available that really fit the need of the catfish angler and I had to rely on many traditional hook styles like the j-hook and Kahle hook.
In recent years, the tackle manufacturers have recognized what a huge market there is for catfish tackle and have stepped up in the design and development of better tackle for fishing for catfish, including hooks.
Catfish are not like many other species of fish that have a soft, paper-like mouth. The mouth of a catfish is thick and hard and is more difficult to penetrate than most other freshwater fish, so a good sharp hook is critical. When fishing for channel catfish I focus on catching numbers of fish most often and not large channel catfish.
In many areas of the United States, this is the best option. There are fisheries that have excellent numbers of larger channel catfish but they are limited and most anglers that decide to target big fish target blue or flathead catfish where these species are available. Most of the channel catfish I catch will be within one to five pounds with occasional fish from five to ten pounds being caught. This is typical of most channel catfish fisheries in the United States.
Stick with a reputable brand of treble hook as there are many Chinese import hooks on the market that are very poor quality. More important than brand, is that the hooks are very sharp, and also durable. Treble hooks in the appropriate size range for channel catfish are size 2, 4, 6, and 8. The smaller the number, the larger the hook is so a 2 hook is much larger than a 8 hook.
The 6 size is the best all-around size hook when fishing for numbers channel catfish with prepared bait. Most anglers that are missing fish with a 6 size hook will decrease the hook size to a 8 hook in attempts to reduce the number of missed fish. The only two treble hooks you need to carry are size 6 and 4 in most cases. The 6 hook works well in most situations and in the event the channel catfish are overall larger in size or are biting aggressively, can increase the hook size to a 4 to reduce the number of deeply hooked fish.
The better option is using the right rig and setting the hook quickly, as soon as the fish bites. This will greatly reduce or even eliminate the number of deeply hooked fish with a 6 hook. Hook strength is rated as 2x strong, 3x strong, 4x strong, etc. Punch bait or fiber bait is the easiest prepared bait to fish with for channel catfish. To make these hooks take a felt hat cleaning sponge and cut it into small squares.
Take the squares and insert the shank of the treble hook through the sponge and tie the hook on your line. These are great hooks for alternative baits like cut bait, hot dogs, grasshoppers, shrimp, or anything other than prepared bait.
Outside of circle hooks, the Kahle hook is one of the most popular catfish hooks on the market. Circle hooks can work well with channel catfish that are biting aggressively and the channel catfish are larger. For smaller channel catfish circle hooks can be a bit of a problem though. Circle hooks are without a doubt the most popular hooks for blue catfish, especially in recent years.
Years ago I kept hearing catfish anglers praise circle hooks. In fact, I had a hard time catching fish with them. This was all due to the hook style I was using and not having a good understanding of how to fish with these hooks or choose the right size. Circle hooks do most of the work for you and when used correctly they are very effective not only at hooking fish but also at reducing gut hooked or deep hooked fish.
I use circle hooks almost exclusively for fishing for blue and flathead catfish. This was the first mistake I made when I started using circle hooks and a lesson it took me a long time to learn.
For a circle hook to work properly it needs to have room to turn and slide towards the corner of the mouth of the fish. It took me a lot of trial and error to understand this. In fact, I often catch cats on circle hooks where it seems like it would be impossible for the fish to even get the hook in its mouth.
Pay more attention to the overall size of the hook and the gap of the hook than the numbers on the package. Circle Hook Styles — Traditional and Modified.
It looks like a cross between a circle hook and a Kahle hook. You can also set the hook like a traditional hook using a modified hook set if you choose. Another topic of great debate among catfish anglers is inline circle hooks versus offset circle hooks.
The hook point is perfectly in line with the shank of the hook with an inline circle hook. The hook point is offset slightly from the shank of the hook in an offset circle hook. Everyone claims that one works best over the other, there are many strong opinions regarding both as well. After years of using both hook circle hook styles I prefer offset circle hooks over inline.
I f used correctly circle hooks can be very effective and will work well most of the year. There is a brief period of the year when I fish a pattern outlined in the Spring Blue Catfish Techniques ebook that the fish will bite very short, and not very aggressive, and only in a certain area. This is one time of the year that I will venture away from circle hooks for blue catfish. Holding the fishing rod and making a quick, short and aggressive hook set will produce eight to ten times more fish during this time, so I switch to Kahle hooks.
