Catfishing from the bank. What am i doing wrong

Today, i tried something i don't do very often, and that was bank fishing for catfish. I had 6 lines in the water for a span of about ~4-5 hours and didn't land anything. I had the drag set real loose, and heard them every time they were slowly dragging my bait away. I would pick up the rod, tighten the drag, and try to set the hook, but never had any luck.

I was fishing with 7/0 circle hooks and using sausage and blood bait for bait.

Any idea what i could have been doing wrong, or is this just luck of the draw sometimes?

fresh shad

I never have loose drag I tighten the line as much as I can and have the drag set strong. I clip bells on my rod tips and when I hear a consistent "jingle jingle jingle" I know a fish is hooked good. Once I set the hook (AKA just reel my rod quickly, no bass style jerk)and when I feel that the fish is hooked, I LOOSEN the drag accordingly.

As for bait I suggest using fresh shad, I use up all the gizzard shad heads on my 7/0 hooks and the smaller threadfin on my rods that have 3/0 hooks.

Only reason i had loosened all my drag is so they couldn't steal a pole. I don't have any shore rod holders.

Good to know that i shouldn't be setting the hook like bass though. Still need to get me a cast net, so don't have shad to fish with yet. It will be my next big purchase though.

Thanks for the tips!

TCC has is right. Keep your lines tight and don't jerk on the rod when you get a bite. Circle hooks are designed to turn into the corner of the catfishes mouth. When you see a bite, just reel down until the rod loads up, THEN pick it up and start reeling. Fresh cut shad is the bait of choice. Cut perch or buffalo is a good standby.

Find a few lengths of rebar and cut them down to about 2 or 2 1/2 feet long. Duct tape 1 foot long PVC to the top and you'll have yourself some stout rod holders.

I usually fish on rip rap for cats so I just find a gap between some rocks and place my rod butt in it. I only use rodholders when there are no rocks around. My rodholders are basically the same as what grasshopper described.

You can get pre-cut rebar from Home Depot or Lowes for a couple of bucks and pvc pipe as well. $20 should get you about 3-4 rod holders after its all said and done.

Fresh cut shad, blue gill or even fresh head on shrimp. Treble hooks. Drag set normal. Works for me.

same set up I use plus night crawlers. Keep dem lines tight.

This is how we made all of our catfish rod holders for bank fishing with one exception. Instead of duct tape, just buy some of the larger diameter hose clamps to hold the PVC pipe to the rebar. Keep a small sledge hammer to drive it in the ground at your favorite bank fishing spot.

The rebar has just enough give to it that it will virtually hook the fish. Most of the time just picking up the pole and reeling in results in a hooked fish. There is no need to give it a hard yank. It is a good idea to paint the top of the rod holders with bright florescent spray paint. You are less likely to load your stuff up and leave your rod holders.

To make rod holders for fishing in the sand on the coast, just cut 3' sections of PVC with one end at an angle. Drive the angled end into the sand.

This time of year there are baby catfish that will nibble your bait off the hook. Unless you are fishing with stinkbait with a small treble hook, they are almost impossible to catch. They are too small to keep. My son caught one that would have been small enough to put in a ten gallon aquarium. I do not know how he even felt it bite.

summer fishing is also harder during the day because the blues are deep during the day and come shallow to feed at night.

Thanks for all the tips.

I need to build me some of those rod holders.

Also, good to know about those nibbling thieves. Ran into them over the weekend out at Cooper as well.

The culprits slowly dragging your baits away could be TURTLES ... ...

NEVer ever set the hook With a circle hook!!!!!!! You should let the fish pull and tug then slowly reel and fish on!!

'Grasshopper' hows the cats at Big Cottonwood?I know.thats it lol

Me and a buddy went early this year and Dans was nearly dried up so we went to Little Cottonwood and got small crappie and a 10lb BB.

I have a spot that looks like that at Lavon.
I go every three days in the evening.Throw out a 5 gallon bucket
of Milo grain in the area that you will only be fishing.
Keep baiting the area for about two to three weeks at the same time every evening or morning when you will be fishing.
I fish late evening when it is cooler.The cats bite is very quick and a lot better fishing, or catching..So --when it is your time to start fishing after you have baited the area and now have them waiting on you..you throw out some feed as normal-you will see them at surface and swirling in the water..large and small cats..
Now cast out your stink bait under a cork or shad for larger cats..I use greasy friend chicken myself...just pull meat and fat -skin chunk off and throw it out..They hit it pretty quick..
So bait first...fish catch later after the fish have found your spot..
These were caught last Thursday morning early.

I use light line.#8 test to #12 test..1 split shot 14" above hook--bait.