Creative catfishermen have come up with countless variations of standard cat rigs. Of course, they can’t all be shown, but below are some of the well-known specialty rigs that have produced more than just a few nice cats.
Take the paternoster rig mentioned in the slip-sinker section, add a slip-bobber, and you have a float-paternoster rig (above). This rig works great for fishing a large live bait in shallow water. Slide a slip-bobber on the line before tying the rig. The sinker lies on the bottom while the bait-fish struggles against the float. Leave a foot or two of slack line between the sinker and the float; this gives the bait extra room to think it’s escaping. The dropper line to the sinker should be light enough to break off if the sinker gets snagged.
Baitwalkers and bottom bouncers (above) are thought of by many fishermen as walleye rigs, but they have applications to catfishing as well. Simply attach a leader of 12 to 36 inches to the eye of the swivel, and add a hook. Baitwalkers can be fished in fast current. The foot of the sinker is virtually snag-free, and the safety-pin shape keeps the bait near the bottom. This rig works best when cast directly downstream.
Bottom bouncers are a similar design, but the wire continues through the weight, which causes the sinker to ride up and over snags. Bottom bouncers are great for drift-fishing live or cut-bait over snaggy areas where other sinkers would surely hang. To rig, tie the main line to the front eye, and attach the leader to the swivel on top.