How to catch Blue Catfish

[Shang Tsung]

Hey guyz, wats a good tackle setup suitable for Blue Catfish? By the way I'm only level 35... Thank you.

[FormerFishFarmer]

Heaviest bottom rod you can get at your level. 6/0-10/0 hooks, Barbless if you have the Baitcoins (this gives you bonus Exp.) with Duck Muscle Meat (it's cheap, effective, and can catch things like Sturgeon as well). I use Floro line, myself. However, these are big, heavy fish, and you might have to use Braided until you go up a couple of levels and can get Floro that it heavy duty enough.
The big deal right now is your Leader. If you are fishing someplace like Louisiana where Gar frequent the same waters as the Blue Cats, then you will need a Titanium Leader. Get the heaviest you can possibly buy. This is a place you will almost HAVE to spend Baitcoins, as heavier Leaders are level locked. If you are fishing in the hotspot right off the Floating Dock in Michigan, then use a Floro Leader, because nothing that can cut your line bites there and this will allow you to catch more fish, including Sturgeon (witch are even bigger, badder, and more valuable than the Blues).
Use the Rod Holder with the highest capacity, preferably one with it's own Bite Alarms, if you can get it (not needed, but nice to have, anyway). I personally like the Yellow type of Rod Bell, but use whatever works for you. The Alert system I like goes something like this: 1) The Rod Stand Alarm means pay attention to that Rod, but don't touch it yet, 2) The Bell means get ready to set the hook, 3) The Line starts to move means set your hook NOW.
You are going to want to focus on Peak Hours during the Night (that is, 9pm to 5am).
Have the biggest Keepnet/Stringer that you can afford, with a minimum of 100lbs individual size limit (while rare, 100lb+ Unique Blues pop up often enough that you don't want to loose them due to the wrong sized Keepnet/Stringer).
I don't bother with Feeders. It really doesn't help that much, at least until you hit Russia and can start on the monster Wells Cats there. Besides which, it is likely going to take you long enough to reel in large cats that you won't be able to handle more than the normal bite rate, anyway, at least until you get high level gear.
The general tackle rule I try to follow is this: Try to match the Rod and Reel as closely as possible. You want the Rods' Max. Line Weight to be about the same as the Reels' Max Drag Weight. The Line should be as close to that as possible, just slightly less, if the exact same weights are not available. Your Leader should always be lighter than anything else. It should never equal or exceed your Line Weight.
Hope this helps!

[Shang Tsung]

Thanks for your post... I have never used a Bottom Rod before, don't know how it works..

I have tried Float Fishing using a Brutus 360 and a level 34 reel at that. While i was getting all the bites, i couldn't reel them in.. Back then i was using .3mm Fluro, and now i want to try using .45mm - do you think this will make any difference? For now i am fishing for Blue Catfish at Quanchkin Lake, Louisiana...

[FormerFishFarmer]

O.K., if you are fishing Quanchkin, you will need a Titanium Leader. This is your limiting factor. Bottom Rods require a Leader of some type to use at all, and that particular body of water has some toothy predators that can cut a Mono or Floro Leader. While heavier is always better, your gear just needs to be heavier than that Leader. Generally you will have access to heavier Mono and Braided Lines before Floro Line, as Floro will generally catch you more fish.
Also, where you are fishing, I would use a Weight rather than a Feeder on your line. You won't see all that much of a difference, and Blue Cats will take so much line that you will likely not be able to deal with rapid bites if you get them, at least for another few levels. So, to answer your question as best as I can (I can't get in game right now and I don't remember the conversions to pounds/test), heavier Line will always help when fishing for larger fish. If nothing else, it will wear down a lot slower under the strain. However, you are limited in the total strength of your Gear by your Leader, which will be weaker than your Line, Rod, or Reel.
Hope this helps.

[Cpl Tunnel]

I think they've change the durability of the leaders since the where released.
I use mono and fluorocarbon leaders and haven't lost a fish yet. pike, muskies,gar and the like

[UTFapolloMarine]

for blue catfish you need sinkers, big hooks i would say nothing smaller than a 6 depending on the bait, and 25ib test at least man

[UTFapolloMarine]

Originally posted by Cpl Tunnel:

I think they've change the durability of the leaders since the where released.
I use mono and fluorocarbon leaders and haven't lost a fish yet. pike, muskies,gar and the like

what about a King Salmon?

[FormerFishFarmer]

Originally posted by Cpl Tunnel:

I think they've change the durability of the leaders since the where released.
I use mono and fluorocarbon leaders and haven't lost a fish yet. pike, muskies,gar and the like

I've lost a couple to Gar in particular in recent months. He is fishing in a spot frequented by large Gar and with bait and gear that will attract them.
It does seem to vary, weirdly, from person to person. I don't get why, but some people seem to never loose fish to cut lines. Then one day they will just start to loose them.
I had my lines cut as soon as that patch went through, regularly, by Pike and Gar until I learned to fish Titanium Leaders wherever Preditors lurk.

[Cpl Tunnel]

Originally posted by POUusnavy:

Originally posted by Cpl Tunnel:

I think they've change the durability of the leaders since the where released.
I use mono and fluorocarbon leaders and haven't lost a fish yet. pike, muskies,gar and the like

what about a King Salmon?

any fish

[UTFapolloMarine]

Originally posted by Cpl Tunnel:

Originally posted by POUusnavy:

what about a King Salmon?

any fish

nice bro my favorite fish to catch are bass and catfish

[Shang Tsung]

Do fish see the line depending on how thick it is...?