Before going into specifics on the different types of catfish rigs, please review the common terms below:

• Main line: Monofilament or braided line spooled onto a fishing reel. Big catfish are legendary for their strength, fight, and death rolls, and quality main line is crucial for landing trophy fish.
• Catfish baits: Any live, dead, cut, whole, natural, or artificial food used to attract fish.
• Lure: Any artificial product used to simulate the movement, sound, and/or color of prey. Lures add sound and vibration to catfish rigs and trigger sensitive nerves on the catfish lateral line to increase bites.
• Hook: The terminal end of a catfish rig is used for holding bait and hooking big catfish when they bite. The most common varieties are circle hooks, treble hooks, and J-style hooks.
• Swivel: A device used to separate the main line (reel) and a leader; preventing the current or action of catfish rigs from twisting the main line. Swivels also enable anglers to easily swap leader materials for changing conditions.
• Snap: A simple device that allows quick and easy modification of catfish rigs. Snaps come with or without a swivel attached and open and close without tools and without having to re-tie your catfish rig.
• Sinker: A lead weight used to sink catfish rigs below the water’s surface and/or hold them in position on the bottom
• Sinker slide: A plastic sleeve that can be used to quickly change sinker types and weights without cutting and re-tying the main line.
• Leader: Any secondary line connected to the main line, which a catfish rig can be attached. Leaders are typically a foot or more in length depending on conditions.
• Float: An inline foam device or bobber used on catfish rigs to suspend lures, hooks, and catfish baits off the bottom, out of snags, and in the strike zone.
• Rattle (versa): An artificial device used to mimic the sound of wounded baitfish and attract predator fish.
• Bead: A small device used to add color or flash to a catfish rig and to protect knots from abrasion.

After investing time and money into selecting a rod and reel, terminal tackle, and catfish rigs, it is absolutely critical that you know how to securely attach each component together. The last thing you want to do is lose precious gear and big catfish due to poor knot tying. At Whisker Seeker Tackle, we recommend you learn how to tie and use the Palomar, Snell, Trilene, and Dropper Loop knots.

Now that you understand what components and knots are required to build a catfish rig, we can discuss each fishing rig in detail. This will guide you on when and where to use the different catfish rigs depending on the situation.

The old school slip sinker rig is a simple and passive setup for catfish. This rig relies on scent alone to catch all types of big catfish. Anglers generally cast slip sinker rigs from the lake shore or drift with the wind or current from a boat. Strikes can be extremely aggressive, and it's always a good idea to set your rod and reel in a rod holder to prevent accidents. The slip sinker rig is easy to tie and has seven components:

• Main line 
• Sinker slide 
• Bead Stop 
• Swivel
• Leader (length will vary and as a rule, the faster the current the shorter your leader)
• Triple Threat Hook
• Sinker (style and weight will vary depending on bottom composition, water depth, current speed, and bait choice)

To tie the slip sinker catfish rig, follow these steps in order:

1. Cut 12-16” of the leader line. Depending on how fast the current is running and how deep the fish are swimming in the water column, you may need to experiment on leader lengths and adjust.
2. Tie your Triple Threat hook to the leader and trim the excess line.
3. Tie the swivel to the leader and Triple Threat hook and trim the excess line.
4. Run your main line through a sinker slide and follow it with a bead stop.
5. Tie the main line to the other end of the swivel and trim the excess line.
6. Finally, select a suitable sinker for the situation and attach it to the sinker slide.

Your slip sinker catfish rig is now tied and ready for your favorite catfish baits. After casting the rig, it simply lies on the bottom where scavengers may feed on it. In addition, sand, sediments, moss, and algae can settle on the bait. As a result, to maximize fish-catching potential, it is vital for anglers to lift or jig this catfish rig every 5 to 10 minutes and check bait regularly to keep it fresh.

The slip bobber rig is a great setup for big channel catfish on lakes as well as slow-moving streams and rivers. However, it can also be used for big blue and flathead catfish under the right circumstances. To build this catfish rig, you need the following 5 components:

• Main line
• Bobber stops and beads
• Slip bobber 
• Split shot or sinker
• Hook

To tie the slip bobber catfish rig, follow these steps in order:

1. Attach a bobber stop to the main line and follow it with a bead. You can find both types (string or rubber) of bobber stops at most bait shops and sporting goods stores. Set the bobber stop at a depth that presents the catfish bait off the bottom and slightly above the fish to maximize bites.
2. Run the main line through the top of the slip bobber and out the bottom.
3. Tie the J-style hook to the main line and trim the excess line.
4. Squeeze split shot onto the main line 3-4” above the hook. In order to precisely detect strikes, it's critical to use enough weight to keep the slip bobber completely vertical in the water. However, don’t use so much weight that your slip bobber sinks after it's baited.

The slip bobber rig is phenomenal for catching big catfish on small to medium-sized streams and rivers as well as lakes. For neutral catfish, try fishing the rig vertically across current breaks and eddies associated with rocks, riprap, brush piles, or a deep snag. For aggressive fish, cast the rig upstream from deep cut banks and outside bends as close to the bank as possible. You want the slip bobber to hug the sheer shoreline and present the bait to fish lurking in natural holes and depressions in the bank. For negative catfish, let the slip bobber drift lazily in slack water areas near cover and dropoffs. It's a good bet that if you dangle a fist-sized ball of nightcrawlers, magnum crawdad, or fat creek chub, in front of a big channel or flathead long enough they will bite.

Natural baits are a good choice for catching catfish on the slip bobber catfish rig. Early in the year, nightcrawlers are a good option followed by creek chubs or shad. However, by midsummer, leopard frogs, bluegills, and sunfish, are your best bets for catching aggressive channel and flathead catfish in lakes and rivers

The 3-way catfish rig can be fished for all types of big catfish and when it’s crucial to keep your bait off the bottom to avoid a snag or main line cut. Under these circumstances, the 3-way rig is most often used from a boat when anchored or drift rig fishing on medium to large rivers. To build this fishing rig you need the following 7 components:

• Main line 
• 3-way brass swivel
• Monofilament sinker line 
• Sinker (style and weight will vary depending on bottom composition, water depth, current speed, and bait choice)
• Monofilament leader line for the Triple Threat Hook 
• Peg float 
• Triple Threat Hook 

To tie the 3-way catfish rig, follow these steps in order:

1. Cut 12-16” of the monofilament leader line for your Triple Threat Hook and peg float. Depending on how fast the current is running and how deep the fish are swimming in the water column, you may need to experiment on leader lengths and adjust.
2. Tie your Triple Threat Hook to the monofilament leader and trim the excess line.
3. Slide the peg float on the monofilament leader line; inserting the pegs to hold the peg float at the desired location 2-3” from the hook.
4. Cut around 16-24” of the monofilament sinker line. Depending on how fast the current is running and how deep the fish are swimming in the water column, you may need to experiment on sinker line lengths and adjust. However, the sinker line should always be longer than the leader line.
5. Tie the leader line to the 3-way swivel and trim the excess line.
6. Tie the sinker line to the 3-way swivel and trim the excess line.
7. Tie the main line to the 3-way swivel using and trim the excess line.
8. Finally, select a suitable sinker for the situation, attach it to the sinker line, and trim the excess line.