Yuri 10/12/2020 493
Catching catfish with a spinning rod requires serious preparation from the angler. It is necessary not only to first study the features of the bottom topography of the local reservoir, but also to have an idea about the lifestyle of the river ruler and his habits.
The largest freshwater fish offers decent resistance when fished. Therefore, properly mounted spinning tackle is one of the important components for successful hunting.
A few words about catfish
Early morning.
There are small crystal dewdrops on the grass, and a fisherman with a boat and a backpack on his shoulders goes to the big river in search of a mysterious and even mysterious catfish. The catfish is omnivorous and spends its entire day and night searching for food. To feed an adult, it needs to eat up to several kilograms of fish per day.
There is an opinion that the catfish is even a scavenger and only eats rotten fish, but this is not true, of course the catfish will not disdain even dead fish, but live ones are much better!
The catfish does not look very nice, from the outside it looks somewhat like a burbot, or after all, a burbot looks like a catfish. Well, okay, let’s not go into details, I’ll just say one thing: both have an identical structure.
Instead of bones, catfish have powerful cartilage. It moves along the bottom, but can also often be found on the surface. Lives in fresh water. This giant's favorite places are deep holes where he waits for unwary fish.
The catfish feels comfortable in the pit and this is a combination of several factors:
First, at the bottom in deep holes the water temperature is normal, and in the summer heat, this is the best shelter for such monsters;
Secondly, at great depths there is a high probability of meeting good prey.
Places and times for catching catfish
The right place to catch this species is half the success of successful fishing . Large fish can be found in different parts of the reservoir, everything will depend on the time of year . For example, in the spring months , catfish most often emerge from the winter hole onto shallows, river mouths or small islands.
Another thing is summer , when catfish travel throughout the entire pond or river. It can hunt from under overhanging trees, deep holes, sunken boats; during this season you can find catfish while hunting in the area of washed-out shores.
As soon as autumn cooling , the freshwater predator hides. In the fall, he tries to “lie down” in wintering pits, where he intends to fatten up.
Autumn is considered an excellent time of year for catching catfish with a spinning rod . At the first frost, the fish's intuition prompts them to leave their places of shelter in search of food.
But at very low temperatures, the catfish hibernates. So, if the water drops to 7 degrees , the fish stops responding to spinning baits.
A good time of year for fishing for catfish is spring , since at this time the fish begin to eat. The freshwater predator hunts by waiting in holes.
Summer fishing will be successful at night; catfish most often feed in shallow water and in areas of the reservoir overgrown with algae.
And in the heat of the day, the predator lies down at the depths of the reservoir in the cool.
The most successful weather for catching a giant is a warm day and southwest wind .
If the rains are warm, they do not harm fishing.
Successful fishing will be in the morning (until 8-9 o'clock) and in the evening - from 5-6 o'clock until dark .
When to catch catfish?
The summer season is very fruitful only for those who love to work, because it is simply not possible to catch this fish without difficulty, and believe me, you will have to spend most of the time searching for fish and fishing spots.
On every summer fishing trip I develop new tactics. Today catfish are caught with one type of bait, tomorrow with another, the day after tomorrow with a third.
There are also 2 ways of fishing: day and night:
During the day, you should look for catfish at medium depths and in areas with washed-out banks. Here he can hide in holes.
And if we take into account that catfish are a bottom-dwelling fish, then a washed-out muddy bank will be the best place for this fish to stay. It is very important to choose the right type of bait, since the catfish will not bite anything;
At night, catfish come closer to the shore to feast on shells and snails. This is where we wait for him.
Tackle for catfish
Remember the most important thing is that the tackle for catfish must be proven, very powerful and durable.
At the moment when it sticks to the bottom, it can only be moved from its place with a powerful fishing rod, and of course a power reel of size 4000-6000 according to the diving classification.
As the main fishing line, I use a cord with a diameter of 0.2 according to the Japanese classification. This is quite enough to pull a large river inhabitant weighing 8-10 kilograms ashore.
Now let's talk in more detail about the gear. How to choose the right gear and not make a mistake? Let's talk about this now.
How to choose a spinning rod for catfish?
As was previously said, when fishing for catfish, spinning rods must withstand heavy loads. The most important thing in this situation is to choose the normal limit in the test of the rod, and what is also important is the structure of the blank.
A lot depends on the structure. An excessively rigid rod can lead to fish disappearing, but a moderately parabolic action allows us to preserve the catch and bring it to the shore or boat.
A spinning rod must have a powerful butt and a flexible tip; only then will we be confident that we will be able to lift the catfish from the depths. It is advisable if the stick has large passage rings. The line comes off easily from large guides and they are usually strong.
