Choosing The Right Catfish Gear

Tackle seem to be the big question when it comes to choosing the correct catfish gear. Choosing the correct rod, reel, line, hooks and etc is very important to landing the next monster catfish. Here are some things that you should look for. In a reel you should look at the frame, drag system, gear ratio, clicker, line capacity, bearings, and make sure that parts are replaceable. Most reels will last a lifetime with the proper care. Choose a rod that best suites you needs. Longer rods 10'0" to 12'0" will cast farther and help pull the slack out of the line faster. Shorter rods around 7'0" to 9'0" are best for using on boats and river fishing. Catfish or Surf rods can range in prices starting at $15.00 all the way up to over $500.00. Choose a rod that best suites you needs. When choosing a line look for line that has good abrasion resistant, cast great and sinks quickly. With lighter lines you will get better casting line and with heavier line you will get aline that is stronger and has more abrasion resistance. Hooks are the most important part of terminal tackle. Gamakatsu and Owner are the best for catfishing. They are super sharp and can penetrate into the mouth of catfish easily and quickly.

Channel Catfish Fishing Gear

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Rods: A 7'0" to 9'0" medium to medium heavy action rod works well. The Shakespeare Ugly Stik, Wildcat, and American Premier Night Sticks are our best sellers. Reels: For baitcasting use the Abu Garcia 6500 sized reels or Shimano 400 sized reels. For spinning reels use the Shimano Baitrunners or Okuma Baitfeeders. For rivers we prefer a larger reel with more line capacity. Penn, Okuma, and Shimano make some really nice boat reels. Line: Use 10 lb to 20 lb test Berkley Big Game, Berkley Big Cat, Hi Seas Black Widow, Sufix Superior line. For river and boat fishing we like to use Power Pro 65 lb to 80lb test braided line. Leaders: 20 lb to 30 lb Berkley Big Game leader material in 12" to 18" lengths. Hooks: #1 to 4/0 Gamakatsu or Owner Octopus hooks. Circle hooks are the best for the catch and release. Swivels: 50 lb to 80 lb Berkley, Sea Striker, Spro or AFW swivels Floats: Floats are available in many sizes and shapes. Big Daddy or Lindy Little Joe pole floats are the best for catfish. Sinkers: Egg sinkers are the best for lake and pond fishing. Use heavier pyramid sinkers for river fishing Nets: Nets are very important for catch and release. You should never hold fish and should always use a landing net. Ed Cummings and ranger make some very nice affordable catfish nets.

Blue Catfish & Flathead Catfish Gear

Rods: A 7'0" to 12'0" medium heavy to extra heavy action rod works well. The Shakespeare Ugly Stik, Wildcat, and American Premier Night Sticks are our best sellers. Reels: For baitcasting use the Abu Garcia 6500 sized reels or Shimano 400 sized reels. For spinning reels use the Shimano Baitrunners or Okuma Baitfeeders. For rivers we prefer a larger reel with more line capacity. Penn, Okuma, and Shimano make some really nice boat reels. Line: Use 20 lb to 40 lb test Berkley Big Game, Berkley Big Cat, Hi Seas Black Widow, Sufix Superior line. For river and boat fishing we like to use Power Pro 65 lb to 80lb test braided line. Leaders: 30 lb to 60 lb Berkley Big Game leader material in 12" to 18" lengths. Hooks: 3/0 to 10/0 Gamakatsu or Owner Octopus hooks. Circle hooks are the best for the catch and release. Swivels: 60 lb to 150 lb Berkley, Sea Striker, Spro or AFW swivels Floats: Floats are available in many sizes and shapes. Big Daddy or Lindy Little Joe pole floats are the best for catfish. Sinkers: Egg sinkers are the best for lake and pond fishing. Use heavier pyramid sinkers for river fishing Nets: Nets are very important for catch and release. You should never hold fish and should always use a landing net. Ed Cummings and ranger make some very nice affordable catfish nets.