First Know This About Artificial Catfish Lures
Ryan 'Dravis' Knowles

Did you know that in the United States, the second most popular pastime or form of recreation is fishing?  That’s right, fishing.  It’s impossible to determine the exact number of fishermen we have here in the United States but we have some estimates.  The Interior Department’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service do a survey every 5 years in conjunction with the Census Bureau as well as a couple other government organizations.  The most recent survey indicated that approximately 34.1 million U.S. residents (16% of the U.S. population) fish and this figure doesn’t take in account children 16 and under.  Fishermen spend approximately $36 billion every year on fishing and another $14 billion on fishing and hunting equipment.  That’s a grand total of $50 billion each year spent on fishing!

Cat fishing is great family fun.  The flathead catfish, originally found in the rivers of the Mississippi Valley, has long since spread to many rivers and reservoirs across the country.  Catfish lures are designed to simulate or imitate catfish prey and are made of plastic, metal or wood.  The depth finder is arguably the most revolutionary piece of catfish-catching tackle available.  Believe it or not, the founder of Lowrance Electronics, Carl Lowrance, developed the modern sonar as a tool to help him catch more catfish!  It’s amazing to think an invention as important and widely used as the sonar was invented to fulfill the needs of a fisherman.

As for catfish lures, live bait is still the top choice for most fishermen, however there are many worthy artificial catfish lures available.  When catfish are feeding or breeding they tend to aggressively attack catfish lures that are cast in front of them.  A slowly retrieved jig, a spoon or an enticing plug with some good wobble should do the trick.  Trolling is another great method to bait these fish when using catfish lures.  The best bodies of water to troll in are lakes or large rivers that have a slow to moderate current and deep waters.  Trolling is great for beginners because it’s easier than casting and allows a novice to cover more water.  When trolling, the lure remains in the water at all times, increasing your odds of catching a catfish.  Push-button reels and lightweight gear makes it even easier.

Ryan 'Dravis' Knowles is a self taught web developer and marketer who has been involved in several online projects since 2001.  He's currently the webmaster of many different sites including First Know This.