# What's a good catfish setup?



## Gameface (Jun 7, 2008)

I've mostly fished for trout so far, and I'm still pretty new to that, but I'd like to get a setup for catching big catfish out of Utah Lake. I looked at the Cabela's website and thought the $20 cabela's King Kat pole looked like a good beginers pole for a good price, but I don't have any idea what kind of reel and line are best suited for a catfishing pole. I'm trying to stay with the less expensive stuff since I'm a bigginer, but if there's a good argument for spending a little more on something much better I'm usually willing to pay for it.


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## BRL1 (Sep 12, 2007)

Here is a thread that kind of covers some of your questions on both posts.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6498&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=catfish

My favorite cat set up is a 6 1/2 ft. Shakespere Ugly stick with an Okuma reel and 12 lb test.

Alot of people say you don't need more than 8lb line.

My second rod is a 7ft Shakespere Prius, Okuma reel and 30lb braid, but I fish alot of snaggy rivers. Both rods are medium action.


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## Gameface (Jun 7, 2008)

Thanks for the link! I did search catfish but I didn't look far enough back (to May, lol, guess I got a little lazy).

So I have some questions. First, what's a jighead? Second, for the reels you mention, are they closed-face reels (spincast), or open-face?

The way I was told to fish for catfish was to use raw shrimp on a baithook, put a splitshot sinker about 18" up the line and simply cast and wait. I did read a little online that I should have the bale open, but my friends said they don't do that. I did go out to the Jordan on 70th S. and do some fishing. It seemed like I was getting the occasional hit but it was very light and I have very little experience so I'm not sure if the fish were playing with my bait and droping it or it was just the water. I did land a ~12" mud cat.


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## BRL1 (Sep 12, 2007)

basic jighead:

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I use spinning reels, open face, if I am fishing still water, lakes, ponds, I leave the bail open, when I fish the rivers I leave the bail closed.

Still water I have actually done the best with just a bait hook with a nightcrawler about three feet under a bobber.

I have never fished Utah lake so I can't tell anything about it. There are several people here who do hopefully they will give you some suggestions.

Good luck.


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## Gameface (Jun 7, 2008)

Well I bought a 7' King Kat pole and an Okuna reel that has a baitfeeder system that should allow the line to come out freely even with the bail closed. I also picked up some jigheads. I put 15lb spiderwire stealth on the reel, not sure if that was good choice, but I guess I'll find out. I was working under the assumption that catfish don't get spooked too easy if they see the line, especailly at night.

There was a rod/reel combo on the website that I wanted with the rod I got and a salt striker reel that had the same baitfeeder system, but they were out of stock. So I ended up spending a little more than I had planned, but the reel seems very nice compared to the other reels I have and it came with a second spool, which should be nice.

I'll be sure to post a trip report after my outing tomorrow night. Wish me luck!


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## cat_man (Sep 19, 2007)

Channel cats won't get spooked by your line, especially in Utah Lake where the water is stained. The regular spiderwire and Fireline superlines float on the water, which can be bad sometimes on Utah Lake where evenings almost always have a breeze. The wind will blow your line into the cattails and tangle it up.

I've found that a 1" piece of carp meat on a large baitholder hook, about 5 feet below a swivel, with a sliding egg sinker above the swivel does great. You can cast it a mile, but it still lets the line slide free so the catfish won't feel the pressure and will not drop the bait. Let it take up a couple feet of slack, then whamo, set the hook into him.

Another approach is to hand the bait about 5 feet below a bobber, so that it floats a few inches off the bottom. You can catch cats and white bass this way.

If the action is slow, switch to a T-swivel and put carp meat on one hook for the channels, and a nightcrawler on the other hook, to target bullheads and white bass. You'll have faster action on the nightcrawler but usually the big cats will come in on the carp meat.


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## utduckhunter (Jul 24, 2008)

I like to fish with a size 04 catfish hook with a slip weight about 2 feet up the line.


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

My favorite has become a slip bobber rigged from 6" to 3' off the botom. Carp, white bass, commercial catfish bait in chicken blood and liver have been the best catchers for me.
Magic makes a spring surrounded catfish dough hook I use for the prepared stuff. 
http://www.barlowstackle.com/acb/showde ... 3&CATID=57
I like circle hooks too. They work super well with bobbers due to the slower hookset. I don't even set with them, just start reeling till the line gets tight.

I've been doing well on the kitties with these cold snaps. Wait for a 3 day warming trend and they seem to be feeding.


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## Poo Pie (Nov 23, 2007)

Puddles and I caught a bunch of cats at Lake Powell this Sept. right off the back of the beached houseboat. Used a large trebble hook and left over grilled rib-eye!


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## Lakecitypirate (Mar 4, 2008)

I usually go with the Bamboo rod with hemp for string and chicken wings on a shark hook. Dont forget your Denim Coveralls, Strawhat and Coors light. Guarenteed to catch a monster, that your wife/sister will just love gutting.


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

Hey Jat, lay off the pain meds!!! When we going fishing? haha whats funny is that he will never even see this... poor boy doesnt hang out here too much. I think ice season may bring him back though. So this talking to myself sure is fun.  :mrgreen:


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## Coonhunter557 (Jun 17, 2008)

We used to use hotdogs cut about a half inch chunks back home in Florida, don't know if that will work out here or not. Slip weights about 6 inches up from the hook. goodluck.


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## Nor-tah (Dec 16, 2007)

Coonhunter557 said:


> We used to use hotdogs cut about a half inch chunks back home in Florida, don't know if that will work out here or not. Slip weights about 6 inches up from the hook. goodluck.


Works at Powell. I like minnows at UL.


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## rick_rudder (Dec 31, 2007)

ive found almost anything stinky and roughten works for catfish, chicken liver is what i go with though, if im real energetic ill wrap it up in a small pouch of panty hose so it doesnt come off the hook.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

A bank pole:
3 foot of 80 lb dacron line with a 2/0 stainless hook tied to a 6 foot long willow. Smelt, shad or sunfish (where legal) for bait. Push the willow about a foot in the river bank, dangling the bait on the top of the water. 

By the time you bait and set 100 poles out it's time to go back where you started and "run" them.


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## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

Nor-tah said:


> Hey Jat, lay off the pain meds!!! When we going fishing? haha whats funny is that he will never even see this... poor boy doesnt hang out here too much. I think ice season may bring him back though. So this talking to myself sure is fun.  :mrgreen:


I have repented and have come back to the forum! :lol: Yeah, we need to go fishing asap!!!


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