help tackle confusion?

[mrpike1973]

hello great forum on begginers however very confused i live near hutchinson there is the crow river big swan, swan and marion lake i hear it is only channel cats i dont have a boat if you were starting out what would you need for tackle perhaps a list of things i have to have like what size hooks bobbers lead i would really appreciate it

[AceintheHole]

All you really need is some no-roll sinker 2-4 oz and some 5/0 to 7/0 circle hooks and some bigger khale or wide gap hooks. It's a pretty simple list but thereare many extras to get also. The HSO store has no-rolls or you can go to catfish connection they have every thing you need.

[HuskerBen]

My rig is often even smaller than that. I usually use the 2 oz no-rolls, but in a smaller river or a lake, you don't need that much. Just enough weight to hold bottom. Egg sinkers and bell sinkers work well, too, if the current doesn't roll your sinkers around. And I use 3/0 circles for channel cats most of the time. Use a slip-sinker rig. Cut bait is generally the best bait, just make sure that you leave the hook gap wide open, especially on circle hooks. Cats are not hook-shy.

Channel cats are pretty simple, as far as equipment goes. Sure, you can spend a lot of money on tackle (and you probably will eventually), but when you're just getting started, you can get away with going pretty low-buck.

[mrpike1973]

thanks for help i really needed it thanks

[Gordie]

mrpike I was at swan a few yrs back fishing for eyes with jig and minnows and smacked a few cats so its not totally out of the question to use lighter gear it was fun but I think if I were to target them I would go a little heavier tackle as was posted. I would like to hit swan again this spring or summer for cats and eyes so if I do and your available you could fish out of my boat also. Ill let you know when I head that way.

[aanderud]

In marion and swan you need 1 ounce weights at the most. There's no current in either of those lakes. In the crow I think the current is usually low enough that you shouldn't even need to go above that 2 ounce weight. Channel cats will target the fast current areas a lot of the time, so you might carry some 3 ouncers just in case, but I doubt you'll need them.

Small circle hooks is what I would use, no bigger than 4/0 unless you're targetting some bigger cats that I don't know about in there.