What is the #1 catfish rig for catching big fish? This question is asked a lot, basically because everyone wants to catch the big one! Remember, though, that everything is relative. As you consider which rig to use, be sure to consider your location, your experience and your ability to draw in that big one!

Like everything else in the fishing world, what is the #1 catfish rig for catching big ones, and what is not, can be hotly debated, because, like everything else, it is a matter dependent on many variables such as the specific type of catfish you hope to catch, the size target of your intended catch, where you are going to be fishing, and last but not least, the personal preference of the angler doing the fishing. Catfish anglers are infamous for their debates and their love of debating almost anything at all, and any time you bring up ranking something as #1, you will have opened a debate, but it really does depend on what works best for you at any given time and circumstance much more than anything else.

The following are the most popular, commonly used rigging methods. Hopefully, once you try them, you can adapt them to what works best for your own catfishing style and needs, and determine what is the #1 catfish rig for catching big ones for you personally!

Tightlining is a method of rigging for catfishing that best allows the angler to have a good measure of control when it comes to keeping the bait a particular distance from the floor of the body of water in which you are fishing. You just loop a hook or treble hook (depending on what bait you plan to use) onto your line at whatever distance you want the bait to be above the ground, and fasten a weight on to the end of the fishing line.

Next, just use split shot to hold the hook the desired distance above the weight so that it will hold and remain stationary once it is submerged in the water. Many times you do not want any movement in your line or bait, and this presentation is really good for that reason. This is a particularly good rig for areas where foliage on the bottom will keep the catfish from seeing your bait if it is on the bottom.

Slip Weight rigging is a method that lets the bait lie on the floor of the lake and it particularly effective if you are fishing shallows at night to catch big lunker when they move into the shallows to feed. Begin by sliding a weight onto your line. Water conditions and factors such as current speed will determine how heavy the weight should be to hold the bait stationary in the water. Use a Palomar knot to tie your hook on the end.

Multibait rigging is another good rigging method, particularly if you like catching more than one fish at a time. Multibait rigging has a few other benefits over other methods as well. It works equally well for the novice and seasoned catfish anglers.