Catfish Don't Care About Your Fancy Gear (And That's Beautiful)

You know what I love about catfish? They don't judge your gear. You can catch a 30-pound blue cat on a $30 rod-and-reel combo using grocery store chicken liver. Try doing that with a largemouth bass. It won't happen.

Catfishing is the great equalizer. The kid with the Zebco 33 and a bucket of worms is fishing the same spots as the guy with the $400 catfish rod. And sometimes the kid catches more. Let me show you why catfish deserve your attention.

Three Catfish, Three Personalities

Channel cats are the most common and the easiest to catch. If you're starting out, that's your target. They're in virtually every body of warm water in the country.

Bait That Actually Works

Catfish bait falls into three categories, and all of them are cheap:

Prepared/Stink Baits

Store-bought dip baits, punch baits, and dough baits. They smell terrible (to you) and amazing (to catfish). Team Catfish, CJ's, and Sonny's brands all produce well. Use them on a treble hook wrapped with mesh or a spring-style bait holder.

Natural Baits

• Chicken liver — the classic. Stays on the hook better if you let it sit in the sun for 20 minutes first. Sounds gross. Works great.
• Nightcrawlers — thread a big worm on a circle hook and you'll catch every bottom-feeder in the lake
• Hot dogs — yes, really. Cut into 1-inch chunks. Channel cats love them.
• Shrimp — raw, unpeeled, cheap cocktail shrimp from the grocery store. Killer bait.

Cut and Live Bait

For bigger catfish (blues and flatheads), use cut shad or live bluegill. Fresh is critical — catfish can tell the difference between fresh-cut shad and yesterday's leftovers.

The Only Two Rigs You Need

Slip Sinker Rig (Carolina Rig)

Thread your line through an egg sinker (1/2 to 1 oz), tie a swivel, add an 18-inch leader, and tie on a circle hook (size 2/0 to 5/0). Cast it out, set your rod in a holder, and wait. When a catfish picks up the bait, it pulls line through the sinker without feeling resistance. The circle hook sets itself as the fish swims away.

Float Rig

Slip bobber set to keep your bait 1-3 feet off the bottom. Great for fishing over snaggy bottoms or suspending bait at a specific depth. Channel cats often feed off the bottom, especially in current.

Where and When to Fish

Catfish are most active at night and during low-light conditions. The prime times are:

• Sunset to midnight — peak feeding window
• After rain — rising water flushes food into rivers and lakes. Catfish gorge.
• Overcast days — catfish will feed during daylight in dim conditions
• Below dams and spillways — current concentrates food and fish

Target deep holes in rivers, channel edges in lakes, points near deep water, and any area with current that funnels food. Catfish are lazy geniuses — they park where dinner comes to them.

Simple Catfish Gear

• Rod: 7' medium-heavy. An Ugly Stik catfish rod is $25 and handles 20-pounders.
• Reel: 4000-5000 size spinning reel or a sturdy baitcaster
• Line: 15-20 lb mono. Simple, cheap, works.
• Hooks: 2/0 to 5/0 circle hooks. Buy in bulk.

Pick the right bait for your target with our bait and lure selector, and make sure your knots can handle a hard-pulling cat with our knot guide.