How to choose a reel for catfish?
The requirements for a reel are even more stringent than for a spinning rod:
Firstly, you need good smoothness and a complete absence of backlash;
Secondly, you will need a large spool and a powerful friction brake;
Well, thirdly, a low gear ratio, say 4:2:1, only then will the tackle be balanced and reliable.
Which braid should you choose?
Braided line experiences the most stress throughout the entire fishing trip. From personal experience I will say that I have tried a lot of cords.
But for the last 3 years I’ve been fishing exclusively with 8-strand ones. They have zero elongation and high sensitivity, plus such cords are resistant to abrasion.
And, if we take into account that the fishing will be carried out on the bottom, where there is a lot of snags, shells and other things, then the cord will gradually wear out, and at one point it can break even on a small fish.
Catfish do not have such large teeth as pike, but with normal effort they can grind the braid, so you should not give up the leash.
An ordinary string would be out of place here, but a titanium leash with a reliable swivel and clasp is just right!
What is lipgrip used for?
And finally, the last question, which is technical, is lipgrip. If you can call it a device, then consider it that way. In short, this device is designed to grab large-sized fish by the mouth.
It’s hard to lift a catfish with your bare hands and no landing nets will work here, but the lipgrip can withstand heavy loads.
Take note of this, and if you don’t have it, I strongly recommend that you buy it, and life will become easier!
Review of gear for catching catfish (video)
Installation of gear
Preparation for any fishing begins with the selection of gear. Catching catfish using a spinning rod is no exception.
Spinning rod
To choose the right spinning blank for catfish, you need to take into account the future fishing location and fishing conditions. The rod must withstand heavy loads and successfully absorb the powerful jerks of the fish.
For spinning fishing from a boat, plug rods with a length of 1.5 to 2.4 meters are used. To cast bait from the shore, you will need a rod with a length of 2.7 to 3.2 meters. If the choice is between composite material and carbon fiber, preference should be given to composite. The material combines the lightness of carbon fiber and the viscosity of fiberglass. It is advisable not to use telescopic rods for fishing for serious trophies.
The test load of a spinning catfish blank depends on the size of the fish that is intended to be caught. To catch medium-sized catfish whose weight does not exceed 10 kilograms, choose whips with dough from 40 to 60 grams. If you are confident that a river giant weighing 10 kilograms or more can land on the hook, choose a spinning rod with a dough weight of 100 to 150 grams. An additional strength limit will not be superfluous, especially when casting heavy baits over long distances.
Coil
Catfish reels are subject to no less serious requirements than spinning rods. A suitable model must have a spool with a line guide with a volume of at least 3000-4000 according to the Daiwa classification. This indicator will allow you to wind at least 200 meters of monofilament fishing line or braided cord of the required section onto the spool.
The device must be reliable and strong, have a minimum set of plastic elements in its design, so as not to break at the most crucial moment when fishing for large fish. It is imperative to have a good friction brake, which will help dampen the jerking of the trophy.
Particular attention should be paid to the gear ratio of the coil. For catching catfish with a spinning rod, either from a boat or from the shore, a classic carp reel with a high gear ratio is not suitable. For catfish spinning fishing, under any conditions, reels with a small gear ratio not exceeding 3.8×1 are mounted on the whip. Structurally, you can use both multiplier reels and “spinless” reels.
fishing line
You can wind either monofilament line or braided cord on a spinning reel. The first option is still preferable. Monofilament fishing line has an advantage over braided cord - higher elongation, which allows it to absorb strong jerks of the fish when fishing.
Thanks to this circumstance, the risk of breaking the spinning blank is reduced, even with a strongly inhibited clutch. In turn, the “braided line” is more informative - it is more sensitive to careful bites.
The cross-section of the braided cord or monofilament line depends on the size of the trophy. As a rule, a fishing line or cord with a diameter of 0.4 to 0.8 mm is sufficient for winding on a reel. When winding, it is advisable not to use fishing line that has served for more than two seasons, or that has knots or connected fragments.
Leash
Many inexperienced fishermen neglect this element of equipment, but in vain. The catfish's mouth has a huge number of small teeth, similar to sandpaper, capable of grinding a fishing line or cord during fishing. In our case, you can use a nylon braided cord, a thin guitar string or a thin strand of steel cable as a leash. The length of the leash usually does not exceed 1 meter.
Catching catfish with jig spinning
The first and most common method is to catch catfish using spinning jigs. Vibrating tails and twisters are beyond competition.
