After a great and, most importantly, educational day with the lovely Teri Littlejohn, I realized I needed to step it up a touch in terms of gear for my own blue cat trips. I kept what I had already, as it was decently good, but took my new found knowledge out shopping with me. I drove to Cabela's and had to stop at Academy on the way home but I finally got what I think is a good setup.

I spoke some about this in a different thread, and you guys gave me great advice, you always do. I wanted to start a new thread to post the pics though.

Any advice or thoughts are welcome of course...




I strayed a bit from what I saw with Teri on this one. I chose the 6600 c4 over the 5500 c3 because it didn't really cost that much more, and I thought the extra retrieve speed would help keep the constant pressure on the fish during a fight that is needed for circle hooks. I liked the thumb bar too, but find that it gives me a little trouble with big sinkers on it, nothing I can't get used to though.

It is spooled with 25 lb. test Berkely big game bright green monofilament. I used to think you needed braid for big fish, now I know that isn't always the case lol.





When someone like Michael Littlejohn tells you a rod is a good rod, after you see him pull into a boat slip with a cooler full of HUGE fish, you listen lol. This rod wasn't available at Cabela's so I had to go to Academy to get it. It is the Catfish Ugly stick, 7'0 MH action (as you can see). I caught a LOT of big fish with this exact rod with Teri, so i have some confidence in it for sure!



A 3 oz. egg sinker over a Team Catfish sinker bumper (These were hard to find, I bought all cabela's had. I know you can get them direct from the website but paypal and I are arch enemies, I would have bought the team catfish mono line too if I could've found it.) genius little idea to protect your knots and swivels. Below that is a palomar tied size 5 eagle claw swivel.



Here is a size 7 (biggest I could find at Academy) Eagle Claw circle hook, snelled onto a ~ 18 inch Berkely big game 40 lb test transparent line used for a leader.

Before I was using a 3/4 oz weight and 2/0 hook on 14 pound test with no leader! Thanks to you all (Teri and Michael especially) for educating me!

The only thing I wish I would have done different is looked a little closer on this forum and gone with one of the local tackle guys. I will next time for sure!

I stood at the dang reel counter at Cabela's for neary an hour before someone came to help me, then when he did show up he tried to tell me that I didn't want THAT reel and tried to sell me the store brand.

At Academy apparently only one guy in the whole company knows how to use the spooling machine, and he gets a 3 hour lunch break lol!

Teri Littlejohn has spoiled me, I expect better service now!!!

I have the exact same setup... Good lookin Rigs.

As for team catfish, if you can't find their gear at stores and paypal doesn't work for you (like me), just email them your order and send a cashiers check.

Great people and good stuff..

Do you have the the issue with the thumb bar and heavy weights?

Nice looking cat rig...

I have 3 of the same setup. No issue with the thumbar, that's how the reel is made. The FastCast Thumbar Freespool System made to cast one handed with lures. Thumb the line/spool and depress the thumbar let it go!

Yeah I'm sure once I get to the lake and actually throw it a few times it will become second nature, in fact, what am I doing here? :-P

Why go with 40 pound test leaders with 25 pound test main line? Doesn't that guarantee you will lose your entire rig every time you break off?

I don't know actually, thats just the advice I've heard. I thought a leader was supposed to be heavier than your main line? What do you use?

Good setup, thanks for sharing

The heavier line is to withstand the abrasiveness of a big ol catfish's mouth. It's also handy for just grabbing the leader and hoisting catfish under 8 or so pounds into the boat.

I also have the same setup, except with an 8' rod. No problems;
you'll like the thumb bar once you get used to it.

Looks good. The only thing I see is the leader line is coming out of the wrong side of the eye of the hook on your snell knot, flip it around and your ready to catch fish.

So the line should come out of the eye on the side that the hook is pointing too?

That way when you are reeling the line keeps constant pressure on the tip of the hook. Tie one each way and slowly roll it across the outside edge of your hand (simulating the fish's mouth) the one coming out opposite the point will want to roll on its side, the one coming out the same side as the point will hook you every time. Im not saying you wont hook fish with it out the back, but in my experience the hook up ratio will increase with it coming out of the same side of the eye as the point of the hook.

In place of the rubber bumpers which are expensive and have to order. Go to walmart,crafts store etc and get some 1/4 inch beads. They slide over the knot to protect it snd a $2 bag will last years.