James RickardSimple catfish rigs
March 28th 2012 02:19
You hear a lot about anglers trying to stay ahead of the game by devising new or better rigs to catch big catfish. Those efforts are all well and good but, sometimes the old tried and true methods are a ticket to success.
Big cats can be pretty wary so it's advisable not to use a sinker if at all possible. Some people are going to ask, "How are you going to cast?" You'd be amazed how much a chunk of liver weighs so, if you're using liver, forget about a sinker. Put something like a 2/0 hook at the end of your line, add some liver and cast away!
If sinkers are in order, use some common sense. Big cats, or any big fish for that matter, often spit out your bait as soon as they feel the slightest resistance from a sinker. Use the least amount of weight possible. Remember, use only enough weight to pull your bait to the bottom and then worry about the current if it exists.
One story you'll always hear about catfish is that they're bottom feeders. Although that's true, you can catch catfish all over the water column whether you're deep, shallow, or somewhere in between. However, it always pretty easy to throw out your line, let it sink, and wait for a bottom feeder!
As for line, I'm partial to fluorocarbon leaders. After that, it really depends on the situation at hand. Mono-filament is always a good all-around line but if big fish are on in order, the stretch of Mono may be a drawback. When it comes to line weight, again, it depends on circumstances. 15 lb.? 30, 50, 80? Those are big jumps but, you can see the differences and you have to choose your line according to the fish you anticipate.
Big cats can be pretty wary so it's advisable not to use a sinker if at all possible. Some people are going to ask, "How are you going to cast?" You'd be amazed how much a chunk of liver weighs so, if you're using liver, forget about a sinker. Put something like a 2/0 hook at the end of your line, add some liver and cast away!
If sinkers are in order, use some common sense. Big cats, or any big fish for that matter, often spit out your bait as soon as they feel the slightest resistance from a sinker. Use the least amount of weight possible. Remember, use only enough weight to pull your bait to the bottom and then worry about the current if it exists.
One story you'll always hear about catfish is that they're bottom feeders. Although that's true, you can catch catfish all over the water column whether you're deep, shallow, or somewhere in between. However, it always pretty easy to throw out your line, let it sink, and wait for a bottom feeder!
As for line, I'm partial to fluorocarbon leaders. After that, it really depends on the situation at hand. Mono-filament is always a good all-around line but if big fish are on in order, the stretch of Mono may be a drawback. When it comes to line weight, again, it depends on circumstances. 15 lb.? 30, 50, 80? Those are big jumps but, you can see the differences and you have to choose your line according to the fish you anticipate.
The picture at the right is a very simple rig you can use for a lot of fish in both salt and fresh water. Some guys ask, "Do I really have to use a three-way-swivel?" When it comes to fishing, you seldom have to do very much but a swivel helps to prevent line twist so, to answer the question--it's not a bad idea.
For rivers or surf fishing, a flat or pyramid shaped sinker is a good idea because they don't roll with the current very easily. If you're fishing a lake or pond with no current, something with more rounded corners are okay.
A question people often ask when viewing the rig pictured is how much distance to have between the swivel and sinker. It's really going to vary. One big deciding factor will be how close to you want to be to the bottom. Something around a half yard to 3 feet usually works. Nothing is written in stone or, if you're metric, go half a meter and a meter and you'll be fine.
As for leaders, I like to use about half the length to the sinker. When using live bait, let common sense be your guide. I've seen guys using as much as
ten feet with minnows but that's hard to cast. As always, fluorocarbon makes a good leader and the line on the sinker is whatever is handy.
For rivers or surf fishing, a flat or pyramid shaped sinker is a good idea because they don't roll with the current very easily. If you're fishing a lake or pond with no current, something with more rounded corners are okay.
A question people often ask when viewing the rig pictured is how much distance to have between the swivel and sinker. It's really going to vary. One big deciding factor will be how close to you want to be to the bottom. Something around a half yard to 3 feet usually works. Nothing is written in stone or, if you're metric, go half a meter and a meter and you'll be fine.
As for leaders, I like to use about half the length to the sinker. When using live bait, let common sense be your guide. I've seen guys using as much as
ten feet with minnows but that's hard to cast. As always, fluorocarbon makes a good leader and the line on the sinker is whatever is handy.
Here are some sinkers I use. The two on the left are good for currents and the two on the right are better for calm conditions.
Remember to take the hooks outta yer pocket before ya sit down!
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