1. Get the Right Catfish Jugging Gear

So if you want to go catfish jugging like me, go out and get you some one quart, square jugs from your local outdoor store. While you’re there, pick up some heavy twine, some large barrel swivels, and some 9/0 hooks. I know that sounds like a large hook, and it is, but you are going to be going after the larger fish (just wait a minute and I’ll explain).

2. Get the Right Catfish Jugging Bait

The best catfish bait for getting the large fish is shad or perch. I have had success with both. But I tend to lean more toward perch, as I have just seen some great results fishing with this bait. So I’ll go out and catch the perch alive, take a fillet knife, and cut 2/3 of a fillet down only one side of the perch.

This will get the bait bleeding, but yet it is still alive. Sometimes I will leave a fresh, live perch on the line, after I have done the 2/3 fillet on some of them. This combines scent with live bait in the water. And let me tell you, when you have a dozen or two lines out there, with some blood and live perch, you are setting yourself up for success.

3. Find the Right Catfish Jugging Locations

Along with getting the right gear, and the right bait, you need to find the right locations. The best locations are within a set of stumps, along the edge of a drop off point or an old river bed within a lake. Catfish tend to like soft, sandy or muddy bottoms as opposed to rock bottoms, but they do like to scavenge around cover areas or large rocks, etc.

One other thing you can do is consult a topographical map of the area you are fishing and look for spots that are known to be good catfishing spots.

4. Go Catfish Jugging

Once you have the right gear, bait, and scoped out your locations, it’s time to go get ‘em. Get out there in a good aluminum or flat bottom boat that you don’t mind getting beat up a bit, troll through the stump areas, set your jug lines, and tie them off to the stumps.

Get your jug lines set in order, so you can easily come back through and check them later. Then go back to shore, wait a couple of hours, and come back and check / re-bait the lines. Trust me, it works!

The Step by Step Guide to Carolina Rigging

1. First, you’ll need to ensure that there aren’t any tangles, tears, nicks or binds in your line. You don’t want to hook the big one, only to lose him due to a line break that could have been avoided.

2. Get a bass casting or other type weight. This weight need not be cone shaped, but can be an inline weight. Use the following guide for weights and depths:

• < 6 ft — use 1/16 to 1/8 ounce weight
• 6 ft to 12 ft — use 1/8 to 1/4 ounce weight
• 12 ft to 18 ft — use 1/4 to 3/8 ounce weight
• > 18 ft — use 3/8 to 1/2 ounce weight

3. Place the weight on the line.

4. Put a bead on the line next, and place directly below the weight.

5. Tie a barrel swivel to the end of the line. This will serve to keep the weight and bead at a consistent distance away from the worm. I like to use a palomar knot for all my light fishing needs, instead of an improved clinch knot; I find that the knot is just much more sturdy.

6. Tie off a leader line of about 18 to 24 inches in length, depending on your preference. I like the leader to be a little shorter, just to make casting a little easier.

7. Attach the hook. My preference right now are VMC hooks with offset shanks.

8. Hook the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the worm and push it all the way through the worm. Then push the worm all the way up onto the top of the hook, so that the offset shank is buried right at the top of the hook.

9. Lay the hook along side of the worm, giving you a good idea how far down to hook the worm the second time. The goal is to hook the worm so that it will lie straight from the offset shank down to the barb. Push the hook all the way to other side of the worm, but keep the barb right at or below the outside edge of the worm. This will ensure that the worm is weedless, and you’ll have far less snags.

10. Check the worm to ensure it isn’t twisted or bound up in any way on the hook. It should be straight and true on the hook from head to tail.

So there you have it, your 10 step guide to the Carolina rig. I’ll point out again that the Carolina rig’s distinct advantage over the Texas rig is that it displays the bait to the fish without the fish picking up on the weight (as it is 18 to 24 inches higher than the worm). It will also produce a little bit better action on the worm. So if you are in a spot that isn’t in deep cover, or you are just good enough on the cast and retrieve not to get tangled to much, the Carolina rig is for you…

Warm Fronts

During the winter, if a warm front comes through for several days, as the water warms up, the bass will tend to come up from the deeper water to the surface, to catch the rays of sun. This can provide better fishing for anglers, because the shallow runners will be usable, and the fish will be more likely to feed in the warmer water.

On the flip side, an unusually warm front that comes through in the summer time may cause bass to be sluggish in feeding, as they tend to not like to feed when the water temperature is above 80 degrees.

Cold Fronts

Bass tend to sense when a cold front is about to hit, and they do not like to feed during the front. So a few hours before a cold front sets in, you can be in an utter feeding frenzy! But don’t be late! Once it comes in, the bass will dive looking for warmer water and will refrain from feeding for several days until the front moves on.

I remember one time fishing with my uncle, and we were just shy of catching some great fish. There was a cold front coming in, and we hit the water, caught a couple of fish, and the action just stopped. What I would have done to get there just a couple of hours earlier!

Wind

The wind can have a significant impact on successful bass fishing. Constant wind can be the catalyst that drives bait fish to congregate in certain areas to feed, and thus bring in the big boys! But heavy winds can cause to much turbulence, and drive the bass into deeper waters, harder to find, and thus harder to catch.

A moderate wind that creates waves on the shore can be a good sign for bass fishing. This will cause the bottom to be stirred up slightly, creating murky water near the shore. The bass will come and hang out along the mud line, and feed.

Rain

Rain can be a good thing for bass fishing. The clouds will create shade, and bass will be more comfortable in the shallow water. Runoff from rain can deposit mud and create some murky water, and again, bass will move in on the line between the clear and murky water. But if runoff muddies up the entire body of water, then the “biting” will likely turn off.