Catfish utilize swift currents to catch prey that is guaranteed to swim by. Thus, it is best to search for catfish in deep holes, points, and ledges where they can hide out within the current.
Utilizing drifts is an active method to targeting catfish as you will cover more water and get more catfish in front of your bait. Shad is a great bait to utilize in rivers, ponds, and shallow water.
Several different species of catfish are known to eat practically anything. So it is best to experiment with many different kinds of baits for catfish to see what works best in your area.
Carolina Rigs are great for fighting off snags and unwanted presents in your bait. The rig is utilized by most anglers and is pretty easy to execute. All one needs to do is tie a couple of extra leader lines prior to heading out for the day in order to speed up re-ties while on the water.
Heavyweight Blues are proven to prefer cut bait while Flatheads have been proven to take best to live bait. This tip is pretty cut and dry holding true for the majority of time.
A Circle Hook is premium because it is almost impossible for a fish to escape from one. It is especially helpful when introducing younger anglers to fishing as they do not have to worry about losing their catch when learning how to reel.
Play around with what size hook works best for you but it is common to start with either a 4/0 or 7/0.
Monofilament line is flexible enough to correct mistakes when targeting bigger fish, plus it is inexpensive so you will not feel bad wasting any.
Fish near a cove close to rocks, trees, and stumps. The closer you are able to get your bait to a structure, the better chance you have in catching a catfish because they love to hide out and watch the current pass by in order to catch their prey.
In order to practice a solid presentation it is best to stick to one rod and become well versed with it. Once you are comfortable with your first rod then take up another and become acclimated with that one before furthering your collection and so on, so forth.
Seasonal migration patterns of the different catfish species will be your navigational guide all year long.
If you believe, you will achieve. Confidence plays a big factor in focus and presentation which matters immensely when angling.
The best time to fish for catfish is during dusk and dawn. As the sun is rising and lowering catfish are frequently feeding on prey which increases the chance of them taking your bait more aggressively.