I have an old Zebco telescoping crappie rod that goes out to 8ft. I keep it dropshop rigged with a small bell sinker on the end and about a foot up a cricket hook that I reshape the curve so it is smaller. I tip that with a piece of cut night crawler. That is my set up for catching bream for catfishing.

I like to fish them live just hooking behind the top fin and not close to the center of the fish as to avoid the spine and other vitals. Circle hooks are the key for me. I rig the rods up to just pull drag, toss out the bait, sit back and wait.