Catfish Fishing/ Catfishing: Supplies, Baits, Rigs, Fishing Rods And Catfish Fishing Tips

Catfishing, contrary to what its name implies, does not entail fishing for cats. Rather it is the process by which people catch catfish. Catfishing requires specific preparation, supplies, locations, and circumstances. An increased popularity in the sport as well as the demand for catfish in the dining industry has placed a greater importance on the catfishing supplies industry.

Catfish are a popular breed of freshwater fish that frequent waters of southern North America, Mississippi in particular. Asia, Africa and Europe are also home to a number of catfish. These fish reside in freshwater bodies of water ranging from roadside ditches to lakes. Catfish get their name from the distinct set of barbels on their faces. Barbels are thin bone-like whiskers that give catfish a cat-like appearance.

Most anglers agree that live bait is the best kind of bait to use when catfishing. While live baits work well, it also requires extra preparation. Live bait needs to remain alive before it is used as bait and, thus, requires different life-sustaining storage. Supplies are available that allow for the easy storage and transport of live bait. Procats.com provides information on live baitwells. Live baitwells are basically coolers with battery operated air pumps attached to them to keep bait alive and healthy.

While some anglers prefer the lure that live baits provide, others simply prefer the illusion of live bait. Cabela's, a leading name in fishing supplies, offers a line of potent catfishing bait. Their Berkeley gulp chicken liver catfish chunks and crave gravy catfish attractant are two products that use the most appealing parts of bait to attract catfish.

In addition to kinds of bait used for catfishing, the types of rigs used also seems to be a highly discussed topic for catfishing enthusiasts. Catfish are potentially large and very strong fish. These large fish have the ability to snap rods or break hooks when they are caught. As a result, it's important to for catfishers to firmly secure hooks using rigs.

Rigs are knots that are tied to hooks to secure them to the rod. BirchPointOutfitters.com offers detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to secure proper rigs for catfishing. They recommend using either a clinch knot or snell knot. They also detail three different types of rigs that are most beneficial for catfishing. One such rig is the slip float rig, which is best when used for shallow freshwater fishing. Catfishing supplies used in a slip float rig include a snell hook, bobber stop, large float, and split shots. The split shots add enough weight to the rig to keep it below the surface of the water.

Catfishing is a favorite past time for many people. Moreover, it is a fishing activity that brings one of the South's most famous and delectable dishes to the table. Whether catfishing is for recreation or food, one thing is always a must – the proper supplies. With the right catfishing supplies it's only a matter of patience and time until a big catfish is gracing the wall or table of an angler's home.


Sources:
Baitwell Options. Procats.com. 2001-2006. Professional Catfishing Association, Inc. 2 Aug. 2007. http://www.procats.com/content/81.

Catfish Fishing Tips. BirchPointOutfitters.com. 2 Aug. 2007. http://www.birchpointoutfitters.com/cats.htm.

Fish Attractant and Bait: Catfish. Cabela's.com. 1996-2007. Cabela's Inc. 2 Aug. 2007. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/index/ index-display.jsp;jsessionid=BDH4VQE1NHL
RQCWQNWQSCNYK0BW0EIWE?id=cat600175&rid=01801 01070502&cmCat=perf&cm_ven=performics
&cm_cat=google_content&cm_pla=fish_fisha ttractbait_catfish&cm_ite=NA&_requestid=45 />
Garrison, Ronnie. Catching Catfish – Freshwater Fishing. About.com: Freshwater Fishing. 2007. About, Inc. 2 Aug. 2007. http://fishing.about.com/od/catfish/a/catfish.htm.