You might encounter times where a more traditional hook is preferred or a better option. Kahle hooks are a great choice for these instances and have long been a favorite among cat fishermen. Flathead catfish fishing is usually all about size. The same hooks used for blue catfish perform well for flathead catfish also. This is all of the stuff you need for various catfish rigs. These items are all used fishing for all three species of catfish unless otherwise noted.
Just about every catfish rig you use will involve a swivel of some type. Barrel swivels are the most common choice among catfish anglers but ball bearing swivels are also an excellent option. Swivels help prevent line twist which keeps leaders and other elements of your catfish rigs from tangling, plus helps keep your line from breaking when fighting larger catfish.
A step up in performance from barrel swivels are ball bearing swivels. Ball-bearing swivels are generally more durable than barrel swivels and offer smoother performance helping to further reduce line twists and kinks.
Ball-bearing swivels also command a higher price than barrel swivels. What you need these for: Virtually every catfish rig you use will require the use of a barrel swivel. The sinker slide has a snap swivel, and the design allows the sinker slide and sinker to move freely up and down the line, The snap swivel allows quick and easy changes of sinkers if you need to swap sizes or styles.
You simply open the snap swivel on the sinker slide and swap weights. If you fish in various currents, or changing weather conditions changing the amount of weight can be a frequent task. Sinker slides make these changes quick and easy. They also work great for attaching slinky weights or Snagless drift fishing sinkers to the mainline.
Several ounces of weight on your catfish rigs bouncing around, banging into your fishing rods can do damage when transporting your catfishing gear. Being able to quickly and easily remove weights makes this problem a thing of the past.
Get more information on the Whisker Seeker Tackle quick-release sinker slides. What you need these for: Adjusting weight quickly and easily, excellent for drift fishing. The small float is added to the leader line a few inches above the hook to help lift the bait up off the bottom. The addition of the float helps keep the bait out of the mud and sediment which often gets baits into a better position to get more bites.
Foam peg floats are also used for a variety of other catfish rigs. Slotted foam peg floats are preferred by many anglers as they allow for quick changes to add and remove floats to your catfishing rigs. Using a slotted float allows you to quickly and easily replace them without having to cut lines and tie new knots. For the best price buy, peg floats in packages of instead of small consumer packaging.
Most peg floats are made from styrofoam which breaks down and is easily damaged. Whisker Seeker Tackle peg floats are constructed from durable EVA foam similar to foam fishing rod handles and much more durable than styrofoam floats. What you need these for: Santee cooper rigs, float rigs, and other catfish rigs to suspend baits slightly off the bottom. The theory behind using a sinker bumper or bead is to keep the sinker from banging into the knot on the barrel swivel repeatedly, that this will cause the line or knot to weaken in this area and break.
Many of the big river catfish anglers also tell me they use these because the current banging the sinker into the swivel causes the line to weaken when using larger weights in heavy current.
There are many options available when it comes to beads. What you need these for: Rigging for drift fishing with sinker slides, rigging with heavier weights, and fishing in current. Weights Sinkers For Catfishing. I see people really getting caught up in what style weights to use and especially in sizes. You can easily end up with dozens of different styles and sizes of weights. No roll sinkers are a staple catfishing gear item and one of the most popular if not the most popular sinker style for catfishing.
A no roll sinker works much like an egg sinker, sliding up and down the line when fishing with a slip sinker rig or a Santee rig. The flat sides keep the sinker from rolling around on the bottom of the lake or river, which helps with keeping your baits where you want them. Targeting structure is a common technique for fishing for blue catfish. The no roll sinker will hold much better and stay in place, helping you maintain proper bait placement.
They also assist when fishing on level ground with a tight line because the sinker will not roll around. Split shot sinkers are a staple in my channel catfish tackle. The most effective rig I use for channel catfish is the Secret Catfish Rig.
Slip bobbers are also a popular and effective way to rig for channel catfish. What you need these for: Fishing for channel catfish with the Secret Catfish Rig or a slip bobber rig.
You may find occasion to use them with other catfish rigs as well. Drift fishing is a common technique for blue catfish and channel catfish. Traditional drift fishing involves dragging baits across the bottom to catch fish. Sticks, stumps, trees, roots, and just about everything else imaginable will cause you to hang up and break your fishing line.
