MOGGYMAGIC

TACKLE 

 MOST CAT ANGLERS USE STEPPED UP CARP GEAR AND GENERALLY THIS IS QUITE ENOUGH. MY PERSONAL SET UP ARE RODS AROUND 3lb TEST, SHIMANO BAITRUNNERS AND 20lb DAIWA INFINITY DUO MONO LINE OR 50lb BRAID. THERE ARE SPECIFIC CAT RODS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET NOW AS THE POPULARITY IN CATFISH FISHING INCREASES BUT GOOD STRONG CARP GEAR WILL BANK MOST CATS YOU WILL FIND IN THE UK.

 AS FOR HOOKS AND HOOKLINKS , AGAIN THINK BIG AND STRONG. HOOKSIZE WILL VARY DEPENDING ON THE BAIT YOU ARE FISHING BUT MOST CAT ANGLERS GENERALLY USE HOOKS FROM A SIZE 1/0 UPWARDS, EVEN TO AS LARGE AS 8/0.ONCE AGAIN YOU NEED A BIG STRONG HOOK. OWNER HOOKS HAVE NEVER LET ME DOWN YET AND THEY COME IN A GOOD RANGE OF SIZES. JUST REMEMBER TO MATCH YOUR HOOKS UP TO THE BAIT YOU ARE FISHING AND IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT GIVE IN ON YOU THEN PUT IT BACK ON THE SHELF AND CHOOSE SOMETHING A BIT STRONGER.

 THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT UNFORTUNATLY YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO BE CHEAP WITH. IF ITS CONNECTED TO A CAT CHARGING ACROSS THE LAKE THEN IT NEEDS TO BE TOP QUALITY. HOOKLINK BRAID AGAIN HAS TO BE STRONG AND ROBUST. LOOK FOR BRAIDS THAT HAVE A GOOD ABRASION RESISTANCE, MY PREFERENCE IS THE KRYSTON QUICKSILVER RANGE IN 45lb BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OUT THERE. JUST REMEMBER THE CAT FIGHTS LIKE NO OTHER FISH IN THE LAND AND YOUR TACKLE HAS TO BE ABLE TO STAND UP TO IT!

      RODS AND REELS

 THE SUBJECT OF WHAT RODS TO USE IS ONE THAT IS HOTTLY DEBATED THROUGH THE CATFISH COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE HAS A DIFFERENT OPINION. HOWEVER THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT ARE GENERALLY AGREED UPON SUCH AS THE NUMBER OF EYES ON THE ROD, THE ACTION OF THE ROD, AND THE TEST CURVE OF THE ROD.

AS FOR THE NUMBER OF EYES ON THE ROD THE GENERAL OPINION IS TO FIND A ROD WITH AS MANY EYES ON AS POSSIBLE AS THIS GIVES THE ROD A MUCH SMOOTHER ACTION AND CAN CUSHION THE STRONG LUNGES THAT CATS MAKE UNDER THE ROD TIP. MOST CARP RODS HAVE 7 EYES BUT IF YOU LOOK AROUND YOU CAN FIND THEM WITH 9 OR EVEN 11 EYES. THE GENERAL RULE I WORK ON IS THE MORE THE MERRIER. AS FOR TEST CURVE OF A ROD, THEN ITS PERSONAL CHOICE. SOME PEOPLE LIKE A SOFT ROD WITH A GOOD TIP ACTION, SOME PEOPLE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH A STRONGER, STIFFER ROD, ITS UP TO YOU. I CURRENTLY FISH 3lb TEST CURVE RODS  AND I FIND THEM LOVELY, HOWEVER I HAVE FRIENDS WHO FISH ANYTHING FROM 2 3/4lb TO 3 1/2 AND EVEN 4lb TEST. ALL CATCH FISH AND THEY ALL SWEAR BY WHAT THEY USE SO ITS A CASE OF WHATEVER IS COMFORTABLE TO YOU.

 IN MY OPINION YES YOU DO NEED A STRONG ROD BUT JUST AS IMPORTANT IS HOW YOU PLAY THE FISH. IF YOU ARE FISHING A LARGE OPEN WATER THEN YOU CAN USE A SOFTER ROD AND BANK YOUR FISH NO PROBLEM. IF YOUR WATER IS VERY SNAGGY THEN A STIFFER ROD IS ADVISED TO TRY AND PUT A STOP TO THE FISH THE BEST YOU CAN. IF YOU PLAY THE FISH WELL THEN YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH A SOFTER ROD AND YOU WILL GET MORE OUT OF THE FIGHT, CATS HAVE BEEN BANKED ON BARBEL RODS, POLES ETC SO BE SENSIBLE AND DONT GO OVERBOARD OR YOU WILL LOSE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT MAKE THE WELS CATFISH SO SPECTACULAR.

 GENERAL TACKLE

WHEN YOU GO ON YOUR NEXT CAT TRIP JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO LOOK AT THE TACKLE YOU ARE LOADING INTO YOUR CAR AND SEE HOW MUCH OF IT YOU ACTUALLY NEED.

