Catching big catfish, also known as “mega catfish,” is a thrilling and challenging endeavor for many anglers. These powerful fish can weigh hundreds of pounds and put up an intense fight, making them a true test of skill and endurance.

In this article, we will provide an overview of the best tricks and tips for catching mega catfish. We will discuss the best techniques for rig setup, bait selection, and positioning, as well as tips for fishing in different water conditions.

Catching mega catfish requires a specialized approach, with heavy-duty gear and a proper rig, as well as an understanding of their feeding habits and behavior.

Fishing for MEGA Catfish -Tricks and Tips

MEGA Catfish  Fish Features

At first glance, the catfish makes an unpleasant impression primarily with the shape of the body, with a long mustache and small eyes. The skin is flaky. There is a small dorsal fin with 3-5 rays. The anal fin is elongated, reaches the beginning of the tail, and is rounded. The mouth is quite large.

Numerous teeth are arranged on the jaws and palate. There are two long whiskers on the upper jaw and four shorter ones on the lower. The top of the body is olive green, with a darker edge, and the bottom - is not pure white. There are irregular dark spots on the sides. The spots on the abdomen are smaller. The color of the fish depends on the age and the nature of the reservoir.

MEGA Catfish Growth

The catfish reaches impressive sizes - 5 m in length and 300-500 kg. weight, age - up to 100 years. Recently, in our country, despite the deteriorating conditions in the rivers, specimens weighing 40-50 kg have been caught. (and more) up to 2.50 m in length. This fish is susceptible to artificial breeding, but unfortunately its economic importance is not sufficiently assessed.

Every year after the ban expires, the real active catfish season begins. It is true that catfish have been caught before the ban, especially if the spring is generally warmer, but the real somatic time is from June to the end of September.

Although catfish is our largest pure freshwater fish, catfish fishing is delicate, not to say delicate, task. Your tools, in addition to being powerful and strong, need to work flawlessly and accurately like a Swiss watch. Powerful rods are used, large reels that are able to hold at least 200 meters of fiber 0.60 mm and above. The hooks must be strong, forged in sizes from 5/0 to 8/0 depending on the bait used.

MEGA Catfish Diet

The catfish feeds around the clock. He is lazy and clumsy, but very predatory. He catches his victims, hiding behind some hiding places. He attracts them by moving his mustache, which many fish take to be wormed and pay dearly for their curiosity. He uses another way of hunting - he lies motionless with his mouth open.

Approach the small fish and find themselves in it only with one suction of water. In another case, the catfish falls on your prey, stunning it with a strong blow to its tail, and then swallows it. It feeds on almost all aquatic inhabitants - from plankton, crabs, frogs, and small fish to eels and large pike. Attacking waterfowl - especially small, water rats and even stray dogs.

The catfish does not give up the carcass, and when it has been starving for a long time, it also eats things that are completely unfit for eating. It is very strong in water. The retrieval of the caught large specimens lasts for hours. Like the flycatcher, the catfish is irritated by sounds. On this basis (especially on the Danube) it is fished with the so-called KLONK from a boat.

How does the MEGA Catfish Bait

In general, the catfish is a predator and feeds on aquatic inhabitants, but when it falls into protein starvation it becomes omnivorous and can even be caught in a spiral with porridge and cake. But these are exceptions that emphasize the rule, and that is to look for catfish on meat and live bait.

In June, the catfish is very eager to bite crab. The crab is stuck under the armor from the tail fin, and the blade of the hook must pierce the armor and show out without affecting the vital centers of the crab. So he stays alive and moves for a long time.

Immediately after the ban, large leeches also bite well, but mostly small catfish come out, while large specimens are caught on the same bait in September and early October.

Naturally, the best bait for catfish is live fish that inhabit the pond. They should be over 10-15 centimeters in size, although there are exceptions. For example, the sunfish is a very good bait - it is extremely lively, and agile and holds well on the hook. Very good bait are barbel, perch, perch, granny, bleak and some other species.

The catfish bites willingly on the hog, which is considered a classic bait for him, and also - on a bunch of manure worms, pieces of raw liver or spleen, fried with feathers chickens, frogs, and pieces of fish. These are the types of bait available to every angler

MEGA Catfish Heavy Fishing

The basic installation for heavy catfish hunting is simple and efficient. It is similar to the installation for catching white fish with a movable weight, except that the line in front of the weight is a bit shorter and therefore much stronger, and braided fiber can be used. If you are on a river - the live fish bait is hooked on the hook through the upper lip, and if you fish in a closed pond, the hook is passed under the dorsal fin.

It stops in the evening at the beginning of a deep, catfish-holding pond, but the bait is not thrown into the pond, but into the rapids above it at the very border. The catfish lies all day like a dog in deep pits and ditches and guards its territory, and in the evening it goes out to hunt in the shallows and rapids.

Absolute silence must be kept in river fishing, I even lie down by the line, as some do in trout fishing. When the big fish hits and catches, there is a unique struggle and emotions, because the visibility is already low. Night fishing is banned in our country, so I use the period of the so-called twilight. This half-hour is the most promising, both to catch a catfish and to keep up with the law.

Float Fishing For mega Catfish

Catfish can also be fished on a float, but it must be quite bulky to withstand the larger live bait fish and the heavier ones.

This method is more suitable for closed ponds, but you need to know very well where the catfish habitats are to know where to throw the corks. It is not necessary for the fish to be released at the maximum depth. At dawn and at sunset, catfish usually attack the upper water layers.

Only in the hot and bright part of the day you should increase the depth and cast directly on the border of the catfish pits. However, daily catfish fishing is less effective unless you lure catfish with specific methods. One way to entice is to attach to the corks or weights pieces of foam sponge soaked in animal blood or another specific flavoring. It works, but don’t expect miracles.

Clonk for MEGA Catfish

The thumping of a twig can be heard for miles along the shores of the goal, but the catfish responds to its sound only when you pass the boat over its territory.

It rises from the depths and can even attack the fisherman’s hand, which works with a twig. But usually, before that, she feels the vibrations of the bait fish, which is in real horror, because she also senses the impending danger.

The blow is definite and if you use two hooks, it hits the upper hook more often. In this type of fishing, you can use other types of bait - hog, crab, leech, and so on, but in my opinion, the most suitable is live fish, especially for dams.

Dragging Rapallo

Contrary to popular belief, catfish are also caught hauling artificial lures from a boat. The most suitable are really the wobblers of the world-famous company “Rapala” with dimensions between 17 and 19 centimeters. It is good to have dredging at a depth of between 2.5 and 4 meters, but experiments with deeper dredging are not superfluous. The variety of this type of wobbler is huge, not only from the mentioned company but in my impressions when pulling wobblers from a boat, generally smaller catfish are hooked.

Here is his place to remind you If you do not have a tape measure in you - this is the length of the male elbow with an upright palm!

Release the undersized catfish, because it is a sin - these fish gain a hundred or more kilograms, so what will an innocent baby of a kilo or two enjoy?

Conclusion

In conclusion, catching mega catfish is a thrilling and challenging endeavor that requires specialized techniques, equipment, and knowledge of the fish’s behavior.

Catching a mega catfish is an achievement that requires patience, perseverance, and skill, but with the right approach, it can be an unforgettable experience.

Happy fishing!