Bottom Fishing Explained
Bottom fishing puts bait on or near the bottom with a sinker. Simple split-shot and Carolina rigs, baits for catfish, trout and panfish, how to set the line and read a bite, snags, and releasing deep saltwater fish with barotrauma, following the Missouri Department of Conservation, Wikipedia and NOAA Fisheries.
Bottom fishing means letting a baited hook settle on or near the bottom with a weight and waiting for a fish to find it. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) calls bottom fishing for trout perhaps the easiest method, yet very effective. This guide covers simple rigs, baits, how to fish and read bites, snags, and releasing deep-water fish, following MDC, Wikipedia and NOAA Fisheries.
Simple bottom rigs
- Split shot above the hook (MDC): for trout, crimp a split shot 12 to 24 inches above a baited hook, cast upstream of the fish and let the bait settle. Use as little weight as you need; DEC’s trout guide says you want the bait to drift naturally and just tick the bottom.
- Carolina rig (Wikipedia): similar to the Texas rig, but with the sinker fixed above the hook rather than sliding down to it. Wikipedia describes it as suitable for beginners and designed for bottom-feeding fish, especially black bass, and notes the heavy weight helps reach deeper water.
- Other bottom rigs: our rig pages cover the three-way, hi-lo and fish-finder rigs, and bottom rigs in general.
Baits
- Channel catfish (MDC): a ribbed rubber worm dipped in prepared bait, nightcrawlers, chicken liver, grasshoppers, crayfish or small fish, on a straight, treble or circle hook. See our channel catfish profile.
- Blue and flathead catfish (MDC): blues take live or dead fish and cut bait such as gizzard shad or skipjack herring; flatheads clearly prefer live bait such as large minnows, green sunfish, bullheads and crayfish, and need stout gear, strong line and large hooks.
- Trout (MDC): scented dough, cheese or salmon eggs on small hooks.
- Panfish (MDC): worms are probably the best all-round bait and catch panfish and trout as well as most larger species. See our bluegill profile.
MDC adds: keep bait fresh, and don’t dump unused live bait into the water.
How to fish it
- Cast and let it settle. For catfish with worms or dead or prepared baits, MDC says to cast or drop the line in and tighten it when the bait hits the bottom.
- Reel up the slack so you can see and feel a bite (MDC).
- Watch the rod tip. When bottom fishing, MDC says the rod tip may plunge or quiver, or the line may suddenly go slack; trout may bite lightly, so watch for the slightest movement.
- Check the bait after a few minutes and recast to a new spot if nothing happens (MDC’s trout advice).
- Set the hook: reel up loose line and set with a powerful upward sweep (MDC).
Where to put the bait
MDC’s catfish tips: in streams, near cover such as drift piles, fallen trees and large rocks; in large rivers, quiet water around cover, channel breaks and wing dikes with deep water nearby; in large lakes, standing timber, underwater humps and islands, and submerged creek channels. Larger channel catfish often spawn in late May through June along rock riprap shorelines, a good place to fish when water reaches about 65 °F.
Snags
Snags are part of bottom fishing. MDC’s advice: hold the rod tip high and jiggle it, or move to one side to change the angle. If it won’t free, don’t pull with the rod; wrap the line around a gloved or sleeved hand, point the rod at the snag and pull steadily until the line breaks or the hook comes free, then check and retie.
Deep saltwater fish and barotrauma
Fish brought up from deep water, such as grouper, can suffer barotrauma. NOAA Fisheries says the best way to help them survive is to release them as quickly as possible at depth, using recompression tools such as descender devices, release weights or release baskets. NOAA also notes circle hooks can increase survival and make hooks easier to remove, and some fisheries require them, so know the rules for your water.
Sources
- Missouri Department of Conservation, Fishing tips, Bait and lures, Catfish: tips for fishing and Trout: fishing tips. Read 28 October 2026.
- New York State DEC, Fishing for stream trout. Read 28 October 2026.
- Wikipedia, Carolina rig. Read 28 October 2026.
- NOAA Fisheries, Catch and Release Best Practices. Read 28 October 2026.
Recommended Gear on Amazon
- Sinker assortment - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
- Saltwater circle hooks - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
- Hi-lo bottom rigs - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
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