Now there are several rigs for catfishing different ways ands waters. But if I want to catch some smaller eating cats then about a 1/2 to 3/4 oz egg sinker slid onto the line,then a swivel,then a leader about 18" long or so with a #2/0 hook fished on the bottom will catch near everything that swims in the rivers or lakes.

You can use a circle hook if you want...sometimes they work good but with some baits that they mouth around on you do need to jerk to catch them sometimes or they steal the bait. That circle hook though works good if your fishing among log jambs and such. It don't get hung to easy. That sliding sinker and circle hook with a good hunk of shad on it dropped in among log jambs and that sinker banging on the wood will get you bit...but you have to bring em out quick to keep from getting hung.Your gonna hook some monsters like that on occasion.

You can also use a three way swivel and rig a bank,flat river sinker,pyramid sinker,etc on a drop leader off of that anywhere from 6 inches to three ft or more depending on where you want your bait. Then tie off a leader about 12" or so off the three way swivel with your hook. You can rig two if you want at different depths. Blue cats hunt off the bottom more than channels or flatheads. Your gonna catch all the species on a three way...but generally smaller cats especially channels and flatheads I am gonna catch plenty on that slip sinker fished right on the bottom rig.And your gonna catch blues too , but overall you do better on blues off the bottom some, but that rule don't always apply either.

In rivers with current its about positioning yourself so that your bait rides the current into where the fish are waiting. Now sometimes you want to hold bottom and need a specific weight or style sinker to do that. But I can go fishing in the swiftest parts of the Mississippi and use only a half ounce egg sinker,I am gonna position myself so that bait rides that current right to the slack area they are waiting in. Drift fishing,bottom bouncing and such usually want the three way rig. Fishing right under the boat when fish are staged at different depths in deep water a couple three ways at different depths is the ticket.

For all around general use a good baitcast reel that will hold a 150 yards of 20 lb test and good med heavy action 6 to 7f t rod will do good general service. I have caught cats not much bigger than a minner to 50 lbs on a rig like that.You can use spinning stuff if you want it works to. A good cheap surf rod combo and surf double hook bait rigs work just fine too.

Go catch some catfish....they are an underutilized resource in a lot of waters and they eat just fine...good source of Omega threes and prime protein LOL.