Catfishing Rigs

There are many factors that come into play for setting up catfishing rigs, irrespective of the weather and temperature conditions and what time of the year it may be. By knowing how to set up effective rigs for catfishing, one can catch a bigger catfish with ease, and not face any problems while doing so as well. Catfish are found in many different sizes, and if you wish to catch a large one, you have to pay close attention to the catfish rigs.

You may not have an exact idea about the size of the catfish that you are going to catch, but you will obviously want to catch the biggest one possible. The catfishing gear that you use will play a large part in this matter, and you should always use gear that will help you catch the biggest size possible. The fishing rod, the line that you use, and the catfishing bait that you utilize will all determine the success rate of your rigs.

Catfish rigs are basically the way that you set up your fishing line with the bait and the amount of weight that you attach to the line. There are a few basic catfishing rigs that any seasoned fisher will tell you about, and there are also some original rigs that you can even make yourself. The way you set up this arrangement will play a major role in what size of catfish you are able to catch.

Deep Catfish Rigs
Deep rigs are tricky to make because you need to add the right amount of weight so as to avoid any snags on the line. Moreover, the place where you attach the weight is also very important. It has been found that the rigs become more effective for catfishing if an ounce or so of weight is attached to the end of the line.

Many people choose to attach this weight at the end of the hook and then attach that hook to the end of the line, but this causes a lot of snags on the line while catfishing. Instead, you should opt for attaching the weight at the end of the line, and then attaching the hook some 12-18 inches above the weight. The kind of bait that you are using is an important consideration, in order to decide what kind of hooks you should use.

If you are using shad or perch, then an 8/0 or 9/0 circle hook will suit you best, and also enable you to catch bigger catfish. On the other hand, using chicken liver, worms or homemade catfish bait will mean that you will inevitably end up catching smaller catfish, so you will need to use a 2/0 circle hook.

Shallow Catfish Rigs
The thing about catfishing techniques is that they must be learned and acquired over a period of time, and this is something that only comes with experience. The rigs mentioned here are useful for fishing in shallow waters, where you are absolutely sure that you will be catching comparatively smaller breeds of catfish.

In this case what you need to do is acquire some catfish bobbers and then place a bobber stop about 2-3 feet away from the hook directly above the bobber. Now you will need to add one or two split shots in between the bobber and the hook. The size and type of hook you use will again depend on the nature of the bait that you are using, similar to what is mentioned above.

You should talk to people who are experienced in catfishing and you should also visit many forums on the Internet to learn more about various catfishing tips and tricks. Apart from the rigs, the catfishing tackle is also something that you need to pay close attention to.