The author’s Kingfisher guide boat on the water and working. Durick runs eight
rods at a time for customers, with everything in it’s place to efficient fishing.
Rigging a Catfish Boat
Story and photos by Brad Durick
There is no wrong way to rig your new or new-to-you boat. There are ways to set it up for fishing efficiency and to keep everything where you want it and at your fingertips when you need it.
There are many different types of boats out there, and some have to be rigged up differently than others. I have personally operated a guide service from four different styles of boat over nearly 20 years. Every one of these boats was a lesson in how to set things up to make the business of guiding easier, safer and more efficient.
What Makes a Well Laid Out Catfish Boat?
A catfish boat that is well laid out is one that has everything where it is supposed to be. There is thought put into positioning everything so it can be easily accessible when needed.
Rod holders are mounted so everything can be accessed with just the turn of the hips and reach of an arm. A cutting board is mounted in a place where the bait can be cut and put on the hook without any foot movement. Just reach and grab the rod to bait the hook. There will be a place to store extra tackle and gear within easy reach, so in the case of a break-off, so parts can be accessed and tied on as quickly as possible.
A well-laid-out catfish boat has seating because sometimes it takes longer than we want for a catfish to bite, and we may as well be comfortable.
Rod storage can be tough in some boats due to the fact that most catfish rods are longer than those for other species. Catfish-specific boats might have long enough rod storage to handle your gear, but you may have to look into a standup rod tube setup so the rods stand vertically when not in use.
Accessories to Make Life Easier
Some items you can add when rigging your catfish boat will make your life easier while fishing. A tool caddy, for example. Many kinds are available, but a simple one you can use is an inexpensive magnet purchased at your local hardware store. A strip magnet or a few strategically placed round magnets can ensure that you always have pliers or a knife right where you want them when needed.
Not every boat has enough room for dry storage. But if you have space below deck, a dry box supplied with a set of rain gear, some medical supplies, toilet paper and other items will be a welcome addition.
Tackle boxes and other containers can be stowed so they are always easily accessible when you need to grab terminal tackle or other items for re-rigging.
Electronics
This is an area that can take on a life of its own nowadays. When looking at some of the top bass and walleye angler boats, it seems it is just an array of screens. Electronics for a catfish boat probably do not need to be as elaborate.
A good catfish boat should have at the very least a depthfinder of some sort. Today, a very affordable unit will have 2D, down and side imaging, as well as GPS. For most catfishing, a unit like this is really all you need. You can, however, add a second back-facing unit for bumping or even have live forward-facing sonar available.
You’ll need to power those electronics, too. It is recommended to have depthfinders (especially if you have more than one) on a designated power source such as a lithium battery.
An on-board battery charger is another great accessory to make your boat more efficient. Plug it in at night and let it charge rather than hooking up external chargers.
How I Have My Boat Rigged
The current guide boat I run is a 2025 Kingfisher Falcon. I did something a little different with this boat, buying it at the end of my guide season and spending the winter figuring out how I wanted it rigged. I knew I wanted to go with an adjustable rod rack, so I bought that and played with different configurations before I bolted it in. I then bought a cutting board rack to match and installed that right between the rod holders.
In the spring, I took the boat fishing, and over a few days, I just saw where I was setting tools, knives and tackle. After finding where those things were landing, I then installed magnets and containers in the trays, so in the end I can bait hooks, replace tackle and unhook a fish without much movement. This allows me to be as efficient as possible while keeping baits in the water.
There is not a wrong way to rig your boat, but there might be better ways to make it more catfish friendly.
(Capt. Brad Durick is a nationally recognized catfish guide on the Red River of the North, seminar speaker and author of the books “Cracking the Channel Catfish Code” and “Advanced Catfishing Made Easy.” For more information, go to www.redrivercatfish.com.)
