Catfish Fishing

Basic Information on Catfish Fishing
By Bryan Friedman

The following equipment, tips, and basic techniques should be used to optimize your success rate while fishing for catfish.

Fishing Pole:
Medium/Heavy Action
Heavy Power

Fishing Line:
6-25 lb

Fishing Reel:
Designed to hold 6-25 lb line

Where To Fish:
Lakes, ponds and reservoirs.

When To Fish:
Early Morning
Late Afternoon (recommended)
Night

Fishing Baits:
Mackerel
Shrimp
M & M’s (marshmallows and mealworms)
Anything that smells!

Basic Fishing Techniques:


Thread a 1/8-1/2 ounce sliding sinker onto the line and tie directly to a medium sized Swivel. Proceed by tying an additional one to two feet of line to the opposite end of the Swivel. Now tie a medium sized bait holder hook to the end of your line. This rig is also known as the Carolina rig.

Cut a piece of mackerel and thread it onto the hook. Frozen mackerel is recommended, as it is more likely to stay on the hook. Cast out and wait for a bite.

Thread a whole dead shrimp onto the hook. Cast out and wait for a bite.

Thread two marshmallows and one to two large mealworms onto the same hook. The marshmallows are used to float the bait over any debris or structure on the bottom of the lake floor. Cast out and wait for a bite.

Fly lining: Tie the hook directly to your line and bait up. You are now ready to fish! No weight is needed with this technique. This is a proven technique while fishing from a boat. Toss out and wait for a bite.