There are about 3000 different species of catfish around the world. The smallest catfish can fit in a home aquarium, but the Mekong Giant Catfish is the largest and can grow nearly 9 feet long. Plus, there are a variety of sizes in between those two extremes. Most anglers will be looking at smaller sized catfish, which are more manageable and more comfortable to catch. For smaller sized catfish, spinning reels for catfishing have adequate power to do the job. The lightweight design of spinning reels can be great for traveling fishermen and easy to get started fishing.
If you are looking for larger sized catfish, whose weight goes up into the double digits, you will need heavy duty catfish reels. Catfish baitcaster reels are the better choice for catching giants because they are better built and have stronger features. The more durable body of a baitcaster can withstand the strain and pull of a catfish for hours, which is essential because the species is known for putting up long fights. Baitcasting reels also have a larger line capacity, which makes them more versatile for a variety of fishing situations. And are ideal for situations where running out of line would lead to you going home empty-handed.
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