The essence of this kind of fishing is that we tap the jig head on all possible holes and, if there are any, then on the braids.
The catfish first takes the bait very carefully, and only then (sticks to the bottom). At this moment, we shouldn’t take decisive action; it’s enough just to control the situation and not let him go into a snag.
But before you get a bite from the river giant, you still need to be able to perform the correct wiring.
The jig wiring looks like this:
We make 1-2 turns of the coil and give a long pause. This is the first way;
The second one is much simpler. Very often, in the case of catfish, ordinary dragging along the bottom works. We just need to do monotonous wiring. Rewinding should be supplemented with pauses and bursts.
Catfish biting on a spinning rod: fishing technique (video)
Spinning
As has already been said, not everyone succeeds in catching a trophy catfish, but small catfish, up to 3–5 kilograms, can be quite successfully caught using a spinning rod.
Catfish on a spinning rod
Rod
You won’t catch catfish with light spinning rods. You need to buy a reliable and powerful fishing rod. If you are directly targeting large specimens, then a two-handed spinning rod will do.
I have fished for catfish from a boat, so I can say that the length of the rod will depend on the lures. I prefer a shorter spinning rod up to 2.58 meters. I usually fish with a jig. And when using twisters, some people also use a three-meter blank. With a longer rod you can make a quality cast.
Since baits can be of impressive size, a test rod needs to be 60-100 grams, powerful. With such a spinning rod you can catch big fish.
A rod with a lighter weight can also handle a lot of weight, but it will take much longer to lift the fish off the bottom and land it.
A rod with a very high test weight, about 300 grams, is not suitable for catching catfish by casting simply because it will be physically difficult to do.
Coil
The reliability of the reel should not be in doubt. The reel must be selected so that it can withstand sudden jerks when fishing. Reliability can be ensured by the largest number of bearings and the presence of idle speed. It is better to buy a reel with steel or bronze gears, it is more durable.
fishing line
There should be a lot of fishing line on the spool, about 200 meters. Usually a braided cord of appropriate thickness is used. For powerful fish the thickness is up to 2.1 mm, for catfish - 1.4 mm.
But still, when choosing a cord, you must be guided by the parameters of the gear. Everything must be balanced. If the breaking load of the cord is much higher than the characteristics of the spinning rod - rod, reel, bait, then the fishing efficiency will immediately decrease. A very large safety margin is not needed.
Hooks
Particular attention should be paid to the hooks. If the hook is hardened, it will break when fishing for large fish. The next trick is to ensure that the hook is sharp and well sharpened, but even high-quality sharpening does not guarantee a bite when biting.
How to catch catfish using wobblers?
Catfish react very well to deep-sea wobblers, especially to cranks.
This type of bait acts on catfish like a red rag on a bull. All we need to do is tap the promising area with a crank blade.
Raising mud at the bottom, the crank plays the role of a fry feeding on the bottom. Pauses should be given only when we feel a catch. Most cranks are floating, so your bait will certainly float up, after which you can continue retrieving.
Catfish also react to shad and minnows, but not with such aggression as to crankbaits. I use minnow wobblers in cases where the fish are slow and the bite tends to zero.
Minoshka is, as a rule, a passive bait. The angler plays the entire game with this type of bait, jerking the rod.
Minnow plays the role of a dying fry, and this is a tasty morsel for the catfish and the river giant does not miss the chance to feast on the minnow.
When the sun rises high, the catfish comes out into shallow water, and here it is worth catching it with wolves and poppers.
I won’t introduce you to the technique of placing one or the other bait, everyone already knows. But now I’ll tell you in what places you should catch catfish with these baits.
The ideal point is a washed-out shore, or a shallow, where there is a herringbone on the surface of the water. We throw the bait and start making sharp gurgles.
Large poppers work well; they give the optimal amount of spray. The catfish thinks it's a frog, so the poppers get aggressive, confident bites.
And finally, the last fishing method is trolling. For this kind of fishing, large oscillating spoons that have thick walls are used.
The spoon raises the turbidity at the bottom and is a little reminiscent of pearl barley, which the river giant loves so much. The wiring is quite simple: ordinary winding of the cord with small pauses.
The spoon can be reeled in and then it will quickly begin to sail, but this is not as effective as dragging. Even the most experienced fishermen sometimes return from catfish fishing with nothing.
To avoid such incidents, I always use an attractant. The attractant causes a glutton in the predator; it lacks the missing amino acids and therefore it attacks the bait lubricated with the attractant.
I use a mega strike. All you need to do is coat your bait and the result is guaranteed!
