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Ready to go catfish angling? You do not need much equipment and it will not cost you a fortune. I am going to give you a list of what I believe to be the bare minimum catfish gear needed to fish from the bank and how to set your catfish rig. Ok, we are going to start with what you have to have.
1 Fishing rod 61/2 to 7 ft medium/heavy action 2 Fishing reel, type is your choice but if is the first time I suggest a spin casting model 3 Fishing line, your reel should have 8-10lb test line 4 Assorted sinkers, should include egg and split sinkers 5 Assorted bait hoots, sizes 6-1/0 6 Small package of corks or bobbers 7 Leaders, at least a half dozen 12-24 inches in length 8 Bait, zillions of choices here but suggest a tub of chicken livers and a tub of night crawlers 9 Small scissors, need something to cut your line. 10 Pliers, needle nose are the best. You will need to take the hook out of the catfish
That is it, bare minimum and you can not keep any of the catfish you catch. Ok, want a little bit more than the bare minimum, here are some accessories I am fond of for bank fishing.
1 Chair, much softer and more comfortable than a rock or log 2 Rod holders, a good stick with a Y at the top will work. Mine is homemade from pipe. You have to have someway to set your rod down if you are going to be there for any length of time. 3. Cooler, I have to have my soda. Mine is very small only holds 6 cans and a couple of sandwiches. 4 Tackle box, you do not need a big one but you do need something to keep and carry your tackle in 5 Stringer, if you want to keep the catfish you catch you will need this. 6 Lantern, much easier to rig your gear at night if you have a lantern. Turn it off though when you do not need it. 7 Glow sticks, you can find these for the end of your rod for about a dollar and they will work several hours
Pack everything above in advance and you can carry it from your vehicle to the bank in one trip.
Now its time to set up your catfish rig. I am going to assume that you have the reel on the rod and the line is through the eyes on the rod. Slip a 3-5 oz egg sinker onto the line. Tie a 12-18" lead onto the line using the Palomar knot. Simply put the leader though instead of the hook as shown. Clip your hook onto the leader and bait the hook.
Your ready. Cast it into the water and wait for the catfish to bite. If you have a glow stick and do not want to hold your rod all the time attach it to the tip and you will be able to see it when you get a bite. Do not get discouraged if you do not catch something your first time out. Catfish are very good at stealing your bait so reel it in every 20-30 minutes and check your bait. If the blood is out of the liver change it. Cast again into a slightly different location. GOOD LUCK!
Doug Burns is founder of Catfish Angling. A leading source for tips, tricks and information on catfish fishing. Doug has been an avid angler for 35 years and a steady contributor.Have a Catfishing Question? Click Here. Catfish Fishing
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