| Catfishing covers a large range of tactics. | | | | bigger, you will need a more high-tech |
| The tackle you need will depend on how you | | | | set-up. For all around fishing in this type |
| plan to fish. I'll go from simplest to the | | | | of water, it is hard to beat a simple |
| most complex. | | | | medium-action spincast combo, such as the |
| | | | ubiquitous Zebco 33. This will work for |
| If you plan to 'noodle' (where legal) for | | | | catfish up to the 10-20 lb. range, with |
| catsfish, you only need some clothes that you | | | | proper care. This is the the usual upper |
| don't mind getting wet (and I would recommend | | | | limit size for catfish caught on prepared |
| a good First-Aid and Snakebite Kit). | | | | dough-baits, nightcrawlers, grasshoppers, |
| 'Noodling' is simply getting in the water and | | | | chicken livers, shrimp and small minnows. For |
| looking for catfish along banks with a | | | | the average fisherman, this is the ideal |
| drop-off where they hide in holes in the bank | | | | set-up. Any medium rig with a mid-sized |
| or rocks. When you find one, you just grab it | | | | spinning reel will also work well. |
| (or it grabs you) and you pull it out of the | | | | |
| hole and throw, or drag it up on the bank. | | | | If you frequent areas with larger catfish, |
| It's not as easy as it sounds. First off, a | | | | you will need to use bigger baits, and this |
| large catfish could possibly hurt you, or | | | | will require bigger tackle. For trophy-sized |
| pull you under the water and hold you until | | | | fish, it is not uncommon to use baits and |
| you drown. Secondly, everything in the holes | | | | rigs weighing well over 1 ounce.; For casting |
| are not always catfish. Water Moccasins are | | | | large chunks of cut bait, or whole live |
| fond of holes, too. Large catfish have very | | | | bluegills and shad, you will need a long rod, |
| strong jaws. And if your in Louisianna, South | | | | at least 7', with a heavy action. This is |
| Georgia, or Florida, it could be an | | | | where the specialty catfish rods come in |
| alligator. I'm sure an alligator would not | | | | handy. And your reel will have to be equally |
| have much of a sense of humor after being | | | | strong. With a few exceptions, such as the |
| grabbed while sleeping! This type of fishing | | | | Zebco 808, 888 or Great White reels, spincast |
| I leave to the younger crowd! | | | | reels are not going to cut it. This is where |
| | | | you need the larger spinning reels, or best |
| If you plan on fishing still waters from the | | | | of all, good bait casting reels such as |
| bank, such as small ponds, streams , rivers | | | | Ambassaduer, or Penn reels. These have tough |
| and lakes, you can get by with a cane or | | | | stainless-steel bearings and strong gears to |
| synthetic pole. These work for anything up to | | | | crank large, mean fish up from the depths. |
| a medium -sized channel cat. For anything | | | | |