IN MY CAT TACKLE LIST IS EVERYTHING I THINK I WILL POSSIBLY NEED FOR THE FORTHCOMING SESION AND THE VENUE I AM FISHING ON. THE WORST THING THAT CAN HAPEN IS FISH START BEING CAUGHT ON A METHOD YOU DONT HAVE THE GEAR FOR. AS CATTING TENDS TO BE A MAJORITY WAITING GAME, TAKE SOME COMFORTS WITH YOU IF YOU CAN GET THE GEAR TO YOUR PEG. MOST WATERS HAVE CLOSE CAR PARKING FACILITES OR YOU CAN EVEN GET THE CAR TO THE PEG, SO THEM FEW LITTLE COMFORTS CAN MAKE A LONG SESSION EASIER. THE ONLY THING I WOULD WOULD NOT BE WITHOUT ON AN OVERNIGHT SESSION IS MY STOVE AND KETTLE. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE A FRESH CUP OF COFFE AFTER YOU HAVE WIPED THE CAT SLIME OFF YOURSELF AT 2a.m.

WHEN FISHING FOR CATS I WONT GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT MY ALARMS. ONE THING I WILL SAY WHEN YOU ARE SHOPPING AROUND FOR A SET OF BITE ALARMS, BUY THE BEST YOUR BUDGET CAN STRETCH TOO. cHECK THEY WILL STAND UP TO THE ELEMENTS WELL, THE LAST THING YOU WANT IS YOUR ALARMS PACKING IN AT THE FIRST SIGN OF NASTY WEATHER. A SET WITH A RECEIVER IS ALWAYS A GOOD BUY, YOU CAN SETTLE DOWN FOR THE NIGHT WITH THE RECEIVER NEXT TO YOU, IT ALSO HELPS TO MAKE A CATTING SESSION EITH YOUR FRIENDS THAT BIT MORE SOCIABLE. JUST MAKE SURE YOU HAVE SPARE BATTERIES WITH YOU, AND PREFERABLY A SPARE ALARM. MAKE SURE SOMETHING LIKE YOUR ALARMS GOING FLAT OR FAULTY DOES NOT RESTRICT YOUR CATTING PLEASURE.

THE OTHER ESSENTIAL LARGE PIECE OF TACKLE IS YOUR NET. THERE ARE MANY OF VARIATIONS OUT ON THE MARKET AND THIS IS ONE PIECE OF TACKLE THAT IT IS REALLY WORTH SPENDING A BIT OF MONEY ON. REMEMBER BIG IS BEAUTIFUL WHEN IT COMES TO A NET FOR YOUR CATFISH. THE LAST THING YOU WANT TO DO IS LOSE A BIG CAT AT THE NET BECAUSE YOU HAD TO MAKE SIX ATTEMPTS TO GET IT IN. MY WEAPON OF CHOICE IS A 42inch GREYS PRODIGY NET. IT HAS AN EXCELLENT MESH, THE HANDLE IS STRONG BUT LIGHT, IT HAS FITTINGS FOR BETA LIGHTS AND A WALKING CLIP SO YOU CAN CLIP YOUR NET UP INSTEAD OF STANDING ON IT IF YOU ARE WALKING ANYWHERE WITH IT. IT IS ALSO VERY EASY TO BREAK DOWN WHICH IS HANDY WHEN LIFTING A FISH IN SUCH A DEEP NET.

THE MAIN PIECE OF ADVISE I WILL GIVE IS PLAN AHEAD, TAKE SPARE OF EVERYTHING AND DONT  LEAVE ANYTHING TO CHANCE, EVEN THOUGH CATTING IS A WAITING GAME, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE NOT PRO-ACTIVE. DONT START WITH A FIXED PLAN AND TAKE ALL THE GEAR TO COVER THIS APPROACH

NOW WHEN IT COMES TO MY CAT TACKLE BAG, ITS FULL OF LOTS OF STRANGE LITTLE BITS AND BOBS. SOME OF THE MAIN ITEMS ARE SHOWN ABOVE BUT FOR A QUICK RUN DOWN THEN THE THINGS I MAKE SURE I NEVER RUN OUT OF ARE THINGS SUCH AS LARGE LEADS, LEADCORE, HOOKS, BEADS, 80lb SWIVELS, BRAID, POLLYBALLS AND STIFF TUBING.

OTHER HANDY ITEMS TO HAVE AT YOUR DISPOSAL ARE THINGS SUCH AS BAITING NEEDLES, BAIT SYRINGE, SPARE TORCH AND ALARM BATTERIES AND SO ON. ONE THING TO ALWAYS REMEBER IS TO HAVE SOME FIRST AID GEAR WITH YOU, BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

OTHER GENERAL THINGS TO REMEMBER AS YOU PACK YOUR CAR ARE THE OBVIOUS SUCH AS UNHOOKING MATS, SCALES, SLEEPING BAG AND GENERAL OVERNIGHT GEAR. OH AND ONE TIP I WILL GIVE YOU ALL IS SPEND A BIT OF HARD EARNED MONEY AND GET YOURSELF A VERY COMFORTABLE CHAIR, YOU CAN SPEND MANY HOURS IN IT SO ITS WORTH GETTING A GOOD ONE.

WELL FOLKS I HOPE THIS HAS GIVEN YOU SOME IDEA OF WHERE TO START WHEN KITTING YOURSELF OUT TO TRACK DOWN YOUR FIRST OR BIGGEST WELS. IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU THINK I HAVE MISSED THEN DONT HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW. HAPPY HUNTING.