What gear do I need for catfish?

[Uncle Grump]

Ok

This may sound dumb, but.....

I have the usual assortment of light and medium weight rods and reels. But nothing I assume would be really heavy enough to do battle with a cat of more than 10# or so.

So - what should I be looking for in terms of rods, reels and line?

Spinning/baitcast, etc? Graphite or Glass.
Mono or super lines?

Also - while I'm at it - what would I need for hooks, weights, floats, etc.

Is there a differance in gear for rivers vs lakes?

Lay it on me, so I can start locating this stuff.

Thanks

UG

[Crawlerman]

Well. For channel cats/carp/various river fish I recomend a rod in the Medium-heavy catagory. Either spinning or casting will do, whatever your more comfortable with. Berkley makes a nice e-glass rod in a MH action that is cheap and much stronger than a Graphite composite; while still being lighter than a fiberglass. They are also white in color and show up very nicely in low light and night-time conditions. There are also a few in the line that has a glowing tip. Any nice MH spinning/casting reel that will hold lines around the 14-20 # range should balance nicely with that. There are a number of pre-made catfish combos at Fleet Farm, Galyans, and wallmart. Most of these are spinning, and some of which are also e-glass rods simmilar to the Berklry line. They also come with some basic termnial tackle, and save you about $10-20 off of buying the stuff individually. My Quantum reel/berkley rod cost about $55 and Fleet Farm had practically the same thing plus some term tackle for $40.

A lot of people on here I'm sure are going to suggest using superlines I'm sure... I've allways been a mono fisherman myself. Triline XT works nicely in this situation. The problem with superlines is if you get snagged on a log they are harder to snap off; I'd atleast use a mono leader. And I allways thought it's more of a challenge when the fish can actually break the line... instead of setting the drag to nil and horsing the fish in, knowing the line isn't gonna snap; but that's just me.

The big difference in current fishing is weight. Generally you don't want to go with anything smaller than an ounce if you expect the bait to hit the bottom; and 1 1/2-2 are better. The standard river rig is a 1-2 oz sliding bell or egg sinker tied off with a large swirvel, and a leader 14"-2 feet in length. Another option is to tie a leader to both a bell sinker and hook using a 3 way swivel. This method is a lot less sensitive and you'll be picking off a lot of small sheephead who swallowed the hook this way, and missing the smaller fish. I usually go with the slip sinker approach myself.

1/0 to 2/0 hooks are good-- and at this size only the most stubborn sheephead can swallow them (but I still loose hooks to the little bstrds... just not as many)

Hope this helps. Again I only fish channels and carp and such.. I don't know anything for rigging for flats...

[Guest]

You can get away with your standard pike or musky gear,but if you want to be set up right...
To cover your both bases(channels and Flats)
The rod would be a Berkely Reflex 9 foot.The length is important for many reasons.Casting,keeping the line off the water,good hook sets,added give when the fish shakes his head,and for using circle hooks.
The reel should have a bait click or line out alarm if you are going with a baitcaster.This is mostly for when fishing for flatheads.You let them run with the bait for awhile then whack um.Abu Garcia make quite a few good reels with this feature.
You can also get spinning reels with free line features.It is basically has two drag systems one for fighting the fish and one for letting the fish run.Shimano makes the best in my opinion.The Bait Runner.The run around a hundred bucks.I have been eyeing one I saw in the Cabelas catalog that goes for about half that made by Okuma.I believe it is called Corrida.
I would spool up with at least 30lb test.I prefer Power Pro.I like the thinner diameter.It cuts the current better and you can use less weight wich can be very important sometimes.Even cats get a little finicky at times.They also do not feel the thinner softer line when they take your bait.Again sometimes its real important.
For weights I would get a variety of sizes of No Roll wieghts.These weights look like flattened egg sinkers.They keep you bait where you put it better than eggs weights because they do no roll around.They also do not get snagged up like pyramid sinkers of bank sinkers.If you are fishing wood infested water you can give your rod a quick pop and then reel fast and they will glide over the snags.Always use the smallest weight you can get away with.All it has to do is keep the bait down and not let it roll into the snags.
Hooks for each cat is different.For channels I like circle hooks in 4/0 to 8/0.My favrite kind are Gamakatsu Octopus circle.They jsut seem to work the best for me.When a cat takes your bait leave the rod in the holder until he hooks himself.Don't worry about your rod if you have the Eglass.It won't break.If you like to actually set the hook I would go with kahle or wide bend hooks(4/0 to 6/0).Keep the rod in your hand and when you feel the fish take your bait downstream follow him with the tip of your rod untill it is horizontal and then WHACK him.
For flatheads I like you good old O'Shaunessey hooks in 8/0 or better.I try to find hooks with thinner gauge rather than the 2X or 4X.It causes less trauma to the bait.The bait has to be kicken to attract a flathead.Let him run a little than set the hook.

