Dragging, or drift fishing, means trailing cut bait behind a slow-moving boat instead of anchoring and waiting. Missouri's MDC rigs a leader with the sinker at the bottom and a hook riding just above it, then drifts around 1 mph so the weight bumps bottom without snagging. It's a proven way to put bait in front of blue and channel catfish spread across flats and channel edges.
What dragging is, and when to use it
Dragging covers water instead of waiting for catfish to find a stationary bait. Missouri's MDC notes that juglines drifted over deeper sand flats often produce very good catches of blue catfish, and recommends fishing a range of depths, since in large lakes and reservoirs blues can be holding anywhere in the water column through summer. Experienced catfish guides on big Southern reservoirs drift open water and drags bait rather than anchoring for the same reason: it puts a bait in front of catfish that are on the move.
How to rig it
MDC's drift rig: a leader about 30 inches long carrying one or two circle hooks (8/0 to 12/0) spaced roughly 18 inches apart, with a 12- to 24-ounce sinker tied to the end of the leader and the lowest hook about 6 inches above it, so the bait fishes just off bottom while the weight does the dragging. A sinker shaped to slide over rock and wood -- rather than a plain egg sinker that digs in and hangs up -- makes it much easier to keep a line moving through a long drift.
Boat control and speed
MDC's guidance is to drop the line straight down and keep it as vertical as possible so the sinker taps bottom without truly dragging, adjusting line out constantly as depth changes, at a drift speed of about 1 mph held with a trolling motor or outboard. Many guides run slower still, under 0.8 mph, and use a drift sock -- a small parachute that catches current or wind -- to hold that pace and keep the boat tracking straight so lines off both sides don't tangle. They look for at least 6 mph of wind to make a sock worth deploying, with 10 mph or better as ideal; without enough wind, a trolling motor does the same job.
Common mistakes
Running too fast is the most common one -- MDC's whole technique depends on the weight staying near bottom, and speed above about 1 mph tends to lift it off. Letting the sinker actually plow through mud or sand rather than tick along vertically both kills your feel for bites and multiplies snags. And cut bait washes out as it drags: replace a piece once the scent trail fades, or freshen it with a bait enhancer between changes.
Shop the gear
- Katfish Country Dragon Gliders - Catfish Trolling & Dragging Weights, 3 Pack – Weights for dragging and trolling baits for catfish (from $15.99)
- Snowball's Bait Tonic StankZapp – Catfish bait enhancer, for freshening cut bait between changes on a long drift (from $16.99)
Frequently asked questions
What's a good boat speed for dragging catfish bait?
Under about 1 mph. MDC's drift-fishing technique for blue catfish targets roughly 1 mph, and many guides run even slower, under 0.8 mph, so the weight stays near bottom instead of lifting.
How heavy should the dragging weight be?
MDC ties on a 12- to 24-ounce sinker at the end of the leader for drift fishing, sizing up in deeper water or stronger current so the weight still reaches and holds near bottom.
Do I need a drift sock to drag bait for catfish?
No, but it helps in wind. A drift sock slows the boat and keeps it tracking straight so lines spread off the sides don't tangle; guides like at least 6 mph of wind to deploy one, and use a trolling motor to hold speed and direction when the wind won't cooperate.
What depths should I drag through?
Vary it. MDC notes that in large lakes blue catfish can be found throughout the water column in summer, and that juglines drifted over deeper sand flats often produce very good catches -- so working a range of depths on each drift, rather than holding to one, covers more water where the fish actually are.
What bait works best on a drag rig?
Fresh cut bait. MDC lists cut gizzard shad and skipjack herring as the standard cut baits for blue catfish. Because dragging washes scent off faster than a stationary bait, plan to swap pieces more often, or refresh one with a bait enhancer between changes.