Equipment for catfish fishing
Since we fish with lures, it's best to use light tackle that's a pleasure to fish with. That's why, from shore, a 2.70 to 3-metre rod rated at 60 to 80 lbs will suffice. This will be accompanied by an 8000-size reel with a powerful drag and 270 metres of 50 or 60-lb braid. A fluorocarbon leader of 80 or 100/100ths, about 1 metre long, should be added to protect the braid from the catfish's teeth and, above all, to resist abrasion, as the catfish will not hesitate to rub the line against the rocks.
Catfish lures
As far as lures are concerned, I'm not going to be very original as I only fish with soft lures on lead heads. The advantage is that they create good vibrations and the adjustable sinker allows you to hold your line in the current as needed. In addition, the shape of catfish mouths and their fragile skin mean that I strongly recommend using only a single hook to avoid injuring the fish too much. A single hook with a clear shank is perfect for ensuring a good hooking action, and will enable you to catch the fish safely through the mouth at the end of the fight.
soft lures such as shads or commas should be favoured to create vibrations. When it comes to size, don't go overboard and stick to lures between 14 and 20 cm. Flashy colors (green, orange, white) give good results. To rig them, use a 20 to 50-gram lead head fitted with a heavy-duty hook.
Additional equipment
To catch catfish easily by the mouth, a glove such as the Lindy brand is highly recommended.
Catfish require special equipment, so I would advise against trying your luck without it. To convince you, just imagine what it's like to have a fifty-kilogram fish carried away by the current!...
