# Rod N Reel catfish rigging



## Cartman

How are you guys rigging up? I've been using a 18" 3 drop leader. I put an 1/8oz. bell sinker up top then size 4 trebles wrapped with polyfill on the 2 drops down below. I'm using Danny King's original and blood punch baits for pond hopping. Is this a good setup? I'm having decent luck. I know there's a thousand ways to rig. I'm curious to hear how yall are rigging. Thanks


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## 32V GT

I use a egg sinker rigged above a bead above a swivel and then a 16" leader with a treble and a grooved plastic bait holding worm. I use blood or cheese dip bait and on holes baited with soured milo and field cubes in Lake Conroe I can catch 8-10 keepers after work in a couple hours no problem.


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## TXPalerider

With punchbait I use standard carolina rig with #4-#6 treble. For live bait or shad, I change the hook to a kahle hook. Because the line will slide through the weight you get better sensitivity for bites and better hook sets.

BTW, I also use Spiderwire (or comparable) on all my catfishing rigs.


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## Cartman

TXPalerider said:


> With punchbait I use standard carolina rig with #4-#6 treble. For live bait or shad, I change the hook to a kahle hook. Because the line will slide through the weight you get better sensitivity for bites and better hook sets.
> 
> BTW, I also use Spiderwire (or comparable) on all my catfishing rigs.


How long of a leader do you use? Also, i'm rigged up with 10lb big game mono. Should I use a higher lb. test for the leader? I'm not ready to switch over to spiderwire just yet. Thanks


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## TXPalerider

10-15" leader with heavier line. You don't have to use a full spool of spiderwire. Back the spool with mono and splice in the last 75 yards with spiderwire. And it last forever. When the end your fishing with starts frazzling a bit, just pull it off and tie the other end back to the mono. I have some 50# on my rod (like 12 lb diameter) that I've been using 5 years+.

Spiderwire will change you catfishin life forever. Your sensitivity an hook ups will go up 75%!!!

Good Luck


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## Cartman

I'm just getting back in the game after a number of years, so my tackle is somewhat depleted. Brothers will do that to you. I'm down to one baitcasting rig and a spinning rig right now. I need to send in a number of baitcasters in for a thorough cleaning. I know the sensitivity is great, working plastics. What about lures? Thanks


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## muleherder

I tie a 3/4 oz teardrop sinker on bottom and a drop line 12-18 in up about 3-6 in long with a #4 circle hook. As long as you're tightlining, you keep the bait off bottom and from burying in the mud. 

I use to use a Carolina rig but this doesn't seem to hang up as much in timber. I like it a little better but thats just me.


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## TXPalerider

Muleherder,

The rig you use is perfectly fine. But, as you said, you are using circle hooks, and letting the fish hook themselves (passive). The Carolina rig allows you to feel and set the hook immediately. Just different methods.


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## Freshwaterman

had no problem catchin 11 cats last week on a texas rig (same as u use for balck bass when fishin plastic worms .but without the worm jus liver


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## dbullard

I use the carolina rig some and also rig weight on the bottom come up the line 15-18 inches make a loop about 8- 10 inches wrap around two fingers twice and run the loop back through then run the loop through the front of the hook and back over the point.
It is very quick to tie and a reel good river rig .You could use a three way swivel instead of the loop but then you have 4 knots instead of one.


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## Cartman

dbullard said:


> I use the carolina rig some and also rig weight on the bottom come up the line 15-18 inches make a loop about 8- 10 inches wrap around two fingers twice and run the loop back through then run the loop through the front of the hook and back over the point.
> It is very quick to tie and a reel good river rig .You could use a three way swivel instead of the loop but then you have 4 knots instead of one.


I use that same rig on the Trinity for whites. Bell sinker on the bottom keeps it from getting stuck under the dam and the shad stays in the current.


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## dbullard

Cartman it works on cats also I fish mainly for Blues and their not as sensitive when they feel the weight as Channels are.It also keeps the bait off the bottom when drift fishing.
I use shad 95% of the time and use a 1/0-3/0 kahle hook.


