Global Fishing Tackle
Keep In Touch
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Products
    • Fishing Rods >
      • Fly Fishing Rods
      • Spinning Fishing Rods
      • Casting Fishing Rods
      • Flipping Fishing Rods
      • Jigging Fishing Rods
      • Carp Fishing Rods
      • Boat Fishing Rods
      • Surf Fishing Rods
      • Feeder Fishing Rods
      • Match Fishing Rods
      • Ice Fishing Rods
      • Catfish Fishing Rods
      • Other Fishing Rods
    • Customer Brand Rods >
      • Lure Leader
    • Fishing Rod Accessories
    • Fishing Reels
    • Fishing Lures >
      • Lure catalog
    • Fishing Bags
    • Fishing Rod Grips
    • FAQs
  • Become a Partner
  • Jobs
  • Blog
  • Contact Us

How to Catch a Catfish

8/22/2014

0 Comments

 
Catfish are freshwater fish that thrive in ponds, lakes and rivers in temperate climates. To be good at catching catfish, you need to know what they like to eat, where they dwell, and which techniques entice them to take the bait. Read on for catfish-catching tips that will ensure you won't leave the boat with an empty cooler.


Method 1 of 3: Choosing Gear and Bait 

1.  Buy a fishing rod and line. The size of the rod you buy should be determined by the size of the fish available to catch in your region.
  • For fish under 20 pounds, use a six-foot rod with at least a 10-pound test line.
  • For fish over 20 pounds, use a seven-foot rod with at least a 20-pound test line.
    • Longer rods are better for fishing from banks, as opposed to a boat, since they offer greater reach.
图片
2.   Buy fishhooks, bobbers, and other gear. Most sporting good stores sell starter tackle boxes that include a range of supplies to get you started. When it comes down to it, all you really need are sharp fishhooks, but some of the other accessories are nice to have.
  • Glow-in-the-dark bobbers can come in handy when you're fishing at night.
  • Other types of bobbers can be helpful when you're fishing on a still pond.
  • You'll also need buckets and coolers to hold your bait and any catfish you'll be bringing home.
图片
3.  Experiment with different types of bait. Some catfish enthusiasts swear by a specific type of bait, but the truth is that catfish will eat many different things. For your first few catfishing expeditions, take a few different types of bait, so you can find out what the catfish in your region like to eat. Try some of these options:
  • Try cut bait. Shad, herring, goldeye, and other baitfish release oils that attract catfish. Slices of these fish are particularly effective for catching channel catfish, which are the most common type of catfish in North America.
    • You can also use live baitfish that haven't been cut. These won't release oil as readily, but they may be more appealing to catfish since they're alive. Experiment to see which one is better.
  • Try crawfish. Catfish in southern regions might eat crawfish, which is available at your local bait shop.
  • Try nightcrawlers, which you can also buy at the bait shop. These worms are appealing to many types of fish..
  • If you don't want to make a run to the bait shop, you can use chicken livers or pieces of corn.
  • Try an artificial bait. There are dozens of artificial catfish baits sold at sporting goods stores, many of which claim to have a magic ingredient for which catfish go wild. However, expert fishermen say that the best fish are caught with real, live bait.
图片
4.   Choose a bait size that matches the size of the fish you want to catch. If you know you stand the chance of catching a 50-pound fish, you're going to need a large piece of bait. Smaller bait like nightcrawlers will get stolen off the hook.
图片
5.  Keep the bait fresh. Catfish aren't going to eat fish pieces that have been sitting out, so you'll need to store them in a bait cooler to keep them cold during the hours you'll be spending on the water.
  • Keep nightcrawlers in a container inside a cooler.
  • Keep cut baitfish on ice.
  • Keep live baitfish in a bucket of cool water.
图片

Method 2 of 3: Finding Active Catfish



1.  Start fishing in the spring. Catfish are less active when the water is cold, so the best time to start fishing is when water levels rise and the water warms to about fifty degrees in the spring. You can continue fishing until it gets cold again.
  • Experiment to find the best time of year to go catfishing in your region. In some places the season may start earlier, and in other places the water doesn't warm up until early summer.
  • Blue catfish, which live in the Southern United States, are active all winter long, so you don't have to pause during the colder months if you're fishing in that region.
图片
2.  Go early in the morning. Catfish are more active very early in the morning, so plan to start your fishing expedition before sunrise, or even earlier. They tend to feed during these hours.
  • Fishing at night can also yield a large catch. If you like to stay up all night on the water, try fishing starting around one or two in the morning.
  • You might find some catfish later in the day if it's overcast or raining, but if there's full sun, the fish are likely to be less active.
图片
3.   Look for spots with cover. Catfish like to dwell in places where a current meets a still area, so they can rest without fighting the current. "Covered" areas can be found where the current hits a large log or rock, usually near the bank of a river. Other resting places might be found near dams or other man-made structures in the water.
  • In smaller rivers and streams, look for eddies created by rocks and fallen logs toward the middle of the water.
  • If you're fishing in a pond or reservoir, look for areas near feeder creeks, very deep spots, and fallen logs and boulders.
图片
4.   Take your position. Once you've chosen the spot where you want to start fishing, drop your anchor, set up your equipment, cast your line and wait for a bite.
图片
Method 3 of 3: Bringing in a Fish

