Catfish Rigging

by gunner

Let’s talk about rigging for catfish.  There are a few different ways to do it, and in different situations each way  has its purpose.  There is the slip rig, the three-way rig, and the tie rig, just to name a few; but these are the three I use most.  From a boat, if there is any current at all, the three-way rig is best.  From the bank, the slip rig and the tie rig work best.  Let’s look at these one at a time…

Three-way rig:

There are a number of ways to set this rig up.  One of the most common is to have a lighter test line for the weighted end.  This way, if you would happen to get a snag, you can pull your line free without losing the entire rig.  That is always a great idea.  10-pound test is, in my opinion, the best test for this.  It is strong enough for casting but yet will break if you need it to, without too much strain.  Then all you lose is the sinker.

The length of this line from swivel to sinker depends on where the fish are.  Watch your fish finder/depth finder…if the fish are suspending a foot or two off the bottom, you have your length.  You want to put the bait right in front of them.  I am still a firm believer that no catfish will pass up a meal if it is right in front of their mouth.

On the hook end…a lot of arguments have gone on over the pound test and the length this needs to be.  Some think that it should also be a lighter line in case the line gets snagged.  I disagree with that…I think it should be the same pound test as the test on the reel.  It does no good to have a heavier line on this end, because the main line will break and you will lose the whole rig or, worse yet, the fish.  But…going lighter is just as bad, because the hook line can break and you will have a three-way swivel and sinker on your line but no fish.  So, I go with the pound test I have on the reel, and the LEAST pound test I use for catfishing is 17.  Most times it is 30.  You can get away with a lighter line if you are catfishing from a boat.  But you will need the heavier line if fishing from the bank, at least if you are going after the BIG fish.  As far as the length, I like it to be at least 18 inches from the swivel, sometimes longer if there is a lighter current.

One more thing I do on the hook end that I don’t see too many people doing is to slide a nice sized piece of cork over the knot on the hook, just to help keep the bait up.  I also do the same on the tie rig.

Tie Rig:

This is a simple rig for bank fishing. Tie the sinker on the end of the line, come up about 18 inches from the sinker, and tie the hook and a short leader on there.  Most times for this, I will buy the snelled hooks with the 8 to 10 inch of line already attached, and just loop them through the line which will hold them in place.  Because you are using this from shore, you will want the shorter hook line length; that way, it will not get tangled up around the main line.  And again, a little piece of cork by the hook tie works wonders.

Slip Rig:

This is the rig my grandfather showed me years ago.  Slide the line through the sinker, tie on a swivel, and then your leader and hook.  Cast out and fish off the bottom.  You need to make sure you use enough weight to keep the bait where you want it to be in the current.  Flat sinkers seem to be better for this, because they will not roll around and snag up as easy.

To be completely honest, I never caught a “big” fish this way…it was always the smaller channel cats and bull cats with this rig.  Now, any catfish is worth the fight it puts up, but I am still a flathead cat man myself.  Nothing like the fight of a 40-pounder on 17-pound test in the middle of the night!!!  That will get you going anytime…

Good Luck, good fishing…

gunner