Anglers everywhere look forward to the challenge that fishing for catfish provide because they are one of the most popular species of fish around. When fishing for trophy catfish you need to be prepared and have the equipment to reel them in. These fish have been known to snap rods, break lines and completely destroy the drag on reels. Regardless of whether you are catfishing for that trophy fish or going out for fun, using rigs is the best method to reel them in.



There are three main types of catfish fishing rigs that are used by anglers everywhere. These are called the Texas Rig, Carolina Rig and the Floating Rig. The more you know about these rigs and the way to use them the better your odds will be when fishing for catfish. Below are the basic instructions on how to tie each one of these rigs along with a brief description about each one and where they should be used.

The Texas Rig

The Texas rig is mainly used with plastic worms. The hook is placed through the thickest part of the worm right below the head. You need to push it up all the way to the eye of the hook. You will then put the tip of the hook halfway through the body of the worm about three forth of the way to the tail.

Make sure that it does not go all the way through. This prevents the hook from snagging on anything while you are fishing.

The first step in tying a Texas rig is to choose the type of knot you want to use. The clinch knot seems to work the best for many anglers. Next, you need to place your sinker on the line first with the large end facing towards the hook. Use the clinch knot to tie the hook securely onto the line and then you are ready for the bait. This is a very simple rig to sit up.

The Texas rig can be used most anywhere and it makes casting your line very accurate. It works well when fishing in areas that are grassy or rough where hooks can get hung up easily. It is the perfect rig to use when you need your bait to bump the bottom of the water so you can reel it up a bit and then let it float back down to the bottom again.