Catfish are popular amongst many types of fishermen. There are 37 catfish families and these species are found in both freshwater and saltwater, depending upon the type of catfish. Perhaps one of the most distinctive traits which catfish possess is their catlike whiskers, or barbels. It is hard to mistake a catfish for another type of fish due to this visible attribute.

Catfish are creatures of habit, during the day they tend to hide around submerged rocks and logs where they can shelter themselves from any possible predators. It is at nighttime when these unique fish seek out the open water to find food. Catfish are plentiful in number with regard to family and species type. They are found in various areas throughout the world although certain types of catfish stay within certain regions.

Catfish vary in size, depending on their age and what variety they are. They can range anywhere from a few inches to a few feet and come in a variety of weights as well. One unique trait which a catfish possesses, in addition to the familiar barbells, is the lack of any scales. This also makes identifying a catfish quite an easy task for beginner and advanced fishermen alike.

The catfish eats a variety of foods which come within its reach. Items such as smaller fish, water insects and more all make up the eclectic menu for the catfish. For the avid fishermen out there who target catfish as their selected catch, there are a few tips which make fishing for catfish that much easier. The first tip is to fish for these varieties at nighttime when they are out and about.

Since they tend to hide during the daylight hours, fishermen who are looking to catch catfish should do so when night falls. As for bait, there are a few items which catfish are more drawn to than others. Tantalizing items for the catfish include live bait such as shrimp, chicken liver and worms whereas lures in the form of spoons, jigs and spinners will all do the trick of catching some catfish.

Catfish are a unique type of fish which many fishermen look for when they are out on the water. Fishermen who desire to reel in some catfish are sure to find that the previously mentioned tips may help them to land that perfect catch.

There is a website that has great information on most species of freshwater fish. It has details that pertain to each species of fish such as habitat, spawning, eating habits, the best lures and baits and more, the website is called: Fishing Stringer, and can be found at this url:

http://www.fishingstringer.com

By Robert W. Benjamin

Catfish Fishing Tips

By Kim C Carson

Kim Carson has fished in Southern California lakes for 20 years.
For more fishing tips visit:
http://www.carsonaffiliatemarketing.com

The Best in Fishing Bait For Catfish

By Craig Petersen

Fishing is a hobby men and a lot of women enjoy, but having the right fishing bait for catfish is a very important ingredient to bringing home all those delicious mouth-watering catfish for an outdoor fish fry with your friends and family. Knowing which bait works the best for catfish will give you a fishing adventure you’ll remember for years to come.

Dead minnows are a wonderful bait to use when fishing for catfish. Live minnows tend to attract a lot of bass and that can interfere with the catfish you’re after today. Catfish really don’t care, live or dead, they’ll go after either so save the live ones for a day of bass fishing. Use the dead minnows with a bobber system to suspend them a foot or so under water especially in the summer and spring months and in shallow water.

Sardines, anchovies and shad are other favorite catfish baits. These work well in water that is deep and used more when you are drift fishing. Another favorite fishing bait for catfish is crawfish, this is a delicacy for them. The meat from the tail works best but crawfish can be used as live bait as well but the pinchers need to be removed if you’re fishing on the bottom or use a bobber rig to keep the crawfish off the bottom.

Shrimp is another catfish delight. These should be shelled before being hooked as the catfish prefer the shelled shrimp. The larger shrimp can be cut into small chunks while the smaller ones can be placed on your hook whole. Some people soak the shrimp in garlic oil, vanilla, anise oil, or any number of other things to add another scent to bait shrimp.

Night crawlers work very well too, catfish love worms. Worms are easily found at any bait and tackle shops, especially from the spring months into the winter. When you bait your hook with a worm make sure you don’t leave a long end hanging lose because a catfish will suck the worm off the hook before you know what happened. Place only enough weight on your line to allow your worm and line to drift naturally along the bottom with the current for the best results.

Chicken livers or gizzards are also great bait for catfish. Make sure they are fresh and not frozen. Place these on your hook and just wait for the catfish to come calling. The only draw back to using chicken gizzards or livers is they come off your hook easy after they get wet. It’s best to use a treble hook so you’ll get a little more time out of this bait.

There are also some lures and prepared fishing bait for catfish on the market today. Your best bet with these is to find someone who has had a lot of experience with lures and prepared baits and try those that have been proven to work. The bait shop owner can give you some tips on what’s been working lately and recommend some brands to try.

You can find more information about fly fishing at our site.

Fishing Rigs – What is the Right Tackle For Big Catfish?

By Mark Fleagle

There are no set specifications on what tackle you should use for big catfish in the over 20 lbs range, but if you have been a catfish angler for any length of time you understand that big fish like a 30 lbs blue catfish or a 25 lbs channel catfish will need some very powerful tackle. Our article today will focus on some suggested tackle.