Hope this helps.

[Fisher Dave]

I will stand by what fishead had stated.

If you do decide you want to use spinning vs. baitcasting you can use the shimano Baitrunner Reels. They hold up pretty good over the test of time, and also have the freespool option that is so important when fishing Flatheads especially.

The reflex rods are great rods. I use rods slightly heavier and longer than his .. 10' & 11' surf rods in medium heavy, and heavy action.... If nothing else, if your hungry you can knock low flying birds out of the air to get a meal.

[Crawlerman]

Reflex... yeah that's the name of the rod...

However I find anything over 7' in length too cumbersome and heavy to use. Surf fisherman and Euorpeans might use these uber long rods, but most sporting good stores it's RARE to find anything over 7.5'. Larger rods like that have to be custom ordered or built.

The 30# is good for targeting flats, but is a bit much for channels. If you could find a spinning reel heavy enough to support 25 or 30 lb test on the top end you could switch lines with an extra spool with ease. I don't know how bulky or cumbersome a spinning reel like this would be.. but they are common place in saltwater surf casting combos. The MH one I have is about the biggest I'd ever really want to use for a spinning reel.

I've heard circle hooks work great, but I've never tried them myself. Maybe next year. I'm sure it would reduce the # of hooks lost from sheeps as well...

[Fisher Dave]

Crawlerman ..

The circle hooks tend to get buried in the corner of the mouth 95% of the time, 4% of the time they somehow seem to hook the bottom jaw .. they are great, but take a little getting used to. If you set the hook before you have a fair amount of pressure (hookpoint breaking skin) you will pull it right out of the mouth most the time. Its best not to set the hook at all .. but thats hard to do.

[DARK30]

Uncle Grump, Theres lots of ways to do it but the main thing is spending the time and knowing where to fish.

Plan on spending some time fishing the Minnesota River this summer! I'll be glad to show you around and I'm sure others will too!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Uncle Grump]

To all:

Thanks for all the replies - you guys been at this for a while - thats for sure.

Crawlerman's post came last night, right before I made a trip to Fleet, so while I was there, so I took a look around at what they had.

I did find some of the "kits" he mentioned - they have a couple varieties - mainly in the 6-7' rod length, with spinning reels sized to handle 15-25# test line, .5-1.5oz lure/bait weight. These kits were in the $30-35 range.

Over on the rod rack, there was much more variety, with heavier and longer stuff there, both bait caster and spinning. There were rods to 8' - single and two peice, line
weights to 40#, and lure/bait weights of 2-5oz. No reels with these. Price range $20-40. Some of these were labeled Eglass.

I was somewhat suprised to see such a broad range of gear and sizes, all labeled "medium heavy".

All of this stuff - kits and rod rack were labeled "clearance" - I assume from last summer.

My dilema - as always - is $$$$ and how much will I really use it - I know the "you gets what you pays for" rule is always in effect.