One way to minimize the number of hang-ups when drift fishing is to use snagless drift fishing sinkers. The simplest version way is to take small egg sinkers and string them on a piece of monofilament fishing line and add a barrel swivel on one end. Some anglers like to go an extra step and dip the ends of the sinkers in Plastidip to add a rubberized coating or to use heat shrink tubing to encase the string of sinkers.
Other alternatives for snag-free sinkers include using paracord or hollow-core shoe strings stuffed with weights or lead shot.
What you need these for: Fishing for channel catfish and blue catfish drift fishing using a variety of rigs. You can ask ten anglers about weights and will get a variety of different responses on how much weight you should use. The justifications for this are nothing short of comical.
Get more exclusive catfish fishing tips here by email , make sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel and follow me on Instagram and Twitter. These are the mistakes people commonly make that keeps them from catching fish.
Size Matters For a circle hook to perform correctly the hook has to slide, turn and catch in the corner of the mouth of the catfish. For this to happen like it should the hook has to be large enough to do so. Make Sure Hook Pulls Forward Learning how to tie good fishing knots is important and there are many options you can use. This is an old wives tale with absolutely no truth behind it at least with catfish. These 3 common mistakes with circle hooks will cost you catfish.
Learn to choose and use circle hooks the right way and you'll catch more catfish. Chad Ferguson. Rated 4. Rated 5. Recognized as one of the finest fishing hook manufacturers in the world, Gamakatsu are the leading Japanese hook specialists and have been in the business since , with a US branch established in This is a great example of their baitholder J-hook, with special barbs that help keep Mr Earthworm in place.
Made with an advanced tempering system, the hooks are super-strong but not brittle, and they offer a perfectly conical point to stay extremely sharp. Another excellent product from the Japanese fishing hook masters. Try this article for some extra information on choosing the best rods and reels for catfishing.
These are baits that use a sponge ball or doughy mixture or other vessels covered in something that might smell horrendous to us but is like catnip to catfish. And given that the wire gauge is thinner in treble hooks, you might also miss out on trophy fish. Bigger beasts can bend and break treble hooks much easier than other hook types.
The space between the prongs can result in lost fish, too. Keep reading for some more advice on hook sizes. You might even try a chunk of soap on there — which has been known to catch some impressively large catfish for some inexplicable reason. It smells a lot nicer to us humans, too.
They were created to prevent deep hooking fish. So sport anglers can practice catch and release and improve conservation by letting trophy fish go. When you lay an offset hook down on a flat surface, it will have a raised edge. Check out this article on the best fishing pliers on the market to make hook retrieval as straightforward as possible — for you and the fish.
Another fishing hook company claiming to have the sharpest hooks in the industry, Daiichi, is the preferred choice of many professional anglers. This example is their popular circle hook, colored red to give the impression of a bleeding bait and improve your chances of getting a catfish interested in an easy meal.
Daiichi is a reputable force in the community, a leading manufacturer producing some professional-level hooks to suit just about any type of fishing.
I simply have to include another excellent circle hook option from the guys at Team Catfish — because this is a great hook for snagging some serious fish. Needle sharp and super strong, this is a top-quality hook that will not let you down and even features a bait barb on the shank — that not all circle hooks offer.
A premium-quality catfishing hook from a premium quality catfishing team. Somewhere between a standard J-hook and a circle hook, Kahle hooks are highly versatile in the fishing world and can be used in fresh and saltwater. Follow that link for more information on this technique. Not easily distinguished by simply looking at them, Kahle hooks come into their own when using larger live bait.
You might want to check out some of these excellent fishing knives if you need to chop up your bait on site. Kahle hooks are generally preferred when fishing for larger catfish. They can be remarkably successful in helping you land a monster. Whereas circle hooks are great for blue and channel catfish, kahles are best for flatheads. This is because a properly sized kahles hook can reach right back into the mouth and snag that cheek. One problem with Kahle hooks being so effective is that they will literally pick up anything.
As such, when you cast your Kahle — you leave it well alone. Kahle hooks are also extremely cost-effective from a price perspective, as you can usually pick up a large quantity for a few bucks.
Eagle Claw manufactures some of the best hooks on the market. This is a great example of an affordable bulk box of quality Kahle hooks. With a straight point and ringed eye, the hooks are offset and barbed and are just the kind of thing that catfish despise.
Do catfish keep growing? Follow the link to find out! Never overload your hook with too much bait. Hook size often divides the fishing community. Some anglers swear it makes a difference, while it matters less for others.
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