All manner of fishing requires a certain amount of gear for success, and seeking certain kinds of fish requires specially constructed gear. Catfish fishing gear goes even further in specialization due to the various types of catfish for which you can aim and the needs associated with each. For some catfish, fishing gear is merely about choosing the right bait, while others require tougher equipment due to excessive size.

To start with, channel catfish fishing gear doesn't require any extensive thought, though choosing the bait with which to lure the fish is quite important. Channel catfish are not typically very large, and large bait will not attract a lot of these species of fish. However, as with most catfish, channel cats are opportunistic feeders and will bite almost anything you throw at them. This includes small minnows, small pieces of chicken liver, night crawlers (though the larger ones may be a bit too big for channel cats), and small cuts of fresh fish. Channel cats also seek their food with a sense of smell rather than sight, just like most catfish, so the smellier the bait is, the more likely you are to reel in a good catch. With channel cats, you don't need hefty rod or reels; instead, fish with longer rods so that you can cast away from the boat and not disturb the fish with the motor or even the drifting of the boat. Smaller hooks work best to be sure that they can latch into the smaller mouths of these less sizeable fish.

Flathead catfish fishing gear is a different story altogether. First of all, the gear included in your boat for one of these excursions must go beyond the tools used to catch a fish. In most cases, you'll want equipment to set up camp overnight - the best time to catch a flathead is in the middle of the night, when the giant creatures can make their way into the shallows near the shore to feed.

You'll do well to set up a trotline with several hooks - some anglers will set up as many as 50 hooks on a line - and leave it overnight, checking it frequently to avoid losing any fish. You'll also need a good deal of patience, especially if you choose to fish during the day.

Flathead catfish fishing gear should be especially sturdy, with tough rods and heavy test line, perhaps even braided. Also, be sure that you have plenty of room in the boat for a really large specimen.