Anyone have any tips or advice for staying hooked up on bigger catfish. I have tried to use different types and styles of hooks but seem to still be loosing a lot of fish. I am fishing mostly with cut shad "bigger chunks" 3-4 inch size cuts, targeting fish over 7 lbs. Its weird because i will have the fish on for a few seconds but soon they will pull off. "They feel like big fish" I have tried to hook the bait where it doesn't roll and hook back into it self. Im just curious if any of you avid catfishermen have any advice for me? Anything from the type of hooks to the size of hooks, how you are rigging your poles and so forth. Should i let the fish take the bait and let them spool my reel for a while or what should i do. If you have any tips or advice feel free to pm me or comment back, i would greatly appreciate it.

I have learned over the years that channel catfish tend to chew the bait as blues tend to swallow it whole. Sounds like what is happening is that the fish is grabbing the bait and running with it.....not the hook. I like to put the rods in the holder and let the fish eventually hook themselves.

Can't help without a little info. What hooks are you using, where your fishin etc. sounds like you may be having gar bites. You do know your not actually targeting bigger fish by using that size bait don't ya?

Okay sorry maybe i should have put a little more info in my write up. Right now i am currently using Team catfish hooks, i believe the circle hooks that I'm using are the super cat series 9/0 and 8/0, I have also used the same brand but the jackhammer hooks. I fish mostly on lake fork and have done good on catching good size fish. Not big like tawakoni big, but big as in the 5-12 lb range "mainly catch channels but occasionally will catch some big flat heads . When i say targeting big fish i mainly mean the areas i am fishing i believe hold bigger fish and i like using cut bait because i feel like I'm not catching every 14 inch fish in the area when i use the cut bait. When i use cheese bait i seem to be getting bit by only small fish, As far as the gar you may be right because i catch gar too while fishing with the cut bait. Im not really looking for lots tons of bites just trying to catch a little bigger fish. Maybe i should cut the bait into smaller pieces i just always thought some of those smaller fish wouldn't be able to get those bigger chunks down...again might be another reason I'm losing fish, maybe they are too small for the bait. But the hook ups are there, they just don't feel like small fish they feel like big fish sometimes pulling my drag really well before they pull off. Again this is why I'm asking for advice I'm kinda new to it all.

PM sent

I got away from circle hooks and started using j hooks my hookup has been better. I now acrualy set the hook

Imo circle hooks are the best hooks. I fish a tight drag and no clicker. Id say 9 out of 10 fish that bite are comming with me. Check your hook exposure. Only hook enough to keep bait on, do not cover hook.

When using circle hooks I would be sure I am snelling them or you don't seem to get the benefit of of the circle.

Just to add to what Steve & Christian said, when the fish hits, you don't want to set the hook with a circle. Just reel down on the fish. The circle is designed to hook em in the corner of the mouth.

Snelling the hook is critical with a circle.

IMO, this method is the best method is the best method for Snelling a hook. Make sure you enter the eye on the barb side. That way when the knot is done, the line through the eye will be on that side, so that as the line tightens it will pull the hook in the direction of the set.


Best Snell Method

Are you cleaning scales off of your hook points after hooking your bait? A single shad scale on the point of a hook can render just about any hook useless.

Really, how so? Never heard that one before

Which circle hooks do you guys use for snelling? The ones with the angled eye or without? The ones with the angled eyes seem perfect for Snelling but what about the ones with the straight eyes?

I prefer the ones with the angled eye because as I mentioned, when you enter the eye from th e barb side, that angle helps when the hook sets.

I'm sure the non-angled ones work to, but I don't use them.

I use Gamakatzu (sp?) Octopus hooks, and my hook-ups increased greatly over circle hooks, Khales, ad j-hooks. I like 5/0, and catch fish from 2-50+ lbs with them. We freespool, and let them run a bit then just lock the bil and reel down on them. We have found that setting the hook is as apt to disconnect as hook up. Reeling down and letting the hook find a home results in more hook-ups.

I've got a box full of "catfish" hooks of various types and brands, the Gama Octo's work better for me than all of them.

Are you taking about the the circle octopus or plain octo? I see they make both.