When you are fishing big rivers and there is a strong current you need to go big on your tackle. A good surfcasting rod and reel combo spooled with 30 to 50 lb fire wire fishing line is a good start. The surf rod will get your catfish bait where it needs to be, and will help you when your fighting your big catfish. You will be able to cast your large baits into current areas and with the proper catfish fishing rig you will be able to keep you catfish bait on the bottom. When you fish strong current areas you will need a good supply of 4 to 5 oz pyramid sinks the are the best bet to keep your bait from rolling. You will also need hook sizes from a 5/0 to 7/0 size range. A simple fishing rig would include the pyramid sinker tied on the end of the line and your 5/0 to 7/0 hook tied on about 3ft up the line with a loop knot. You could use gizzard shad or skipjack herring cut bait cut in large chunks.

If you are drift fishing for big catfish such as blue catfish and channel catfish you may want to use a 7 to 8 ft medium power bating casting rod, or medium action open face reel rod with either a bait casting reel or a open face reel spooled with 30 to 50 lbs fire line. Make sure which ever reel you chose it matches your rod selection and is designed to use large pond test lines. The reason I suggest you get fire line is because the large test lines such as 30 to 50 lbs test have a diameter size about ½ of what monofilament line is. For you catfish bait fishing rig I suggest you use a what is called a three way swivel rig.

To Make a three way swivel fishing rig tie the three way swivel onto your line first. Next tie a 8 to 12 inch dropper leader with a 3 oz to 5 oz pyramid sinker. Next tie your 50lb test fire line leader 16 to 28 inches in length with a 5/0 to 7/0 hook. Just a note if the current is extremely strong you will need to go with a larger pyramid sinker, because you need to hold on the bottom to be successful.

For fishing large reservoirs a pontoon boat works great for fishing for large catfish such as blue catfish and channel catfish. But if you are fishing rivers they are not a good idea. If you plan on fishing large rivers with strong currents a good suggestion would be a 16 to 20 ft aluminum deep v designed hull boat. You want to have a larger boat so you have the room to maneuver when you are trying to land a large trophy blue catfish or channel catfish.

Well folks that concludes my article today about catfish fishing rigs and tackle. Have a great day and we wish the best of luck on your next fishing trip.

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Fishing from shore was my first experience with fishing.  I still enjoy it.  But I can’t do it right because I can’t get around as good as  when I was young.  So now I sit in a folding chair with my rod in a rod holder and watch the bobber.  The main thing here is,  I don’t expend any energy.  Here is a list of the items that I bring when shore fishing.

• Light wight folding chair
• Rod and reel  —  long rod 6-7 ft.  spinning real with 4-6 lb. line
• Bait — worms,  crickets,  meal worms, or small jigs and flies
• Bobbers — 1 t0 2 inches in diameter
• Hooks —  size 4 to 10 (10 is smaller than 4)
• 5 gallon bucket — use this bucket to carry everything that isn’t a chair

The bucket can also serve as a seat when turned upside down.  Or they make a padded lid that fits the bucket.  Sometimes I use the bucket as a rod holder.  If the bucket isn’t heavy enough, place a stone in the bottom for ballast.  I divide bank or shore fishing into two categories, still fishing in one spot and continually moving from spot to spot.  This post will cover stationery fishing.

Lets Start Fishing

I use two methods of still fishing.  The first is bottom fishing, used to catch catfish.  The second method is to use a bobber to keep your bait at some level in the water.  This method is used to catch like bluegill, crappie, trout and bass.  Methods and techniques will vary depending on time of year, temperature and spices.  But I like to keep is simple.

Bottom Fishing

Catfish feed off the bottom so if you put you bait on the bottom you might catch a catfish.  Here is a video that will show you how to set up your rig.  Notice the equipment used is much heaver than I like to use.

The bait he was using in the video looked like a fillet off a bluegill.  I like to use packaged catfish bait.  Berkley make a couple catfish baits in chunk form packed in resealable pouches.  Another type of packaged bait is called dip.  It comes in a tub and thick like peanut butter.  You  use a hook that has a sponge or coiled wire  that holds the bait.   Both types of bait work but I prefer the pouch bait because it isn’t as messy as the tub type.

Bobber Fishing

Bobber fishing is used to fish the upper level of the water.  Attach a small hook to the end of your line. Use a round red and white bobber about 1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.  The bobber is clipped on about 12 to 24 inches above your hook.  If you want to use a sinker, use a pinch on split shot half way between the hook and the bobbber.  This rig is great for bluegill bass and trout.

Picking a Spot to Fish

Fish like structure.  Structure is anything that can provide cover.  Some fish use cover to hide others use it to ambush other fish from.  So from the shore look for stumps, vegetation, large rocks or fallen trees.  The list goes on.  But if all you see is a flat area  of mud or gravel it probably isn’t a good spot to fish because there isn’t any structure.  Also look for shade.  Trees on the shore casting shadows on the water or the shady side of a structure like a stump or rock.   Boat docks are structures and provide shade.

If you are fishing in a area that is new to you, stop at the local bait shop or hardware store and get information about the local fishing.   Where to fish, what kind of fish, what bait to use and always buy something before leaving the store.