With the accepted fact that a kit/combo is a compromise, if I got one with a reel which can handle 25# test (30# being better) line, would I have something which would be a reasonable starting point for both channel and flatheads?

Dark30:

Thanks for your kind offer. I am definitely interested. I am in SE MN. Are you referring to MN River as in Mankato and further west, or North and towards the Cities?

UG

[Guest]

I would steer away from the "kits".The rods might be ok but the reels are usually junk.Your first big cat will tear those cheap reels up.If you have any musky or big pike gear just go with that until you are hooked on cats.It doesn't take long!

[DARK30]

Uncle Grump, I live in Belle Plaine and mainly fish between Shakopee and Mankato. I know a few spots down from Shakopee but then you run into barge traffic around Savage.

I have also done some exploring upstream from Mankato....Theres some nice water up there! Half the fun is looking for new spots and I find new ones every year.

Really, as far as gear goes....You can spend alot or a little and catch fish. Maybe be sure you intend on using your investment alot before you spend alot. My choice for the big guys is a heavy E-cat rod and a Penn 320GT2 with 65 lb power pro line. I have two other rigs I will use also for cats...Just depends on conditions.

BTW...Theres a nice rod holder for bankfishing available on this site under the product listings...Its called the "Big Cat Shore Angler's Companion" and it works good!

WET NETS!

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Uncle Grump]

All....

I stepped in to the local Gander Mountain store over lunch, talked to a clerk there.

The recommendation I got from them was a
Berkley "Big Cat" rod in the baitcaster form, and then pair it w/ an Ambassadour 6500C reel, and one of the "catfish" high abrasion lines. This combo would be about $120-125. Its a little more than I was interested in spending, but it is a better quality reel. I asked about spinning reels - the answer was a Shimano Sedona - but the baitcaster had a better drag system.

Fishhead: The answer to your question about big pike/musky gear is no. The "heavy" rods that I have right now are my worm rods for bass fishing.

This does bring up question though - in all the trips you guys have made - how often do you latch up w/ really big cats? Out of ignorance - I am calling "big" 15 lbs or better. Once a summer - once a week - can you help qualify the need for a really HD gear. If the average cats are 4-10lbs - could I get by using my worm rods?

You guys got a rank amatuer here - I know very little about this.

Dark: I've traveled the roads between Mankato and Granite Falls quite a bit the last couple of years - so I know of some of the launch sites in that area - but not the river itself. Heading in that direction or north towards Belle Plain shouldn't be a problem.

I still have more questions - but I'll start another thread.

Thanks

UG

[Guest]

If you are going to chase flatheads i would have to say that your average fish will be 20 pounds.30's are not uncommon.
Most channels will be between 4 to 6lbs but be prepared for fish that go as large as 15lbs.

If you have a flippin stick that would work good too.
If you do buy something you do not need to spend that much.You can get set up for less than 70 bucks.Shoot me an email.I know where you can get a great deal.

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[email protected]

[Crawlerman]

I got a nice spinning combo from them last year for $55.. it was that berkley rod and the MH Quantum reel. They did want a lot more for even there cheapest baitcasters than anyone else... but I was in a hurry so I bought the spinning rod instead. The drag's decent for a spinning reel and it casts well. The Ambasaduers are a nice reel.. I have an older model still in use as my only baitcasting reel. That rod was around $34-40 last time I checked? Wall Mart wants around $60 for the Amb. Reel-- so it may end up being $90-100 instead.. which would save you a few $. I thik Wallmart has a MH Abu Amb. combo for $75. However the matching rod is composite, and one piece. And it's black of course.. that white rod really helps for seeing bites after dark... If your looking for channels, the Quantum reel plays out plenty. I've had a few carp take some decent runs with it; and it seems pretty smooth with the Alum. spool on. Generally though from What I've seen a good baitcaster combo will cost you twice what a spinning outfit of the same cailber will.. atleast for the mid-grade stuff.

