Tips On How To Catch A Monster Catfish Part 2

If catching a monster catfish is something you want to do, here are some tips to help you with that goal. Chasing one of the largest fresh water fish in North America can be very challenging. With both blue catfish and flathead catfish regularly exceeding 40 pounds they can be formidable opponents. The World Record Blue Catfish and the World Record Flathead Catfish both weighed over 120 pounds. The World Record Channel Catfish caught at Lake Moultrie in South Carolina weighed 58 pounds. I personally consider any catfish over 40 pounds World Class Trophy material. If you are going to try to catch these fish, you will need to fish a little differently than you do for 5-10 pound catfish.

These monster catfish are found all over the United States from California, Texas, the Mighty Mississippi and Missouri River systems, the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, the James River to the Santee Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina. Even with the abundance of great fishing grounds, few catfishermen catch monster catfish on a regular basis.

I hope the following tips will help you join the ranks of catfishermen who catch these monster catfish on a more consistent basis.

1. Use A Good Knot.

Knots are often the weakest point of any fishing rig. Learn how to tie the Palomar knot. It is simple and efficient, providing almost 100 percent line strength.

1. Double about 5 inches of line, and pass through the eye.
2. Tie a simple Overhand Knot in the doubled line, letting the hook hang loose. Avoid twisting the lines.
3. Pull the end of loop down, passing it completely over the hook.
4. Pull both ends of the line to draw up the knot.
For a video of how to tie this knot go to CatfishingProducts and look at the knots link.

2. Keep Your Bait Fresh

A major part of catfishing involves presentation. Catfish have a very highly developed olfactory system. They can smell and taste better than any other freashwater fish. Catfish have over tens times more sensors than largemouth bass. Even in deep dark murky water, the catfish will find your bait. The fresher your bait, the faster and easier the catfish will find it. Putting on fresh bait often is a no-brainer. If your cut bait is over 15-30 minutes old, change it. If your live bait isn't lively, use him for cut bait. One of my favorites is yellow perch; those little guys are really hardy.

3. Hook Check.

Check your hook often. If you have to pull really hard to come off a snag, check your hook. If you have reeled in a nice fish, check your hook for damage. If it's bent, don't even try to bend it back. A weak hook could cost you your next monster catfish.

4. Keep Your Hook Point Clean.

Often when you are hooking live bait you will have a fish scale stick on the point of your hook. This may seem very insignificant, but that little scale could very easily cost you a fish. Check your point every time to make sure it's scale free.

5. Practice CPR

Practicing CPR means Catch, Photo and Release. This will mean there are more giant cats left out there for you and others to catch, but more importantly to breed and perpetuate the growth of large numbers of future big catfish food and giants catfish. The future of catfishing depends on more catch and release. Just because some states don't limit your catches doesn't mean we should waste our resources.

6. Where To Catch Monster Cats

Large river systems provide the most opportunity for big cats, but large lakes and reservoirs can also be very productive. Another very good place to try is the deep water below dams where fish that swim into the dam come out like cut bait and the big cats are waiting to eat them. Creeks and ponds are not usually big enough to support the growth of giant catfish. There are major World Class Catfishing hot spots with monster catfish everywhere. In the United States from Irvine Lake and San Vincente Reservoir in California, Lake Texoma in Texas, the Mighty Mississippi and Missouri River systems, the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, the James River and the Santee Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina are some of the top big cat producers. Even with all these great fishing opportunities, very few anglers catch monster catfish as often as they would like to.

These are just some of the major catfishing hot spots; there are many others all over the country. So find the one nearest you and go Monster Catfishing.

7. Be Patient.

In all probability you are not going to catch a monster catfish every time you go out fishing. Even the biggest names in catfishing like Jim Moyer, Denny Halgren, Tim Pruitt, Cody Mullinnix and Keith Sutton have off days due to weather, moon phase and even good old fish lockjaw. This is very discouraging and tends to send the average angler packin for home, but if you want to catch the real giants, you will need to have patience and plenty of it. Often I use the ambush technique, anchoring up over a deep hole or river bed through a reservoir and waiting out the big cats. Patience is a must, but when they come you will know it. BOOM! A rod will go down, tip pulled straight down touching the water and as you free the rod from the holder, you will think you entered a tractor pull and forgot your tractor.

Believe me, once you hook one of these monsters it will all be worth it and you will be hooked too. Good Luck!

Seed Newsvine

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