A Quick Guide to Catfishing Techniques
Catfishing is one of the most popular sports today, but to really enjoy this type of fishing you will need to know some basic catfishing techniques. To better your chances of catching catfish you should become familiar with this type of fish.
Catfish usually breed in water that is fairly still, and throughout their lives, they like to feed on the bottom of the water as opposed to moving to the top like many other types of fish. On average, catfish will grow to between 10 to 15 pounds, but there have been reports of people catching catfish that are in excess of 50 pounds. These fish can get very big, especially in larger bodies of water or big rivers, such as the Mississippi River. When you are fishing for catfish you should be prepared to pull in a very large fish. Because catfish are so alert it is important that the area you are fishing be quiet, with as few distractions as possible. These fish will be distracted if there is a lot of noise or changing light, such as flashlights or headlights.
One of the most important catfishing techniques that can improve your chances of catching a catfish is choosing the right time of day to go fishing. Catfish like to feed during the nighttime hours, which is also the best time to go fishing for this type of fish. Since they are sensitive to light and sound, it is significant that your fishing party remains quiet, and whatever you do, you will not want to direct light toward the water.
Using the right bait is also important to employ the right catfishing techniques; these fish like bait that has an extreme odor, such as chicken livers, or fishing cheese. You can use worms as well, but they don’t seem to work as well. You can fish in lakes or rivers, but usually slower moving rivers are best for catfish.
Due to the fact that catfish are bottom feeders, you will want to use sinkers to ensure that your bait rests toward the bottom of the lake or river, though not right on the bed itself. Instead, make sure the bait is just above the bed. If you do not catch any fish at this level, you can move your bait up a little until you find the water level where the fish are biting.
Unlike trout and other types of fish, catfish do not test the bait by striking first; instead, they will grab it and take off, often setting the hook by doing this. If the hook isn’t set it will be when you tug slightly on the pole and begin reeling in your catch. Although in most cases the catfish will be small enough to manage easily, as mentioned above, these fish can get very large so be prepared for a major fight as you reel in the catfish. Learning how to bring one of these fish in is one of those catfishing techniques that must be acquired through experience.
Some people do use catfishing techniques that involve putting pieces of freshly killed fish in the water around where they are fishing, but you must be careful about doing this, as in some regions this is illegal and you can receive a fine for doing it.
To sum up, the best catfishing techniques that will increase your chance of catching the biggest catfish, are first choosing the right time of day, which is during the night, beginning at dusk and ending at dawn. Fish in deeper water and slow-moving rivers; start at the bottom and move the level that you are fishing up until you find where the fish are biting. You will also want to use bait with a strong odor, or something such as chicken livers.
Fishing for catfish can be fun with the right type of catfishing techniques.