[cvikes80]

For channels you dont need to spend more then 40.00 for a rod reel combo. i fish the red river in the summer in the East Grand Forks, Grand Forks area every chance i get. i use cabelas king kat rodnreel combos for 35.00 and a variety of other combos that i have gotten from target, walmart etc. all of which costed less then 50.00. i use 20lb mono trilene. and ive tried a ton of different lines. even the spendy spider wire braid. they all break. mono is the most forgiving. for weights i go to the hardware store and get nuts for weight in the current. i make a loop in the line so its like a 3way swivel but without the added hardware and loose end knots. if i get a snag on the weight. it will break off while i keep the hook and bait and i dont have to feel bad about adding extra lead to a river system because the nuts are made of steel. It never has and never will take the high priced high end gear to catch bigger and better fish. the challenge is always the same. location and presentation will always be key. the cat dont care how much your reel costs. as far as channels on a river system go always start looking for fish in river bends where there are holes or eddies. in the red river my best luck has came from both of those, i generally start in the front of a hole so that your bait is presented in front of the cats home and ill throw the other rod up on the flat incase theres one out stocking for prey. again this is what i have leaned over 15 years of hunting these critters on a budget, and this only is for channel cats. i have never been lucky enough to wrestle a flathead.

[Uncle Grump]

Fishhead

Sorry about long delay - haven't been able to access the site - bandwidth nastygrams.
Anyway....

You've got mail - or will have shortly.

UG

[bottom feeder]

fishhead,

In your reply earlier in this thread, you mentioned using 8/0 or better O'Shaunessy hooks with a "thinner" guage.

Where is a good place to buy the thinner guage hooks? I live in Baudette, so do you know of somewhere to purchase these babies on-line?

I usually fish for flat heads on the Minnesota between New Ulm and Redwood Falls, so I could stop by somewhere on the way down if you know of a good place to purchase the hooks. The big hooks I have now are thick guage.

Also, how do you hook your bait when chasing flatheads? (ie. mouth, back, tail?)

Thanks in advance.

[Guest]

I have been getting alot of hooks through offshore fishing catalogs(Divisions of Bass Pro and Cableas)It is really hard to find good cat hooks in MN.The only place that I have found in my area that stocks good cat gear is 169 Sports in Belle Plain.

When hooking my bait it all depends on the amount of current I am fishing.Slow current I always hook my bait in the tail just below the dorsal.I put the point in further from the dorsal and bring it out near the dorsal and at an angle.If you are useing a hook with an offset make sure that the offset is up and that the point does not curve toward the bait.This puts the hook in the right position in the fish takes the bait head first or from the side.
When fishing in a fair amount of current I will hook the bait through the upper lip only.If the bait cannot open and close its mouth to allow water to flow over the gills you may kill the bait.

[CANOPY SAM]

Uncle Grump,
I generally start gearing up for catfishing with the freshest Copenhagen I can find. Runs around 5$ a can now. Any variety of food can accompany you, but I prefer something that's pretty messy so you end up with a little BBQ mixed with river bottom mud and laced with a touch of mashed sucker guts and scales. And of course, it all has to be rounded out with a good cheap brand of pilsner. Schmidts is really a good standby, it goes down fast when it's cold, and as it starts to warm, well, if you've already finished 6 or 7 it just doesn't matter any more. Don't forget something to plant your backside on!! Catfishing isn't quite like pitching jerk baits for muskies, so you gotta be prepared not to exert yourself what-so-ever.
As for fishing equipment - catfish just don't care! Get something with a little give, and plenty of backbone. Lots of inexpensive strong hooks and weights and a bucket of big lively sucker minnows. Chop em' up for channel cats, and hook em' up live for flatheads.
Your all set.. Bring plenty of extra pilsner for me if we plan to fish together. Fishhead can tell you - I don't fish much, but I really find ways to enjoy the whole experience! Good luck!