Catfish Rig Opinions

[VanillaThunder]

I'am going to go catfish fishing this summer and I was wondering what anyones opinion for the best catfish rig is. Any info is apreciated.

[PilotBryson]

If from a boat, flyline the bait. If from shore, I like to use a sliding sinker rig with a swivel and a leader.

[CaptLurch]

I would also defiantly fly line from a boat. Try out some of that Hog-Wild stink bait. It stinks like ......You will see but it works great.

My friends and I fished Anaheim Lake and we cut up an old towel and pinned it in a hook. Then dipped it in that stuff and we were bit ever cast.

[DementedFish]

Use a rig called a catfish rig. It is very similar to a hi/low rig.
Click this link for some wacky catfish baits: http://www.hookupsportfishing.com/fo...?p=984#post984

When you flyline for catfish, would mackerel be the best bait??

[CaptLurch]

Mackerel is probably the best bait because it will stay on the hook longer than most bait. Fresh is better than frozen for that reason also.
I have used whole sardines before and they worked fairly well.

[DementedFish]

If i catch a mackerel lets say on tuesday, put it in a bag in the fridge, and take it out on thursday, would it still be fresh? How long do they stay fresh for?

[CaptLurch]

That should be fine it would probably stay up to a week. You might want to gill and gut it first. It seems to keep better that way.

Another thing to do is to strip up your bait ahead of time then throw a little salt on it while it is in the fridge. It will toughen up the meat and dry it out a little so it stays on the hook even better. This is a good idea if you do not have an unlimited amount of mackerel.

I had days where my two friends and myself will go threw about 10-20 mackerel in a day.

[DementedFish]

Alright i'll gut it, cut it in strips, and put a little bit of salt on it to preserve it.

[GlobalFisher]

Well what really worked for me was a mooching rig and worms in a slough off the patomic. Might work where you are...

[DementedFish]

What size hook do you guys think is best?

[CaptLurch]

I have always just used any salt water hooks lying around my house. 3/0 is what I prefer when using mackerel strips. Just like any type of bait fishing you need the hook to not be buried in the bait. Or you will never get a good hook set. So it really depends on the size and type of bait.

[DementedFish]

thanks. have u ever fished at LNL for catfish lurch?

[CaptLurch]

One time a couple of years ago. I did ok out on the flats area. I had heard that they were not going to stock cats any more, I don’t know if this true or not.

[GlobalFisher]

I think we were using 2/0 where I was fishing. They have some moster cats in the patomic!

[bluehunter]

It all depends on the lake you are fishing for the riggs that you want to use. Personally, I do not like to use leaders because I have had mishaps in the past with losing bruiser size fish whe I was a rookie, and I was a rookie for about 3 straight years until I learned better and started actually landing the blues.

Irvine and San V I am going for the blues, the gusto. So I fish with a size 6/0, 7/0, and sometime 8/0 hook. I use big pieces of mac. At San V I use what they call mini macs which is a small whole Mackeral and use a trap hook style of set up. One hook going through the lip and another hooked by the lower fin of the Mac. I learned this from the guys that always gets the 50's, 60's, and 70 pounder there. I have lost some there that size as well but I have landed a 22 pounder on that set up. Flylining from the boat is the thing to do of course and I use a saltwater medium action rod and a baitcaster similar to fishing for yellowtail there. Mainly because the cats in there are a lot bigger and they also have underwater structure that they like to run to when hooked, so you need something that can help control their movement. I use nothing less than 30 pound line at San V. Also use the big chunks of Mac.

Irvine I have hooked many blues on mac heads with about a 7/0 hook and flylined. I also use big chunks of macs, and I use fillet slices of the mac. Biggest there for me is a 46 pounder but I hooked bigger. I use nothing less than 20 pound test line there and I like to use spinning reels there because the lake does not have much structure plus they can be finicky bitters sometimes and the line flows off easier when you flyline with a spinning reel. Circle hooks also works well especially when the bite is finicky. Use the size 7/0 circle hooks. Flylining is the thing at Irvine as well.

Mac is the bait of choice but what works better is skip jack and bonita. If you can get your hand on those, than use them. The bait is much oilier, if there is such a word, then regular macs. Try soaking your mac in blood that you get from the other macs, do not just throw that away. It makes the Mac that much better. I save the blood that I get from the macs and just cut off my chunks and then freeze them in a large zip lock bag. I got this idea from a prominent fishing partner who I fish with occasionally here in So cal cat lakes for blues.

Soaking your bait in blood works better than regular stink baits IMO. I do not put my Mac in hog wild or any other type of stink bait. Also do not be scared of the size hooks, i still get my channels on those size hooks at Irvine so its not nothing to shy away from.

If your fishing Sarl and Anaheim from shore than I use like a size 14 pounder line with a size 3/0, 2/0, and sometimes 4/0 hook and use smaller pieces of mac. Use a sliding sinkers about 8-10 inches above the hook, like a size 2, and cast out. Also use the M&M, meal worms and marshmellow combination as that works good. I use my M&M set up dropper loop style with the sinker at the bottom. The size hooks for that is a size 6 hook or 4.

Look for me to have a good cat season this year at the Vine and Anaheim because I will definitely be out there. I normally always place at Irvine derbies for cats, and I won first place a few times there last being last summer.