Catfish Rig

I am trying to come up with a easy flathead catfish rig for use in the river.
What do some of you guy use?

My usual bottom fishing rig

Hooks--5/0 eagle claw hooks
12-18" leader 20 lb Flourocarbon. Large barrel swivel & bead
Under most conditions 1 to 3 0z pyramid sinker rigged to slide.

Mainline? This is where i really differ from most, I usually go with the same or slightly heavier flouro than my leader. Flouro, because it has decent abrasion resistance around rocks compared to some of the other lines and doesnt stretch like mono does on hooksets. I also stay away from the very heavy lines because i dont feel i need them around the cover that exists in the waters i fish. Really heavy doesnt go very well with my favorite choice in gear either, which is heavy spinning gear as opposed to baitcasting.

I also often use a barrel swivel as a slide on the main line above the leader swivel to attach the sinker to, with a piece of lighter line (12 lb mono usually) keep it short and it wont tangle the mainline. So at times, if the sinker gets snagged that all that you break off.

circle hooks take the fun out of setting the hook. thats part of fishing. its instinct to wank on a fish. i use 3/0 to 7/0 ultra point bigguns. very seldom miss and never lose one after hooked, and most of the fish are hooked in the corner of the mouth also. for the rivers you want to use a pyramid or a flat slip sinker. they wont roll as much in the current getting under the rocks.

Akita, Whats your setup for the paylakes and what kind of line do you use.
Thanks for all your help guys

paylakes i use a 8 inch slip float.enough weight to hold the float down pretty far. the more thats sticking up the more the wind is going to blow it around. i use 30# big game and could not be payed to use something different. i have kot a 72# a few 60s and many many 50s and have barely broke of a fish in 10 years. i breade 3 20# lines about 10" long for a leader. cat fish roll alot and their back fin can cut your line rite off. with 3 that wont happen. and i use 5/0 to 7/0 biggun hooks. and never have to dig a hook out of a cats stomach. if it is that far i just cut the leader. no big deal. if you let the fish eat your bait to long, i dont care what kind of hook you got he is gonna swollow it. if your float is moving around or bobber going up and down, dont wait cause he is nibbling on it or playing with it. if its moving he has it dont wait for it to get in his gutts. if my float twitches i set the hook and have kot numerous 50s on a twitch. paylake fish get smart, most have been kot before. they will hit and leave it go if they thinks something is up. gettem quick.

25lb mono main line big 3 way swivel 50lb braid to 1 ounce weight 65lb braid to a 4/0 big gun catfish ultra point mustad as for bait, 6in chub kept alive until used then i put a slit 2-3'' long up the gut catfish love it even had a striper take it once this is what i use at the 528 launch out at lake arthur, dont really fish for catfish neware else

its just something i do. maybe it helps and maybe it dont, but i lose no fish. i cut 3 pieces of line, tie my hook on with a palamar knot. some knots mite not work with 3 lines. then i like french bread them together. make the lines longer than what you want your leader. figure out how long you want your leader then tie on your swivel. have never broke off a fish anywhere near my leader. the only lines i have ever broke since fishing like this was because of not wetting my line enough before slidding my rubberband( bobber stop) and have it put a weak spot in my line. any line i have ever broke was broke 2" to 5" below my stop.

From hook to main line:

5/0 to 7/0 heavy short shank hook.
12-24" 30 lb mono.
Large barrel swivel.
1 to 3 oz egg sinker
50 lb braid.

i seen a big carp lost in ohio on dry rotted braid...but you would think they would change there line every so often...i sometimes do it 2 times a year...i have used a braid leader with good results.....but i tied some hair rigs out of braind just to try... mono works best...but got to try shiet on your own to learn..lol....putting the bait stop on was impossible with the braid fraying....i caught a nice blue at paradise lasy year...never even weighed it...it was in the small pond below the house 1st pond...it was hot...and i have lyme disease and its like MS....i could barely walk...so my wife gave me a had we netted it and turned it loose....caught it behind a orange egg bobber....a 3 ft leader out of 30# braid with a bluegill cut bait....throwing it out and realing it in slow. but i do well with long braid leaders...i think nobody is posting a good ball bearing swivel is also helpfull when cats roll....

change your line every yr?  you just throw a hook in the water with whatever bait u use put a slip bobber on ... not to complicated ... i dont use a swivel because ive had them break before i just tie on to a hook or jig head whatever im using