Catfish season starting up

[pasadenafishin]

So now that the cats are starting to bite i want to get my second catfish (and hopefully many after that). Can someone give me a kind of catfish season 101 kind thing. I need to know what gear, rigs, bait, how long of a leader.
also are there any city park lakes that have a better bite than others?

thanks,
PF

[Troutman65]

Go to Irvine Lake young lad. CATFISHing is going to be Great this year. I know a few spots you can catch from shore. I also know many spots from a boat. Come find me at the tackle shop first thing in the morning you get there and I will get you on the spot.

[Fishbrains]

Catfish loveee Mackeral!! Jus rig up with about a 1/2 ounce sliding sinker above a size 4 baitholder with 18" leader. Use a swivel or splitshot to hold up the slider. Bait up with strips of mackeral or liver. Catfish bite mostly at night but morning or evening will work too. Irvine is very good too. Good Luck!!

[pasadenafishin]

Go to Irvine Lake young lad. CATFISHing is going to be Great this year. I know a few spots you can catch from shore. I also know many spots from a boat. Come find me at the tackle shop first thing in the morning you get there and I will get you on the spot.

thanks patrick ill be there next week

[Troutman65]

Catfish loveee Mackeral!! Jus rig up with about a 1/2 ounce sliding sinker above a size 4 baitholder with 18" leader. Use a swivel or splitshot to hold up the slider. Bait up with strips of mackeral or liver. Catfish bite mostly at night but morning or evening will work too. Irvine is very good too. Good Luck!!


Great advice for sure. If you find the CATFISH they bite all day long. :Wink:

[Troutman65]

thanks patrick ill be there next week


Hit up an Asian market for some mack. Chicken livers are tricky and I just don't like messing with them. Nightcrawlers work to catch CATFISH. If you don't bring your mackeral with you, the lake has some fresh frozen and Du Mongs that is pre cut and flavored in plastic jars. Raw shrimp work well at times too. You can get them at the Asian markets also. You can use some STINK on your bait. I personally perfer not to. Thats just me.

I like to use 12# line. This works up to some big CATFISH. If your targeting the Big Blues you need 50 # line + and the set ups for that. Heavy duty rod and reel. For your basic CATFISHing experiance 12# line on a med size reel and a Med to heavy rod you will do fine.

Of corse some guys use light gear for the feel of the fight.

I hope this helps you out .:Smile::Wink:

[pasadenafishin]

thanks man!!
do you just fish with a carolina rig? What size hoook?


Hit up an Asian market for some mack. Chicken livers are tricky and I just don't like messing with them. Nightcrawlers work to catch CATFISH. If you don't bring your mackeral with you, the lake has some fresh frozen and Du Mongs that is pre cut and flavored in plastic jars. Raw shrimp work well at times too. You can get them at the Asian markets also. You can use some STINK on your bait. I personally perfer not to. Thats just me.

I like to use 12# line. This works up to some big CATFISH. If your targeting the Big Blues you need 50 # line + and the set ups for that. Heavy duty rod and reel. For your basic CATFISHing experiance 12# line on a med size reel and a Med to heavy rod you will do fine.

Of corse some guys use light gear for the feel of the fight.

I hope this helps you out .:Smile::Wink:

[Troutman65]

thanks man!!
do you just fish with a carolina rig? What size hoook?


CATFISH are not line shy . No worries about that. I use the bigest hook I can buy. ( Think Saltwater hooks are the ones I could find that were big enough for my bait ) Then I cut a nice chunk off the Mackeral and put in onto the hook. I try to get the hook through o few times and be sure to leave the hook exposed. Very important that. When the CATFISH find you bait waiting and take it you want the hook exposed so to hook it in the mouth. CATFISH have a tuff mouth.

I use a 3/4 oz or 1 oz sinker when fishing from shore. I huck it out as far as I can get it. I rig up Carolina style with a 12'' leader.

[calico killer kevin]

Carolina rig, dropper loop and flyline. Three must-know rigs for cats. Leader
lengths are subject to surrounding. For heavy current or lots of structure,
a shorter leader and for clear, open water, longer leader. Go buy some
Carolina Keepers. They by far the best tool for catfish rigging.

Baits that work best for me in order from best to good: fresh mack, hot
dog(not the kosher kind), mealworms and marshmallows, fresh anchovies
or sardines, shrimp(fresh frozen w/ head), and nightcrawlers.

I like to use size 6, 4(most common), 2, 1/0 hook, and a 3/0 for mack
heads. I like Owner Mosquitoes, but for baitholder hooks, I use Eagle Claw.
Make sure your hooks are SHARP otherwise they won't be able to
penetrate the thick mouths of cats.

I used 2lb all of last season, but this time I'm stepping up to 6lb line with
20/6 braid.

For weights, all you need are some 1/4 for light line fishing, 1/2 to huck
it out there, and 3/4 for heavy current situations.