1.  Reel it in. When a catfish bites, let the line go a bit slack and then start reeling it in, quickly. Read How to Reel in a Large Fish to learn proper reeling techniques. 
图片
2.  Examine the fish's size. Make sure the fish meets the size requirements for keeping fish in your region.
  • If the fish is too small, you will have to unhook it and set it free.
  • If you plan to keep the fish, place it in a bucket of water so that you can clean and skin it later.
图片

Tips
  • This article focuses on line fishing methods, but you can also try making a trap for catfish.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Global Fishing Tackle

    Categories

    All
    Fishing Knowledge
    Fishing Skills
    Fishing Tackle

    Archives

    March 2023
    October 2022
    May 2022
    August 2021
    November 2020
    February 2020
    June 2019
    April 2018
    January 2018
    April 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014

    Articles list
    The Fishing Rod: Parts & Terms

    The Fishing Reel: Types of Fishing Reels

    Fishing With Live Bait

    Fishing With Prepared Baits

    Types of Fishing Lures

    Fish Anatomy

    Understanding Fish Senses

    Which Rod and Reel Should I Buy? – Your First Rod & Reel

    Two Knots You Absolutely Need to Know  

    How to Assemble a Spinning Reel and Rod

    How to Load Line on a Spinning Reel

    How to Set the Drag on a Spinning Reel

    How to Cast Your Spinning Rod

    How to Find Fish


    How to Play and Land a Fish

    How to Keep and Clean Your Fish

    How to Fish a Small Creek

    How to Fish for Flounder

    How to Make a Topwater Lure for Saltwater Fishing

    How to Take Children Fishing

    How to Be a Good Fisherman

    How to Become a Professional Fisherman

    How to Become a Fishing Guide

    How to Begin Ice Fishing (USA)

    How to Cast Baitcasting Tackle

    How to Cast a Bait Caster or Spinning Rod

    How to Cast a Fly Fishing Rod

    How to Cast Spinning Tackle

    How to Catch Bass on Topwater Lures

    How to Catch a Carp

    How to Catch a Muskie

    How to Catch Fish in a Lake

    How to Catch a Catfish

    How to Catch a Snipe

    How to Catch Blackfish

    How to Catch Bullhead Catfish

    How to Catch Freshwater Fish

    How to Catch Sunfish

    How to Catch Large Mouth Bass

    How to Fight a Fish

    How to Catch Striped Bass

    How to Select a Fishing Rod

    How to Fish for Bass

    How to Choose Fishing Line

    How to Fix a Broken Fishing Rod

    How to Cast With a Surf Rod on a Beach

    How to Equip for Ice Fishing
    ​

    Purchase fishing tackle from us, help you earn more money

    How to Learn Fly Fishing
    ​

    How to Catch White Sea Bass

    How to Fish (for Beginners)

    How to Find the Best Time for Fishing

    ​How to Catch Bass, Trout, and Panfish After Dark

    ​
    How to Use Color When Fly Fishing

    Share some photos at ETTEX 2016
    ​
    How to Choose a Fishing Rod
    ​

    How to Net a Fish

    How to Maintain a Fishing Rod
    ​
    ​
    Choosing a fly rod is not difficult. Simply follow a few simple tips

    ​
    How to Rig an Ice Fishing Rod

    ​
    Fishing Rod Maintenance and Safety – Top Ten Tips

    ​
    How to Pick Freshwater Fishing Lures

    ​
    How to Find the Best Time for Fishing

    How to Deep Sea Fish

    How to Put a Weight on a Fishing Line

    ​
    How to Ice Fish
    ​
    ​
    How to fly fish

    ​

    RSS Feed

图片
 ​  About Us   Products   Cooperation   Blog   Jobs   Contact Us   Privacy Policy   优秀供应商通道
© Global Fishing Tackle Inc. All rights reserved.