LONGER IS BETTER
For shore-bound anglers, long rods can put you in touch with fish you wouldn't be able to reach otherwise. Using long rods to gain casting distance seems relatively elementary. However, we're not talking about your standard 8- to 10-foot pole. I'm talking about the new, highly functional "carp rods" being imported from several European countries that are up to 13 feet long. These super-long rods allow anglers to chuck baits offshore up to 150 yards. It may take a little practice to obtain the maximum casting distance, but equipment like this can more double the amount of water you can fish.

If you do opt to use a long rod, consider spooling up with the new braided or non-stretch lines. The standard flexible monofilament often makes hook-setting at long distances difficult or impossible.

MOVE MORE OFTEN
Catfish anglers do not move or change locations nearly as much as they should. Changing spots allows fishermen to cover more water, and more often than not, they'll catch more fish. Some professional guides are notorious for changing locations upwards of 15 or even 20 times in a single day.

When targeting channel catfish or blues where they roam, moving every 20 minutes is not out of line. Obviously, if you're catching fish, you should stay until the action subsides.

When targeting flatheads, it's a different story, but not that different. Many anglers come prepared to sit all night in a single spot, but this isn't necessary.

Throughout the night flathead activity comes in waves. The two most productive times are just after sunset and just before sunrise. If you're targeting a large feeding flat and don't get a strike by the end of the first wave, move to another location before the early-morning bite starts. When targeting specific structure like a timber pile or hole, move every 30 to 60 minutes.

When daytime catfishing, changing locations often is crucial. The most productive anglers hunt for active fish; they don't wait for receptive fish to find them!

KEEP IT QUIET
How often do you see trout fishermen splashing through the water, skipping rocks across the surface or jamming to their favorite tunes from a shoreline boom box?

Why then, do so many catfish anglers fail to execute their presentation with the same degree of stealth? Trout are more in tune with their surroundings, so they are more likely to be spooked -- right?

Actually, nothing could be further form the truth. In fact, a catfish's sense of hearing is over 15 times more sensitive than the average trout's. Catfish are capable of detecting sound up to 13,000 cycles per second. Their "ears," or hearing organs, are vastly developed and highly acute.

Fishermen must learn to respect a catfish's sense of hearing, because by doing so, they will catch more, bigger fish. Simple things that should be avoided are loud shouting, skipping rocks, clanking around in the boat, pacing up and down the shoreline and listening to a booming radio.