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## clean air

I use 3-way or Carolina rig with 6/0 circle depending on current.I fish big rivers.


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## Main Frame 8

I like to use a #4 treble and DK punchbait. 


Treble on bottom @ 12 inches below a barrel swivel. ABove the swivel is a small slip cork and just enough egg sinker to help get the bait down . The smaller cork you can use, the better as the catfish hardly feel the resistance. 

When they're hammering the bait, you could hava milkjug for a cork and they wouldn't care less. 

When they are a little more passive, the lighter set-up gets more bites to hang on. 

I give them a 3 count once the cork goes under and put the hammer on them. Bigger cork = more lead to hold it down. In the end, it's not the size of cork but the amount of resistance the fish feels that is important. 

I would recommend you try your spinning set-up for this since it will give you better casting ability with the light weight / cork set-up than a baitcaster will. 
I use a larger cork and more weight on the baitcasters.


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## Main Frame 8

*Cartman*

This is one example of a slip cork rig above the cork, you will need a bobber stop (these come with most slip corks or can be purchased seperately- very cheap) The corks I have used range in size from 6" to 12" - As stated earlier, a lighter set-up works better with a spinning rig and a little heavier for the baitcasters, especially the big Abu Garcia reels.










Here is the type of bobber stop I use. The sleeve in the middle is justed wrapped with twine- The is the first thing you put on. Afterwards, you need the bead that will be above the cork. -This works especially well on braid but is effective on mono as well. - Pull the string ends to cinch it down to the line- You can move it up and down after you initially set it.










Once you have this in place, you want to find a small egg sinker to place on the line. I have tried split shots and those crimp on weights but they always find a way to come off. Remember, you want something that will hold the cork down as to reduce the resistance the fish will feel.

Egg sinkers:










Now tie a barrel swivel- Above the swivel (in order) should be:

1) Egg sinker (You can also have a bead between your sinker and knot on the swivel to minimize stressing the knot with the sinker hitting it repeatedly)
2) SLip Cork
3) Bead
4) Bobber Stop

Below the swivel should be @ 12" leader with #4 treble attached at the bottom. Once you have determined what depth you are fishing , you can set your bobber stop @ 1 foot from the bottom or whatever you desire.

This setup will work whether you are in 3ft or 20 ft of water. It is especially good where you have grass or trach on the bottom- This rig allows you to keep your treble hooks out of that mess and minimize hang ups / breakoffs.

Use a standard circle hook with this same set-up if you want to fish live / fresh dead bait or anything else where a treble may not be the best hook for the occasion..

I hope this helps.


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## jfoster

dbullard said:


> I use the carolina rig some and also rig weight on the bottom come up the line 15-18 inches make a loop about 8- 10 inches wrap around two fingers twice and run the loop back through then run the loop through the front of the hook and back over the point.
> It is very quick to tie and a reel good river rig .You could use a three way swivel instead of the loop but then you have 4 knots instead of one.


Exactly, and use a sparkplug for weight.


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## shadslinger

Fishing for channels the spider wire is by far best(Txpalerider) they swat the bait hard and fast and will clean a hook if your slow on pulling the trigger. had a guy go out with us and really school me using spider wire fishing under corks at the state park jetty. i didn't know there were channels that big there until he caught everyone that hit his line, including some nice ones that usually get off my mono rigs.


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## dignlevel

I am in South Carolina, so we fish it a little different. Most of the time I drift or troll depending upon wind conditions with a rig similar to a flounder drift rig to hold the 7/0 or 8/0 circle hooks about 18" off the bottom.

I also use stink bait rigged like a carolina rig. In the hot months the blues are feeding on freshwater mussels up this wayt, so I use a 12" leader, 4/0 live bait hook with a peice of foam off of one of those green tube floats for a swimming pool cut the size of a mussel. Load the foam up with stink bait and whamo, they love it and you rarely get hung up. The foam will float off the bottom and look like a clam. Be ready to set the hook though! I bet the braided line would work good for this, got to try it.


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