| North America's channel catfish habitat range has | | | | have a great time catching either from a boat or |
| skyrocketed to a point that every state in the | | | | from the shore. If you are targeting large channel |
| lower 48 now has a healthy population of channel | | | | catfish it takes some skill and experience to catch |
| cats. If you you are new to catfishing and you | | | | these fish but with experience these fish too can |
| want to try your luck at bat fishing then targeting | | | | be caught. |
| channel cats is a excellent way to start. Or if you | | | | To set up to catch channel catfish is quite simple. |
| are a experienced cat fishing person there are | | | | If you are fishing from a boat get a medium |
| many trophy channel over 25 lbs to be caught. | | | | power spin cast or bait casting rod and either a |
| Currently there are over 8,000,000 catfish anglers | | | | matching bait casting reel, or spin casting reel |
| in the untied states probably do to the fantastic | | | | (open face reel) designed to be spooled with 15 |
| job of stocking and regulating the channel catfish | | | | to 30lb test line. My preference is fire line because |
| population the individual state departments of | | | | you can spool double the amount of line you could |
| wildlife have done over the years. And because of | | | | with monofilament line because of it braided |
| their great efforts, of the 8,000,0000 catfish | | | | design is the ½ the diameter of |
| anglers the majority of them target the channel | | | | monofilament line. Next make a simple slip sinker |
| cats. The channel catfish is pursued mainly | | | | rig that works great for bait fishing for catfish. To |
| because the easy accessibility the majority of | | | | make a slip sinker start by sliding a ½ to |
| these populations, and because they are excellent | | | | ounce egg sinker up the line. Next tie a two way |
| table fare. Fishing for channel catfish cat be done | | | | swivel onto the line. The step is tie a 12" to 24" |
| from the banks just as easily as from fishing | | | | leader with a 5/0 to 6/0 hook onto the open eye |
| from a boat. Fishing from a boat just gives you | | | | of the two way swivel. For catfish bait I suggest |
| more opportunity to cover more catfish waters. | | | | two choices, of creek chubs cut into 2" chunks, |
| These fish are also tenacious fighters once on | | | | or gizzard shad cut into 2 to 3" in strips or chunks. |
| your hook and line. They will fight you to the very | | | | Now your ready to catfishing! |
| last reel in. What is also amazing is channel catfish | | | | Well folks that concludes my article about bait |
| are easy to set up and go bait fishing for. | | | | fishing for channel catfish. May your next fishing |
| There are an abundance of channel catfish that | | | | trip be a success! Have a great day! |
| are in the 1 ½ to 3 lb range that you can | | | | |