A little Help with rigging?

[IcEaHoLiC]

Hey all,

I am new to fishing for catfish, have caught a few before but never really meant to catch them. But anyways, I am going to be going this friday and was curious to see how you would go about rigging up for cut live bait? I have my circle hooks attached to 30# mono, and that is attached to my braided line. But, i am having trouble trying to figure out how you guys hook up the sinker? Where shall I place it, should i make it a slip sinker, or what? I have no clue.....PLEASE help. Thanks

[Ralph Wiggum]

Hey Iceaholic,

This is what my basic cat rigs look like:

Use a sinker that is just heavy enough to keep it on the bottom in the current. Shown is a "no-roll" but egg sinkers work, too, they just tend to roll around. Also, bell, bank, and pyramid sinkers will all work. Make sure that you hook the cut bait lightly so that there is plenty of gap exposed to dig into the fish. Also, with superlines and circle hooks, make sure that you're not yanking on the rod for a hookset. Just start reeling when you feel the fish and then I like to give an upward sweeping motion of the rod to dig it in. If you yank, the hook won't have time to grab hold and you'll get frustrated.

[ChemE]

Most of my success comes with a slip sinker rig using a no roll sinker. Take your main line, slip it into the sinker, continue to thread the main line through a plastic bead, then tie to the swivel with your leader connected to the other end. There are some nice illustrations in the Catfish Insider from In-Fisherman Magazine too.

[Tyler Holm]

Is the purpose of the bead, just to prevent the sinker from sticking to the swivel?

[hanson]

Purpose of the bead-

Sometimes, a weight with a larger hole in it will have a problem with a swivel of a small diameter. I had a few sinkers that slid right over my swivel and was left scratching my head as to how that happened. This problem is easily rectified with a larger swivel, or a larger bead.

The main thinking behind the bead is to cushion the knot from the sliding sinker. Some guys use beads, some guys use a short length of surgical tubing, and some guys don't believe in it.

So to bead or not to bead, that is the question.

I prefer the bead. Always done it that way and will probably keep doing it.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think I DA MAN did a little experiment and figured out that the bead doesn't really make a difference, but I have always used it and probably always will. Beads are cheap, and on the off chance that the sinker would weaken the knot at all, I'll spend the few cents (or less) on a bead rather than lose a big fish.

[Dennis Steele]

The purpopse of the bead is to protect the knot.

What is sharper? Hard plastic bead, or lead?

A little piece of soft platic tubing would be a better choice. I have a bunch of them all cut up.

But....I am just too lazy most of the time to put that on, cuz...I never had a knot fail from the lead banging on the knot. Just from poor knot tying.

[Random guy]

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The purpopse of the bead is to protect the knot.

What is sharper? Hard plastic bead, or lead?

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Ah...very wise words you ol cat man.

[Cooter]

I've been told I'm sharp as a marble

[DARK30]

Now if you use the bead AND a small blade, could you add a stinger hook to your live bait and call it legal? Hmmm...

[Random guy]

No Cooter your the guy that can wreck a steel ball with a rubber hammer.

[Canuck]

I used to always use the plastic bead then about 5 yrs go learned about the tubing and havn't looked back. Instead of paying the big dollars on surgical tubing I use clear plastic plumbers tubing and it works just fine. For about 2 dollars (buck and half US) it last several years. I cut them up and put them in film (35mm) tubes. I probably give more away than I actually use. They are cheap insurance and I have seen where guys tried to skip on them and have the line break at what appeared the swivil but NO proof.

The current will determine the length of line U use from the weight to the hook. The more the current the less lead. Also if U are in heavy snag area use alittle lighter lead so that if U snag up all U loose is the hook and not the swivil and sinker. The in-line sinkers in my opinon are alot better as U need less weight and they lay flat on the bottom and don't roll.

Only about a month before we can chase our kitties.

[bgreen82]

if i'm fishing the river, i usually just put at least a 2-3 oz. sinker on all the time so i know its not gonna roll no matter what. is this ever a bad idea for any reason or can i keep doing this. also, with the heavier line (17 - 25 lb.) is it common to get more snags in the reel, and if so any tips to avoid it.

[hanson]

Brian-

I see no problem going with heavier weight. Sometimes you need more weight to help with longer casts. One area I fish has very little current yet I still use 2-3 oz weight. It doesn't bother the cats too much. Just make sure you are rigged so the weight slides up and down your line and you are good.

To answer your line question, I would say no, its not more common. However, you need to be using a reel that is big enough and rated to handle that type of line. Another alternative is to use a superline such as Power Pro. All of my cat rods are spooled with 80lb Power Pro right now. I can't remember the conversion but 80PP is somewhere around 12lb mono diameter I believe. You can get incredible strength out of a small diameter line when you go with a superline. The smaller diameter line also cuts the current better.

[Ralph Wiggum]

80lb Power Pro = 18lb mono

[hanson]

That only took 5 minutes for a clarification...

I love this place!

[Ralph Wiggum]

LOL, I had a spool sitting on my table

[hanson]

Empty Spool?

[bgreen82]

thanks guys. right now i'm using green 20 lb. berkely big game line. ok? looking to hit up some shore cats this week, any suggestions. is there anywhere good in hastings you guys know. by the dam maybe.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Hanson, it's got 10 yards or so for leaders.

BGreen, sorry, I've never fished that area.

[DTro]

Quote:

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80lb Power Pro = 18lb mono

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50lb power pro = someone else gets to catch it

[hanson]

Quote:

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50lb power pro = someone else gets to catch it

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You didn't just go there, did you? You know, we're going to be in the same boat this weekend.