Catfish are especially good at hiding and can be tricky to reel in, which is why skilled fishers often use rigs designed for catching them. Choosing the right kind of rig for the catfish you are after can be difficult, though.What are the 12 best catfish rigs? Your choice depends on several variables, such as the kind of catfish you’re catching and where you are catching it. Rigs to consider:. Drift Rig. Slipfloat Rig. Slip Rig.

With the polyball on the surface, any wave action would impart movement on the sabikis. At any depth, or on the surface, pulling the line at the reel moves the rig up and down so you can add movement that way as well. When casting, feather the line just before it hits the water to send the polyball past the lead, that avoids tangles.

Poly Ball Rig. Three-Way Rig.

Paternoster. Float-Paternoster. Brush Hook Rig. Release. Santee Dragging Rig. Bobber Rig. Zero Rig.

Carolina RigWith the different variables in mind, you should know about the top rigs before you go after the catfish. Consider how each rig works and when you should use it and then apply those to your situation. The watson-scott test free no download. Rig TypeHow it WorksWhen to Use itThis rig simply uses a line, a lead shot, and a hook.

It is designed to fully and is inconspicuous in calm waters. It is designed to imitate catches the catfish may be after already, as the baited hook will move at similar speed.This is best in slow-moving waters that are calm and not full of debris or other things your hook will easily catch on. This can be used from a boat or from shore.

These are best for blue and channel catfish, as they are less aggressive.These work similar to the Drift rig, but they include a bobber to as often. This also allows you to control the depth of your hook and bait.These are ideal for channels and slower moving water. They aren’t good for quick-moving water as the fish won’t want bait that is moving too quickly to catch.

These are also best for less aggressive catfish, such as the blue and channel.This is designed to keep the bait at the bottom and allow the catfish to grab the bait with slack before the hook grabs them.This is ideal for slower or even near-still water. This only really works if you know there are catfish near and require a lot of patience.This rig allows for the bait to lift off the bottom with a small floater, while a heavier weight keeps the rest of the line away. It will keep the bait flowing a bit and attract more attention than a bait that is on the bottom.This is ideal for the shore or even out of a boat. It shouldn’t be used in a fast-moving water, as the fish aren’t going to be as interested in the fast-moving bait as much as they are in slower-flowing water.It uses a, attached to which is the sinker, the hook, and the main line. This allows for the bait to move freely and flow with the water, while the sinker keeps the line from reaching the surface or other depths you wish you avoid.This is best used when you want the freely moving bait, like in the Santee Dragging Rig, but a more flexible weight and line. This is good for boat and shore use. This would be good for all catfish in the right environment.This is like the three-way swivel but uses a in case of a snag.This rig is designed best for live bait.

It will allow the bait to move around and attract the attention of the catfish, while also preventing the line from being snagged as easy and keeping it more manageable. Consider avoiding more aggressive catfish for this rig, as the lighter bottom line will break easier.This is the same as the paternoster, but it is best for catching larger fish.It is designed for using larger, live bait and catching larger fish. It is most often used in deeper waters.This rig uses the brush around the water as a way to hold the line.

It has a clip which allows the bait to move freely over the top part of the water. The clip releases and a when a catfish takes the baitThis is ideal is larger bodies of water as they require more freedom for the bait to flow and float. This rig is applicable for all catfish with the right set-up.This is similar to the Brush Hook rig, but it uses a floating bottle, instead.

Unless customized, it will pull the lid or cork to alert the fisher when the catfish has been hooked.These rigs require a lot of patience and waiting and are design for just that. It is why there are commonly ways that the fisher will be alerted when the bait has been taken. This will also work with all catfish types.This allows your bait and hook to and be more inconspicuous than some, more aggressive attempts. It has a fixed float, a pencil sinker, and strong line.This is good to use from the shore or from a boat. It is most useful when you know where the fish are, as it also requires patience and understanding of the catfish.

These are most likely to work with all catfish species in the right environments.This is more of a traditional rig and incorporates sound into the catch. The bobber is larger and makes a “plop” sound when hitting the water to get the attention of nearby catfish. It will keep the bait closer to the surface of the water.This is good when the water is shallow, or when there is a lot of debris or other items that your hook could catch on. This works best when you know there are fish nearby, as it also requires patience while waiting.

It is an easy rig and can be used by amateur and expert fishers. Aggressive fish will be most likely to be interested in these rigs.This rig has a weight that is up against the hook and a strong line. It is simple and allows for a controlled hook and bait.This is what you should use in the faster-moving water. Freely flowing baits aren’t of interest to the catfish in these waters, so using this method will give you a better chance of catching any species of catfish.This rig uses a swivel with the main line and sinker attacked to one end and the hook with bait attached to the rest.This is good when fishing in channels and isn’t as aggressive as the Zero rig. All species can be caught with this rig.Gear for RigsHere are some supplies to consider for rigs, though they will vary greatly based on person preference, type of catfish, size of catfish, location, your personal pole and other gear, the weather, and the type of water:.Types of Catfish and Where to Find ThemThere are: The Blue Catfish, the Channel Catfish, and the Flathead Catfish.

Each have their own characteristics, such as color, fin and tail types, and weight and size. Blue CatfishThe scientific name for the blue catfish is Ictalurus Furcatus.