What is the best rig for cat fishing?

[Fisher0517]

I know this is a Bass website but I thought it would be cool to try cat fishing what bait would be best and at what depth? Also would I use a bobber?

[LrgmouthShad]

I am by no means a catfishing expert, but I can tell you what worked for me last summer. Look up slip sinker rig and santee cooper rig. I used those with nightcrawlers and bluegill on circle hooks. Had luck night fishing in the summer around july and august. Thats what worked for me, but I would like to hear what others have to say and would recommend researching on forums and websites more dedicated to catfishing. Bass fishing is an addiction.

 

Edit: This was bank fishing. I used vertical rod stakes that you can push into the ground to hold your rod upright and used cowbells attached to rod to let me know when i had a bite in dark. Catfishing is definitely not only a nighttime activity. Its just how i fished more in the summer :). 

Edited March 19, 2021 by LrgmouthShad
Clarification

[ATA]

Use chicken liver(deeped in garlic). Carolina rig is ok with circule hook(wide gap version much better). 

[Primitive fisherman]

So there is a lot of variables here. I'm not a great catfishermen, but I have some experience 

I personally have a cheap combo that is dedicated to bottom river fishing. If you currently have a rod with a lure rating up to 1.5 or 2 ounces you could just use that. I bought a ugly stick catfish rod combo for $50 that is rated 1-3oz lures.

 

For the rig I only run a Carolina rig. (there will always be debate about type of line) I put 65lb braid mainline to a strong barrel swivel. On the mainline side of the swivel I have a 1.5-3oz no roll sinker depending on depth and strength of river current. Just like bass go as light of a weight as possible while relatively keeping it in one spot. Than I tie about 18 inches of 30lb mono leader from the swivel to a 6/0 or 8/0 circle hook. I use the snell not on the circle hook

 

The bait- if your state allows fresh cutbait from the water source you are fishing that would be the best. Sunfish, shad etc. Cut it into big pieces an put it on your hook. If no cutbait available us chicken liver, hotdogs, frozen shrimp, SPAM as other options

 

Location: Catfish are ambush predators kind of like bass. Find deep holes they could be hidding in. Find pinch points where bait fish move through. Best places would be below dams, around bridge pillars, outside parts of bends of river, where creeks or smaller rivers enter main river etc.

 

Get your rig, get your bait, cast it in, put a bell on rod tip, grab your beverage of choice, sit back and wait. Don't sit in one spot for hours if not catching, but have some patients as catfish will be on the move during their feeding times

[mrpao]

Alot of people forget about using a float. I use slip floats and fish three to six feet down, depending on the depth.

I'll usually have at least two rods rigged with floats on them. I use 30 lb braid as a main line.

I'll cast these to laydowns and rocky areas.  To keep it weedless, I'll use a weedless hook or a small trout worm texas rigged over the bait. 90% of the time, it'll come through cover with no issues.

I've caught channels, blues and flatheads this way.

[Bluebasser86]

There's about as many variables in catfishing as there are in bass fishing. There is no "best" rig. Probably the most popular is the simple Carolina rig with a sliding sinker, swivel, leader, and the hook of your choice. Depending on the situation and style of fishing though, that rig isn't going to work. Depth is also completely situational. For me, they're rarely deeper than 10', but other places they'll often get 50' deep and even deeper if water quality allows.

 

Bait is the easiest part for me, either live or fresh cut fish, preferably from the same body of water I'm fishing. All the prepared baits, chicken livers, hotdogs, nightcrawlers, chicken breast, ect, they all catch fish, but not nearly as well or as big of fish as other fish.

 

You don't have to use prepared or live bait for catfish either, they'll readily attack lures if you choose to fish for them. I target them with lures on occasion and catch some of my biggest catfish, including my PB flathead, on lures every year. I spent some time targeting flatheads with spoons this winter and caught several, including one giant.