# Newbie to catfishin'



## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

Since I was a teenager, I can count the times I have used live bait in freshwater on one hand. I tend to use lures for bass etc but have the itch to try for some channel cats at a private spot. When I was young we used to catch them all the time there using chicken livers and night crawlers. Has much changed? Should I use a slip-style sinker? What type of hook? 

Any help would be very, well, helpful!


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## theyounggun (Mar 28, 2010)

Slip sinkers are the best in my opinion. The fish can take the bait and not feel the weight. 

I normally use a slip sinker rig. Main line-slipsinker-barrelswivel-leader-hook.
-I use this for cut bait, nightcrawlers and livers. Adjust sinker weight for the current.

I use a three-way rig too.
Main line- threeway swivel or barrel swivel- dropper with sinker- leader- hook
- I use this for Flatheads and live bait. It works with cut bait well too.

You can use any bait on these two rigs but this is what types bait I use on them. You can't go wrong with the slip sinker rig. 

The slip sinker I use is from cabelas. Its a disc sinker. I'm sure a lot of tackle shops have them. You can use them for slip rigs and you can tie a dropper to them.

I use circle hooks for all my rigs. I am going to try a two hook rig this year on live bait rigs. Circle hook and a treble. Just match the size of the hook to your bait and the size of cats in your area. 

I normally use shiners and suckers from the local bait shop for bait. Keep them alive for Flatheads or cut them up for Channels. I still use nightcrawlers, but mostly during the day. I think I am going to give chicken livers another shot this year. I caught way too many turtles in the past on them. 
That stuff is cheap and you get a lot. I try to stay away from that prepared cat bait. Never caught a fish on that stuff. 

It's not too difficult catching smaller cats. You still can wait hours on end not getting a bite but in the end it is always fun. I hope this kinda helped. There are alot of good websights out there and in-fisherman has a catfishing magazine I think.


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

Nope, they still like to eat the same things.  Carolina rig is simple and works as well as anything. Everyone has their own favorite hook style, but any 2/0 hook will work; baitholder, octopus, kahle, circle&#8230;. Chicken liver is probably one of the best &#8220;numbers&#8221; baits, cut shad is also a good choice if available. Raw shrimp works as well.


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

the only prepared catfish bait i have ever had luck with is secret 7 from team catfish. that stuff is awesome and always worth having in the water on atleast 1 rig. when i catfish i usually like 2 rigs, to try 2 different baits at once...but thats personal preference. 

my top 3


Fresh cut shad
un frozen Chicken liver from kroger
secret 7 dip bait from team catfish

get a rod holder, throw some lines out, enjoy some smokes, beers, conversation with friends, and wait for a strike!

oh also, bells, tip lights, bait clickers, and chairs are not required but always helpful

Good Luck! cats are a hell of a fight!!

*EDIT: sorry, this is my top 3 for CHANNEL CATS, I have never tried for Flatties...but from what I hear, live shad or creek chubs are best near deep pools with wood cover*


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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

Thanks guys! A lot of good stuff already. Question on circle hooks: I heard you do not hard set them, but just start reeling them. Is this correct?

Also, anyone ever try chicken livers marinated with garlic salt?


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## Silent Mike (Aug 9, 2009)

the bloodier, tangier, saltier, smellier, rotten(ier) the bait is the better...you cant go wrong with chicken liver, and if you wanted to try some with garlic salt, i would put out 2 rigs....one rig with the old faithful and one with the experiment! always worked for me


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## theyounggun (Mar 28, 2010)

Photog said:


> Thanks guys! A lot of good stuff already. Question on circle hooks: I heard you do not hard set them, but just start reeling them. Is this correct?
> 
> Also, anyone ever try chicken livers marinated with garlic salt?


Correct. You do not need to set the hook hard on circle hooks. It took me a while to figure them out. I kept yanking the hooks out of the fish. Just let them take it then start reeling or do a slow sweep or the rod. I've started to have my drag real loose so the fish can take it in the rod holder, then slowly tighten it up to normal and go from there. 

Them chicken livers sound like they would work. Like Mike said the nastier it is to us, the better it is for the cats.


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## golive (Feb 20, 2011)

Tons of good stuff on this webpage: 

http://www.hookedoncatfish.com/ 

He goes Doctor on this site.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Photog

I have an easy one for you. 

When I waded the Scioto near Radnor for smallmouths,
I would sometimes throw crawdads seigned at Prospect dam.
My target was smallmouth but I caught several channel cats
in the deeper holes as I waded.

The deep hole under the old tram tressel would be a good place
to start. There is enough current to make circle hooks effective.
Pieces of live fish (bluegill) would be effective as baits.


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## OhioCatter (Feb 26, 2012)

I use Carolina rigs with 3oz no roll sinkers. This way I can troll, drift, or anchor fish with them. As far a hooks go I use 8/0 circle hooks for all my rigs. I've caught fish as small as 1# using 8/0 hooks. As far as bait goes, cut shad, live shad, cut gills, and live gills. If I use live gillsI like them in the 3" to 5" range. I've seen 3# cats take a 5" gill. Best of luck to ya out there.


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## Photog (Jun 18, 2010)

katfish said:


> Photog
> 
> I have an easy one for you.
> 
> ...


 I am very familiar with the low-head dam but clueless on the tram tressel. 

Thanks for the headsup!


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