TACKLE TIPS
Long fiberglass or composite rods -- 7 feet or longer -- offer several advantages for fishing the Mississippi. Casting distance increases with a longer rod, an important feature in this wide river. Long rods give more "reach," so you can work rigs properly around cover or keep a feisty cat out of your prop. Long rods let you keep more line out of the water, allowing quicker hooksets and better bait control, and permitting more accurate drifts and natural presentation when catfishing. Long rods made of fiberglass or composites also provide more leverage when battling the trophy cats found here. And you'll need all the leverage you can get.

Baitcasting reels are toughest and provide more power for cranking in big fish. Look for a solid frame, tough gears and smooth casting, plus enough line capacity for the conditions you fish. The best models hold at least 160 yards of 30- to 50-pound monofilament.

Other gear you might need will include a cast-net for catching shad for bait, insect repellent, a good boat anchor, plenty of big hooks and heavy sinkers.

EXPERT ADVICE
Few people fish more for the Mississippi's trophy catfish than does James Patterson of Bartlett, Tenn. The proprietor of Mississippi River Guide Service -- (901) 383-8674, www.bigcatfishing.com -- he's on the river near Memphis 100-plus days each year. One day in 1998, he reeled in two Mississippi blues weighing 62 and 65 pounds. His clients often catch the biggest cats of their career when accompanying Patterson on the big river.

"After you've found the cats with sonar, which is fairly easy, catching 100 to 300 pounds or more a day is very common," Patterson said. "The average size here is about 10 pounds, but 20- to 40-pounders are very common, and bigger cats come along often enough as well."

Patterson often uses one of two basic catfishing rigs: a three-way-swivel rig or a basic float rig. He described his procedure for assembling the three-way-swivel rig: "I use leaders of monofilament in a bright fluorescent green color. The 24- to 32-inch hook leader is 50-pound-test mono; the 6- to 10-inch sinker leader is 30-pound-test. I use Eagle Claw L-141 Kahle hooks with a Black Platinum finish, usually in the 7/0 size. Sometimes larger hooks are needed when using large baits. To complete the rig, the two leaders and the main line are each tied to a separate eye on a large three-way swivel."

Sinker size and type will vary according to the amount of current and the area being fished, but in most situations, Patterson uses a 3- or 4-ounce bank-sinker. "I sometimes add a small Styrofoam float onto my hook leader to float the live bait off the bottom," he said. "This is pegged a few inches above the hook."

Patterson's float rig consists of five basic components: a big balsa or Styrofoam slip float that will suspend an 8-ounce bait, a bobber stop, a 1/2- to 1-ounce egg sinker, a sturdy barrel swivel, and a 7/0 Kahle hook. The bobber stop goes on the line first and is positioned so that when the float abuts it the bait will suspend about a foot above the bottom. Next the float is added; below it, the egg sinker, and then the barrel swivel. Patterson then ties the 24-inch hook leader to the swivel.