Catching catfish from the shore, choosing a place, tackle and bait

This river giant is the dream of all avid anglers, although this is not an easy task. More often catfish weighing several kilograms come across, but there are cases of incredible luck when lucky fishermen caught fish weighing more than a dozen kilos. Some individuals reached up to a hundred kilograms! Catching catfish does not tolerate haste, it will take some dexterity and knowledge. Let’s figure out how to catch a catfish from the shore, what to catch it with, where to find it and what gear to arm yourself with?

Choosing the right time and place

It’s no secret that experienced anglers know where the river giant lives, but it’s better for beginners to find out what place can give such a valuable catch in the summer in July-August.

It is better not to expect catfish in shallow and cold reservoirs, he likes warmer water. An indispensable condition for the habitat of a catfish is the presence of a deep hole in a silent place in the river. It is better if this place is littered with snags, and the bottom is covered with vegetation. Fish hunters know that these are the best conditions for him. Look for grasslands bordering a riverbed or pit. Fish are afraid of bright sunlight, preferring more intimate conditions.

It is better to catch catfish from the shore at dusk or at night. During the day, the giant likes to hide in pits or blockages of trees and bushes. Sunset is the time when catfish go to hunt and get their own food. Most often they can be encountered in shallow water. No self-respecting catfish will miss the shoal in the bay during the hunt, where the depth reaches one meter at most. It is better to look for it closer to the shore, where the giant has the opportunity to taste the French delicacy – frogs. This phenomenon can usually be observed on a clear, warm night. These conditions are ideal for catching catfish. In cool or, God forbid, inclement weather, catfish do not approach the shore, preferring to hunt in the depths, not far from their “registration place”.

With what gear to go for catfish

The main requirement for the choice of gear for catching catfish from the shore is their ability to withstand heavy loads. A fishing rod for catching a river giant must be durable. It is better not to use telescopic rods, but to give preference to plug-in rods, which will withstand the load perfectly. And it, as usual, arises (and not small!) When playing catfish. The length of the rod, which is considered optimal when catching catfish, is up to three meters. According to experienced catfishers, to catch catfish from the shore, you need to take a rod 2,7 meters long. A longer rod makes it difficult to play the catfish.

Special attention should be paid to the test strength of the rod. It should have test characteristics of 100-600 grams. If you catch catfish from the shore on live bait, then you should have a larger test. If you use an artificial bait when fishing, then in this case it is advisable to use a spinning rod with a test of 100-150 grams.

The reel for catching catfish will need the strongest, having a metal base. You can use both multiplier and inertialess. The spool must hold at least 200 meters of line (0 millimeters). A fishing line should be preferred with a strong braided cord with a diameter of 5 mm to 0,35 mm, the breaking load should be 0-6 kg. If it is difficult to purchase such a cord, well, you can use a fishing line with a diameter of 35-60 millimeters.

The choice of hooks for hunting catfish should also be treated with special attention. The size of the hooks depends on the selected nozzle, respectively, there can be a lot of options. If you plan to fish with live bait weighing 30-100 grams, then it is better to take single hooks 8/0-10/0 (according to the international scale). If you are going to please the catfish in the end with bird offal, shell meat, mussels or worms, then you should take a 6/0 hook. When fishing for large live bait, you will need a single ten or a pair of 6/0 tees.

Hooks, as usual, are fixed on special Kevlar leashes. Their breaking load should be 40-150 kilograms. Or use other options – a thick fishing line from 0,8 mm to 1,0 mm in diameter. The catfish is not too picky in the grip, so the leashes and their diameter are not of fundamental importance. But you should not use a braided cord as a leash, because it will not be difficult for any fish to grind it with the help of small teeth.

With what bait and nozzles to “go” for catfish

When choosing a nozzle, it is worth considering the myopia of the catfish. Due to poor eyesight, the river giant has an exceptional sense of smell, excellent hearing and very sensitive sides, with which it is able to catch even the slightest fluctuations in water. Therefore, it is better to prefer a nozzle that smells or moves.

Experienced catfish owners advise catching live bait: herring, sabrefish, zander or pike. And some recommend the frog, considering it an excellent bait. Crayfish with soft shells, their claws or meat have proven themselves well as bait. Some anglers use a bear or locust. An excellent nozzle for catching a river giant is the meat of large barley. Do not exclude worms strung in a bunch, large caterpillars, shells, mussels, pieces of meat or mice as a fishing “menu” for catfish.

The topic of bait for catching catfish is inexhaustible! It is worth getting to the river and experimenting with different bait, and at the same time listening to experienced catfishers. But, do not forget that the size of the bait for fish should correspond to the intended carcass of the catfish, usually it is 1/4 or 1/8 of the part. The more bait you sacrifice, the higher the chances of “catching” a large individual.

How to play catfish

The most difficult task in catching a large individual is his hauling. This process requires angelic patience and special care. After the capture, you should not immediately try to drag the catfish ashore, it is better to tire him out before that. Tired catfish is our catfish! If the caught fish decided to go under the water and lie at the bottom, it doesn’t matter – you can scare it by tapping on the rod with the first object that comes across. Any knock causes panic in the catfish, so it will quickly appear on the surface.

To avoid injury, it is better to wear canvas gloves, as would-be anglers often cut with fishing line. Such cuts heal very slowly, and even incredibly painful.

Catfish should be tired to such a state when he begins to demonstrate his fatigue and turns his belly up. We need this moment! Right now it is worth starting to lead the catfish closer to the shore to a shallower place. There, the fish have practically no chance for resistance. Then you can grab it by the gills with a hook and pull it ashore.

What can be cooked from somyatina

Well, you can be congratulated, you caught a mustachioed giant! Now you can enjoy the meat of your prey. What can be prepared from it? The simplest recipe, anyone can do it, is catfish cutlets. They are easy and fun to make, so any novice to cooking will be able to handle the preparation.

Rinse catfish meat well and scroll twice through a meat grinder. A good addition to the meat would be a bun previously soaked in milk and one or two medium onions. Add two chicken eggs to the minced meat, sprinkle with salt, pepper and your favorite seasonings. Mix everything thoroughly, form cutlets or meatballs and fry in vegetable oil.

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