Must-do spring adventure: Pulling giant channel cats out of small streams

RODS AND REELS

One word describes the appropriate tackle for these fish: stout. Big cats are built like trucks and pull like the dickens. A strong 20-pound fish in close quarters is nothing to mess around with. I like nine- or 10-foot saltwater rods, which have the power and leverage to haul a big cat away from the ever-present snags. The length is helpful for flipping your bait into tight spots, when overhanging trees make it difficult to cast.

For their durability and tough drag systems, I like an oversized spinning reel, such as a saltwater Penn. For line, 50-pound braid is a good standard. Cats aren’t line shy, and you need something that can withstand being wrapped around a log by an angry fish.