How to Catch Catfish During the Day: Your Helpful Guide

Catfish are an underrated fish species, as they are huge, taste delicious, and can put up a fight with your fishing skills! That’s why I recommend that you try putting effort into catching these fish. However, it’s not as easy as it seems, especially when doing so during the day.

So where can you start? Learn how to catch catfish during the day and read on!

How to Catch Catfish During the Day

When fishing for catfish, many know that night is when the real action begins. They have a strong sense of smell and taste, so they choose to search for food when it’s dark.

But what if you want to catch them during the day? Here are some tips you can follow:

1. Prepare Your Gear

For starters, you have to make sure you’re using the right equipment suitable for catching catfish!

Catfish Rod

Use a fast action rod that has a lot of backbone and adequate bend on the tip so you can properly set the hook.

If you’re aiming for smaller catfish, use a six-inch medium-power rod. For bigger ones, you’ll need one that’s seven-inches, either medium-heavy or heavy-power rods. For casting from the shore, you’ll want something a bit longer so it reaches the deeper waters.

Catfish Reel

The best one to use for bigger catfish is a bait caster, which has better drag and allows you to cast farther, needed when fishing from the shore. If you don’t like casting and want smaller catfish, you can make do with a spinning reel.

Other Accessories

Be sure to prepare other fishing equipment such as:

• Monofilament, between 12 to 30-pound lines depending on the size of catfish you aim to get
• Treble hooks are useful for getting catfish, especially when using punch or dip baits. You can try using circle or bait hooks for big catfish
• Other terminal tackle that includes split shots, swivels, beads, jig heads, bobbers, and egg sinkers
• Sturdy rod holder
• Tough net or lip-grip
• Gloves with good grip

Catfish Bait

You can use a lot of bait to use on catfish, such as:

• Live bait, like live worms or minnows
• Fresh dead bait or stink bait
• Smelly artificial bait such as dough or catfish chinks

2. How to Catch Catfish

Again, it’s a bit tougher looking and luring catfish during the day compared to nighttime. However, it’s more of your approach that can change things up.

Catfish are active during the day but found in deeper waters, which is why you need the longer rod length. They will most likely follow natural forage, so you need to find the specific forage supporting catfish populations may it be thread find and/or gizzard shad. Also, look for great motto contour changes with the forage, where catfish may be hiding.

During the daytime, try to fish specific targets, like humps, drops, and points. Focus on deeper water and work on various depths until you discover the catfish depth pattern. You can work on shallow water as well and you MAY get a bite, as catfish are still ready to feed at these times, especially during warmer weather and seasons.

You will need to be patient and it can be a long wait. Be sure to recast now and then for catfish to discover your bait to take a bite.

Once you get a bite, be prepared. Catfish can hit hard and quickly, only sometimes playing with the bait before consuming it completely. When you’re doubting, set the hook and get ready to reel in with a lot of strength!

Are you still wondering what else is there to know about fishing for catfish? Check out this informative video:

Read More: How To Tell If A Catfish Is Pregnant – 5 Quick Signs

Wrapping It Up

It’s a bit tougher catching catfish during the day, but it’s still possible with the right knowledge. As you brush up on your skills and follow proper tips, you can come home with catfish successfully. Now the next thing you need to learn is how to catch even more fish species.

I hope that these tips on how to catch catfish during the day helped you out. So start preparing for your next fishing trip and follow these methods now!