This time of year I drift using a drift sock try to keep it below .5 mph with a santee cooper rig with a circle hook, main lake points near deep water especially if a channel is near by is where I start if fishing a lake. Be conscious of the fact that they are coming off the spawn, blues usually run up creeks and channel cats spawn in rocks, with the current in the lakes start near where tributaries come in the lakes. Timber near channels, channels, channel ledges, main lake humps and flats near channels can all be good it all depends on the wind direction and bait. Structure with cover is best in other words a stump field with a bunch of lay downs is going to work better than open water most of the time if bait is there if bait is in the open water fish there the predators will follow the prey.

If I find or create a spot I anchor on it, by creating a spot I mean chumming as I drift I use 20% range cubes as they are the easiest to handle and try to recreate the drift using my gps if I caught fish in it. I use 40 - 65 lb braided main line with a 25-80lb fluorocarbon leader and 4-12 aught circle hook depending on the size bait I am using and size cat I am going after. Mostly use the 5/0 with a 25 lb leader on 40 lb braid and set the float 4-6 inches from the bait to keep it off the bottom. I use the pro angler rods both in my bait cast and spinning set ups, basically I use everything from pro angler but hooks as I like 0 offset circle hooks, line since he does not sell any and slip bobbers as I have not run out of what I had when I started catfishing regularly. For spinning reels I use the Diawa Regal bite-n-run reel as I can use the bait clicker if I anchor the rod + reel set up is about 100$ and is practically bullet proof, baitcast set up I use 5600 and 6500 abugarcia ambassador c3 and c4 reels these are much more expensive so your set up will start around 150 with them and I am confident that the reels will hold up my oldest is 15 years old and newest is 12 years old and the only repair that has had to be done to them was when I lost a part while cleaning it.

Learn to use a cast net it is the only way to catch shad and that is the best bait for blue cats 95% of the time.

Another tip, if you are fishing an area and see sand bass on top water chasing bait try to fish under them the cats will move around under them cleaning up their messes.