I am fairly new to catfishing,and am having problems catching the big ones. I just bought a 50# 7' Ugly stick with a Shimano baitrunner reel. I was wondering if my rig is causing me to miss the big ones. I usually use a carolina rig w/ 4oz slip weight and a 7/0 Octopus circle hook. Usually use liver, but am now trying cut bait-shad. Have had no luck on shad EVERY TIME I TRY. Also, when I reel in,my rig gets twisted and tangled in knots. Last night, I switched to a rig with the weight at the bottom and two whole shads on the double leader.Having a hard time keeping bait on hooks when I launch. If someone can basically re-teach me how to catch something it would be great! Pics would be great! Thank yall...I usually fish at Lake Ray Hubbard,Texas.

http://www.learntocatchcatfish.com/category/catfishing-how-to/catfish-rigs-catfishing-how-to

Check out the Three Way Rig and the Sanatee Cooper.

I found that whole site very helpful when I was starting out.

Are you using fresh shad?

+1 on the sanatee cooper rig ...always use fresh bait when u can find it.

Fresh shad and sanatee rig, sometimes it seems fresh shad doesn't work as well as liver because every dink in the lake eats liver. Usually that's all you will ever catch on liver is dinks. The bites may be fewer on shad but when they do hit its all worth it, usually larger fish.

Hubbard has been tough lately...just saying.

For blues I use the Santee rig exclusively. For channels I like a slip sinker tied to a 12-inch leader. As for bait, I've tried everything you can think of, and cut shad and cut perch are the only two baits that produce for me with blues. Every once in a while I'll catch one with a nightcrawler. I use medium action rods with the drag set about halfway and it seems to work fine. I miss a few, but catch most of the ones that hit it. Be sure to go for a larger bait for the big boys. I fish with 6 rods and I usually put 3 large baits and 3 smaller baits in the water because box fish are just fine with me. As a caveat, if you take my advice you probably won't catch a lot of fish....at least I don't!

You may know this, but don't set the hook just wind down hard. Other than that stick with either fresh cut bait or live bait, and be patient.

Your rig is probably fine. It just takes time.

Hubbard has been slow the past couple years.

If you are using the shad from walmart or academy (either frozen, or in the little dries bags) don't waste your time. You will want to catch fresh live shad with a cast net. If you can't do that, the chicken breast soaked in dead red blood spray, or carp/buffalo from fiesta or the Asian markets will produce.

+1 on the Walmart stuff. Always use fresh bait if you don't wanna waste your time. I learned that the hard way.

Dont feel alone............i catch.more skunks than anything..........Are u bank or boat fishing? Go try Lavon with fresh shad and perch..........

You might start trying some shallow water fishin!

+1 but i love to fish

I was at lake whitney all last weekend camping and about 7 of the 9 fish were caught shallow they were small but thats where they were.