The 3-way rig is probably one of the most well known rigs among catfish anglers. I find that a lot of people use the three way rig use it because this is what others have told them that they need to use or again simply because it is one of the most well known ways of rigging.
Many people who are fishing for catfish use these that they make themselves, and many will buy them already made of either monofilament or steel leader.
I have used these for catfishing in certain applications in the past but don’t use them very often so I guess I wouldn’t call this one of my “go to catfish rigs“. I will occassionally use a modified version of this but I am going to show you how to make one of those in another article. I depend much more on the slip sinker rig, santee cooper rig and slip bobber rig.
The three way rig is designed for when you are in a situation where you need to keep your bait off of the bottom. The downside of them is they are stationary (unlike a slip sinker) so the catfish will immediately feel resistance when they bite. They have tendency to drop baits when they feel resistance (especially channel catfish) so if you are not having an aggressive bite then you might want to stay away from this one.
I am posting a standard setup in this post along with a couple of tips and tricks or “hacks”. I will also be posting a modification on this in the next couple of days that requires less tackle and still functions in the same manner as this standard setup with a three way swivel, which is what I call a modified three way rig.
You can click on the image at the top of this page to view the image larger and see the detail of the this catfish rig.
Items Needed
Check out our tackle page for more suggestions on tackle.
Leader Line – Like Offshore Angler Tight Line – 1/2 lb. Spools in 40 Lb Test
Hook Of Preference – See our tackle page for hook suggestions
Weight (Sinker) Of Preference – Like Bass Casting Sinkers
To tie this rig you need to first cut your leader line that will run from the bottom of the swivel to the weight (sinker).
Your line running from the bottom of it needs to be as long or longer than the leader that will run from your hook to your swivel.
For this purpose we are going to cut the line from the swivel to the weight at eighteen inches. Attach the weight line to the bottom (see #1 on the photo above) on one end and then attach the sinker on the other end.
Now cut your leader line for your hook. For this purpose we are going to use a twelve inch line. Attach the leader line to the side (see #2 on the photo above) and the attach the hook to the opposite end.
Now cut a a third leader line approximately six inches long and tie it to the top (see #3 in the photo above) and attach a barrel swivel to the opposite end. (optionally you can tie your mainline to the third position #3 and eliminate this piece of leader line and the extra tackle but I find that using the other method works better.
Other Options
Some anglers will use a light weight line from running to the sinker, like ten pound test fishing line. This is done with the intent that if the weight snags the line can be broken lose easily and you can add a new line and weight instead of losing the whole setup.
Some will make the line from the hook to the 3-way swivel longer than the line from the three way swivel to the weight giving a different presentation. Either way would work just try it out and see what is most effective for you. If I was going to present a bait with a longer leader on the hook than the weight I personally would switch to a different type of setup.
Now your ready, just bait your hook and start fishing.
You can find other articles I have written about catfish rigs and also make sure you check out the rigs page for a full listing of all the other similar articles I have on this website.
Update: We have added a catfishing video outlining more information on the 3 way rig for catfishing.
In this video we cover:
- Basics of how to tie the 3 Way Rig and how it is used for catfishing
- Why I don’t like this setup
- How much weight to use for all rigs
- How long to make the leader and rig and how to choose this for all your setups
- Everything else you need to know about the three way rig
- What a sinker sacrificer is
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2010-05-14: The first link in the page should point to the slip sinker rig page but instead points to the santee-cooper rig.
Thanks for the update … looks fixed now.
Chad, I tie what turns out to be a very similar rig, but I do it all out of the line coming off my rod. I slide the hook up the line several inches, leaving plenty of extra line to tie my sinker on the bottom. I make a loop from the line the hook is through, giving me about a 4″ loop. I secure this loop so it doesn’t slip and stays a 4″ loop. Then, I tie my sinker about 15 to 18″ below the hook. When I’m done, the only hardware I have is the hook and the sinker. One thing I really like about your rig is that it is easy to tie a much lighter weight line for the sinker, resulting in loosing only sinkers, not the entire rig! Your website is the best on the web for catfishing — no contest
Yes that’s typically called a sinker sacrificer. Works well.
I use the 3way a lot with live bait and have had very good luck with it. One more thing you could tell, is to let their reel be in free spin mode, that helps a lot. For my hook line I only use 6 to 8 in.
P S Ilike the fact on a liter sinker line, makes a lot of sence.