What are the best hooks to use when I’m jugging for catfish?

Before you begin jugging for catfish, it is important to determine if it is legal where you plan to fish. In the past, fishermen all over fished using the juglining, or jugging method, but due to the irresponsibility of a minority of fishermen, it has become illegal in many places, and often is allowed only on private lakes or ponds. Once you have determined that jugging is legal where you plan to fish, this method basically involves putting a bunch of jugs (you can use jugs with the lids attached, or you can buy specially designed, brightly colored jugs from your local tackle shops) with handles into the water. The jugs have a line running between them to keep them attached to one another, and on that line, another line is attached, and that is the line that holds your hooks. There should be one line for each jug, and it should be long enough to hang just over the bottom of the body of water in which you are fishing. Be sure to check regulations where you are fishing, though, because there are sometimes regulations restricting the lengths you can use. Your weight should be heavy enough to keep your jugs in place, but not so heavy that they pull the jugs too far down into the water. When it comes to hooks, just about anything will work, just judge the sizes you will be fishing for, and use an appropriate size for that fish. Because the waters where jugging is popular often is home to other critters like turtles and gar, consider using circle hooks which are somewhat helpful in preventing the bait from being stolen as readily from your hooks and can handle some of the bigger fish you can encounter when jugging!

Tags: fishing for channel catfish, catfish fishing methods, catfish ice fishing, fishing for flathead catfish, fishing for catfish