Here are some suggestions of catfishing rigs that may prove useful. I try to keep rigging as simple as possible.
This is a basic river rigging. You should select the smallest weight that will hold a bait in the current you are fishing. This rig has a pyramid sinker which is used for mud or sand bottoms.
A barrel swivel is used to create a leader to prevent current from snugging the bait up to the sinker. Most catmen prefer that the leader be of lighter line test than the main line. This will allow you to lose only the leader if your hook gets snagged on obstructions.
Here is another example of a river rig. This is a variation of a 3 way rig that allows fish to run with bait without feeling the entire weight of your sinker.
This rig can be tied with lighter line on the sinker drop line and leader to prevent excess loss of tackle in snag infested areas.
This is a basic flathead rig for fishing lakes or slow current areas. The amount of slack line for baitfish can be varied after baits are set.
Here is an illustration of my favorite river rig.
The main line (50# test power pro super braid) has a crosslock snap swivel threaded on. The line is tied to a barrel swivel. A leader (25# Trilene Big Game) is tied to the other side of the barrel swivel. I have a circle hook (6/0 GamaKatsu octopus) on the terminal end of the leader. My sinker (5 oz flat) is clipped on the crosslock swivel on a loop of 20# mono.
Threading the snap swivel on the main line allows the rig to slide when fish bite and they feel the resistance of the rod tip but not the sinker. The barrel swivel maintains the leader length. The leader should be lighter test than the mainline for minimum sacrifice in snag areas.
I tie up several leaders for replacement before going fishing. The leader moves with current and rocks or limbs could cause nicks, so replacing damaged leaders may save breaking a fish off. Also if you break off a leader on a snag a leader with a hook can be rerigged a bit faster. My pretied leaders are about 24 inches long. If I need a shorter leader for snag infested areas I simply tie shorter to the barrel swivel and cut off the excess.
The loop of line attaching the weight to the crosslock snap should also be lighter than the main line so it will break before the mainline if the sinker snags up.
Having several size sinkers with loops allows you to change weights when you move around a river and the current conditions change. If you fish a tidal river the current speed will change as you sit anchored in one spot.
All the components of the river rig can be adjusted to conditions. This particular setup has a 6/0 hook with the barb bent down. It is ready for conditions for channel cats on the Red River in Manitoba.
To fish for blue cats on the lower James river I would change to a 8/0 to 10/0 circle hook and attach an 8-10 oz weight.
