The Beginner's Guide To Catching Catfish
Whether you call them chuckleheads or mud cats – the catfish species is a common catch. One of the reasons they are so popular has to do with the fact that they don't require as much skill and access to special equipment, such as high-powered reels, to fish them. These factors make them an ideal goal for the beginner.
Confidence
What does confidence have to do with fishing? A lot. A steady line is more prime for catching, and a steady line has a lot to do with your posture. When you're defeated, you're more likely to slouch, affecting the stability of your line. When you're confident, you'll have a firmer posture and therefore a firmer line. Sit up tall and know that you can do this.
Location
You can make up for your lack of experience by choosing the area you search for catfish wisely. The ideal spot to fish is near any structures in the water, including trees, rocks, stumps and even docks or piers. Catfish often like to frequent these types of spaces so setting up your line in one of these areas can give you a big boost.
Live Bait vs. Cut Bait
When choosing your bait, you want to vary between live bait and cut bait depending on the type of water you're fishing in. Blue catfish, predominately found in reservoirs prefer cut bait. Flathead catfish, predominately found in bayous and large rivers typically prefer live bait. Overlook this detail and you might find yourself sitting for countless hours without a catch.
Monofilament Line
Feed your pole with monofilament line. Monofilament line is ideal for beginners because it is more flexible than other line options. This flexibility is important because an over correcting novice can easily snap a line, but the more flexible the line, the less likely it is to snap. As a bonus, it's also less costly than some other options.
Heavy Sinker
Consider using a heavy sinker. As the current shifts, this can cause your weight and your line to also move. As previously stated, a steady line is a more successful line. Heavy sinkers lower the amount of movement that takes place as the water moves, which will keep your line steady. These can also come in handy when your arms are tired and you don't want to hold the pole firmly.
Following these tips can be the difference between you walking home empty-handed or with your first catch. Have fun, relax and remember that fishing is intended to be an enjoyable experience. Contact a fishing company, like Rockport Guided Adventures, for more help.