Wired2fish’s Kyle Peterson and friend John Maile unveil the unique tactic of catching channel catfish using cut bait suspended below bobbers and floats. They break down the when and how to search shallow waters filled with grass for whiskered critters and their bobber fishing setup for handling unwieldy kitties in the slop. This bobber fishing tactic excels for bank and boat anglers alike. *Complete product listing at the bottom.
Maile and Peterson explore these waters using a bass boat, which might seem unconventional for catfishing but proves perfect for this situation. Equipped with Power-Poles, the shallow water anchors support a quiet approach off the trolling motor while allowing them to cast a wide area without spooking the fish, even in shallow water.
Contrary to common belief, catfish are not just bottom dwellers. Maile shares his experience catching cats suspended in the water column and behaving like other predatory fish. In many lakes, channel catfish become more active during summer and chase baitfish, panfish, and other prey with abandon.
The key to their successful approach is using a slip bobber system, which Maile stumbled upon while fishing for panfish years ago. This technique keeps your bait out of the silt, moss, and weeds while presenting more enticingly. By adjusting the depth and fan casting across flats, the duo effectively targets scattered catfish, proving that you shouldn’t always focus your efforts around deep holes.
As Peterson and Maile get on the water, they demonstrate how to set up the slip bobber system. They emphasize the importance of noise and vibration in attracting catfish, using beads and even experimenting with a jig rattle attached to the bobber stem. The slip bobber system and cut bait prove irresistible to the catfish, providing a successful strategy for fishing shallow waters. Plus, it’s just plain fun — who doesn’t love seeing a bobber aggressively plunge below the surface on a bite.
The hosts also highlight their choice of bait, using fresh and widely available white suckers cut into chunks. They explain the importance of cutting off the tail to prevent it from covering the hook and share their preferred rigging method and rod setups. Check out our How to Catch Catfish Guide for more information on catfishing tactics and techniques.
TACKLE USED (retail links)
JOHN’S ROD SETUP
- ROD – St. Croix Avid Series Inshore Spinning Rod: Buy at Amazon
- REEL – Shimano Exsence A Spinning Reel (EXS4000MXGA): Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE (braided mainline) – Seaguar Smackdown Braided Line, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE (fluorocarbon leader) – Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
KYLE’S ROD SETUP
- ROD – St. Croix Avid Series Inshore Spinning Rod: Buy at Amazon
- REEL – 13 Fishing AL13 Spinning Reel (AL13-6.2-3.0): Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- LINE (braided mainline) – Sufix 131 Braid Fishing Line, 30-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- LINE (fluorocarbon leader) – Sufix Advance Fluorocarbon, 20-pound: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
TERMINAL TACKLE & OTHER
- HOOK – VMC Ike Wacky Hook, 3/0: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- BOBBER – Thill Night ‘N Day Glow Slip Float – Yellow/Black – 1-1/8″: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- BOBBER STOP – Bass Pro Shops Bobber Stops: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- SWIVEL – VMC Rolling Swivel, size – 6: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- WEIGHT – Bass Pro Shops XPS 210-Piece Split Shot Sinker Kit: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- RATTLES – Bobby Garland Crappie Glass Rattles: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- SHIRT (Kyle) – AFTCO Fishing Shirt: Buy at AFTCO
- SHIRT (John) – RealTree Fishing Shirts: Buy at Amazon
- NET – Frabill Trophy Haul Landing Net – Black/Yellow – 21”x24” Hoop; 48” Handle: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
- CUT BOARD – Rapala Fillet ‘N Carry Board: Buy at Rapala
- KNIFE – Rapala Soft Grip Fillet Knife, 7-1/2”: Buy at Bass Pro Shops
BOAT SETUP
- BOAT – Lund 1875 Pro-V Bass XS Bass Boat: Check out at Lund Boats
- MOTOR – Mercury Pro XS Outboard, 200hp: Check out at Mercury Marine
- SHALLOW WATER ANCHOR – Power-Pole Blade 2.0 Shallow Water Anchor: Buy at Bass pro Shops
- TROLLING MOTOR – Garmin Force Trolling Motor: Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- FISH FINDER – Garmin ECHOMAP™ Ultra 126sv: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- FORWARD-FACING SONAR – Panoptix LiveScope™ Plus System w/ GLS10 & LVS34 Transducer: Buy at Bass Pro Shops, Buy at Tackle Warehouse
