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I love catfish fishing at night but if you don’t know what you are doing it can be a very long and very boring night. Most catfish anglers will tell you that the best times to fish for catfish are at dusk and dawn and a few will know that there is another 1 -2 hour period in the middle of the night. The truth is you can catch catfish anytime day or night if you know what you are doing.

There are many reasons I like to fish at night. All the pleasure boaters depart the waters and on a calm night the water becomes clear and flat allowing you to see even the gentlest of bites. There is also very little completion for the good spots at night making it much easier to locate the fish. What bothers most anglers about night fishing are those long boring periods when the fish are not active.

I use an old secret that really isn’t a secret at all and there are no boring periods. I use a light which first draws the zooplankton and then the bait fish as they come to feed on the zooplankton. You know what comes next is the game fish and then the fun begins. I am positive you have seen this food chain in action before even if you didn’t know what you were seeing or why. Ask yourself why the best fishing on a dock is always the place where the lights are shining on the water or why you see fish in the water where your boat lights are. It is not chance they are drawn to the light.

If you are going to be catfish fishing at night you can purchase crappie lights at just about any tackle shop. These will help but are not strong enough to get the results I like. I paid good money for the one I have but it is worth. Remember you get what you pay for.

Catfish traps are regulated or prohibited in many states. Before learning how to use catfish traps you should know the regulations for your area ahead of time. The reason for them being regulated so stringently regulated is that channel catfish must be able to move to breathe. If they can’t breath they suffocate and die. You must also take responsibility for how you use the catfish traps. If you use the catfish trap to catch channel catfish for food that is fine but if you place the trap you must check it at least every 12 hours.

There are two types of catfish traps that are commonly used. One is a box made from wood slats with the entrance on one end across the bottom. The entrance into the box is angled out from the box. Another type is a box made from heavy wire mesh with a funnel made of wire at one end that narrows to a small opening in side the box. Both traps work by guiding the catfish through a small opening into the box. Whichever one you choose make sure it is big enough for the size fish you intend to trap. Big catfish are strong and can move a small trap especially if they have current helping them.

Once you have choosing what type of trap you will be using you need to decide on what bait you will be using. A lot of people use dog food. It does not cost much as a large supply can be purchased for fewer than ten dollars. Some of the other baits used are cheese, chicken livers, stink baits, and anything else you would normally use to fish for channel catfish. Another bait that seems to work very well is canned cat food but since cat food dissolves rapidly the best way to use it is to poke holes in the can and place the can in the trap.

That is all there is to it. Now you know how to use catfish traps. If it is legal in your area and you decide to use a catfish trap be responsible and check it as often as possible. Do not leave it in the water if you are not going to check it. Fish will swim into it and die.

Knowing how to select the right catfish hooks for the type of catfish you want to catch is very important. Fishing for a 2lb channel is vastly different than fishing for a 50lb blue or flathead catfish. The sizes I use range from 2 to 2/0 in most waters but there are times when you can use larger hooks up to 6/0 effectively.

I usually fish with a 2/0 baitholder hook as I can get both table fare and some good sized cats without having to worry about the hook failing. When I am at a location, such as below a dam, that has proven to produce monster cats consistently I will use a 4/0 hook.

The way I select the right catfish hook is easy. In waters where I am unsure of what to use I always start with a 1/0 baitholder hook. If your drag is set properly this hook is sturdy enough to bring in the big catfish and small enough to provide good table fare.

When I am trying to make sure I have a decent catch to take home for dinner I often switch to a smaller hook. Not many catfish anglers recommend this but I have had great success doing so. For instance, if I am having a problem with the catfish taking my bait, running with it for a short distance and then just simply dropping the bait I will switch to a #2 baitholder. Of course it is not as effective for big fish but it does put food on the table.

When it comes to winter fishing for catfish, you really can get better results using smaller hooks too. Even when you are trying to catch big fish. Especially in the winter, when the water is cold and calm, the catfish tend to be finicky, and you have to try to get them out of the water without spooking them.

In the springtime, when the fish are not so finicky, you can move up to some bigger hooks like a 4/0 baitholder hook. These are particularly good when there are flood water kinds of conditions present. During flood conditions, the fish tend to get very aggressive, and they really grab on to basically whatever is out there. You will miss some fish you could catch if you use the smaller hooks in flood conditions.

No matter what size or type hook you prefer to use you should always have an assortment on hand so that you can adapt to the waters or conditions you are fishing in. Go often enough and you will work out your own system and preferences for choosing the right catfish hooks.