Catfish Edge began as a concept in late 2013 and was launched in early 2014 with a goal of moving from Learn To Catch Catfish as well as doing some new and exciting things for catfish anglers.
I had no idea that moving Learn To Catch Catfish would be so much work and it was definitely much more of an undertaking that was expected. That being said the end goal of moving the essentials from Catfish Edge is near and we’ve had a great year at Catfish Edge.
It’s been a tradition to do a “year in review” or take a look back at some of the top items each year so I’m continuing that tradition here at Catfish Edge and also taking the opportunity to answer some questions I’ve been asked a lot over the past few months.
I Want To Thank You First!
Before I go any further I want to thank each and every one of you. The messages I get on social media, the emails, and the people that stop me on the streets and thank me for Catfish Edge and what I do mean a LOT.
I love hearing from all of you, hearing your success stories and seeing your photos of fish you’ve caught and can’t thank you all enough for your support. It truly means a lot to me.
If you have a success story please feel free to contact me and pass it on!
Big Events At Catfish Edge In 2014
Outside of working to move everything to the Catfish Edge name there’s been a lot of activity this year much of which you’ve seen the end results of but not the craziness that went on behind the scenes making them happen.
Chad Ferguson Signature Series Catfish Rod
In July of this year I released the Chad Ferguson Signature Series Catfish Rod after a year of testing, tweaking and making changes to rod prototypes to perfect a catfish rod design with Whisker Seeker Tackle.
The release of my catfish rod was a huge success. I can’t thank you all enough for buying my Signature Series Rod and helping to spread the word to other catfish anglers.
It truly is the most sensitive and versatile catfish rod available on the market today, capable of fishing for small one to five pound channel cats but beefy enough to land trophy class blues and flatheads and everything in between plus it’s backed by the best warranty in the business. No other catfish rods come close to the Trophy Tuff Warranty.
You can get more details on the rods here and buy them here.
More Catfish Rod Models and Products
I completed final testing earlier this Fall for an additional model that will be released in early 2015. Current plans are to release three more models (total) in the Chad Ferguson Signature Series in 2015 with a rod to cover every need and equipment preference for every catfishing technique.
In addition to the Signature Series Catfish Rods I’m working on product development for some other new and innovative catfishing gear for 2015 and beyond.
SeaArk Boats
In addition to the release of the rod I joined the SeaArk Boats pro staff in the Summer of 2014 and changed boats. It’s been a good while since I swapped boats and I’d forgotten how much work it was to break in a new boat and get it rigged with electronics, rod holders and all the necessary gear.
The SeaArk ProCat 240 is up and running (you can check it out here), I’ve been sliming it up for a couple of months now and couldn’t be happier with the boat.
I’ve covered some details on my ProCat 240, electronics and rigging and will be covering more details in 2015 as well as some in depth details on cutting edge technologies we’ve been testing and using.
Be sure to keep an eye out for future articles and catfishing videos covering more on the SeaArk ProCat 240, catfish boats in general, electronics, sonar and more!
Catfish Edge Products, Podcasts, Videos and More
I’ve had a ton of questions over the past few months about what’s going on and what’s not so here’s the answer to some of the most asked questions.
Catfish Edge Products:**
Many of you have purchased Catfish Edge ebooks and products in the past and are looking for more. I’ve had a lot of questions on whether there will be additional ebooks or training products released, what they’ll cover and when they’ll be available.
The short answer is yes there will be some additional products released in 2015. I’m still working on finalizing what, when and how they’ll be released so keep your eyes out for more information.
One of the big reasons behind the shift to Catfish Edge was to shore up some legal concerns and address some issues with thieves and also take advantage of some new and innovative technology. We’ve got most of that fixed now so make sure you keep an eye out for some cool stuff in 2015 to help you catch more and bigger catfish!
Catfishing Podcast
Many of you have been looking for new podcasts. I really dropped the ball here this year. Long story short is something had to “give” with everything else going on and the Catfish Edge podcast was one of those things.
There will be podcasts coming back in 2015 though I’m not 100% certain of the dates and frequency of them.
Catfishing Videos
Our catfishing videos have been popular for years and have always been a fan favorite. We’ve been publishing Youtube videos for years and in 2015 changed the Youtube channel name to Catfish Edge.
I published a number of videos in 2014 but certainly not at the frequency you’ve seen in the past.
I’ve been working behind the scenes on this for quite some time and you can expect to see a LOT of video in 2015 on our Youtube channel.
In addition to Youtube you can expect to see more catfishing videos using some innovative new platforms in some ways that you’ve not seen done in the past.
Fox Sports Outdoors
Many of you have asked when you’d see me back on Fox Sports Outdoors after the show I did on Spring Blue Catfish. We had some scheduling issues and weather related conflicts in the later part of 2014 that prevented some shows for happening.
I’m still working with them on scheduling and expect you’ll see some catfishing shows in 2015.
Here’s that spring blue catfish show from 2014!
Ultimate Guides
In 2014 I released some of the most in depth content and information that I’ve ever published or for that matter that has ever been published for catfish anglers in the “Ultimate Guides”.
These have been and continue to be some of of the most popular topics at Catfish Edge.
These “Ultimate Guides” cover in depth information and details on specific topics covering all of the details you could ever need to know.
These topics include:
The Ultimate Guide To Catfish Rods:
Everything you need to know about choosing the right catfish rods for each species of catfish and technique and a look at all of the catfish rods on the market today.
The Ultimate Guide To Catfish Reels:
In depth details on choosing the right catfish reels, features you need (and what you don’t), the best options on the market today. In addition you’ll find all the details on how to use and set them up for success covering everything from bait clickers, setting drag and spool tension and more.
The Ultimate Guide To Catfishing Gear (and Tackle):
Everything you ever needed to know about catfishing gear and tackle. An in depth look at hooks, tackle, line and all of the other gear you need for catching catfish and nothing you don’t. If you want to get setup for success and save money in the process the Ultimate Guide To Catfishing Gear covers it all!
The Ultimate List Of Catfishing Tips:
The most extensive list of catfishing tips ever released. A huge resource of catfishing tips for catching blue, channel and flathead catfish, big fish, little fish and just about every catfishing technique you can think of.
Other Catfish Edge Favorites
Here’s some of the other fan favorites and most popular articles at Catfish Edge from 2014 (in no particular order).
Homemade Catfish Bait Secrets (Plus 12 Great Catfish Bait Recipes):
A look at popular “stink baits” or prepared baits for catfish, how to make them along with 12 popular homemade catfish bait recipes included the Bell’s Of Hell Stink Bait.
How To Hold a Catfish (and Do Catfish Sting)?:
Though it might seem basic many people don’t understand the basics of handling catfish and their anatomy. This in depth guide covers everything you need to know to safely handle catfish (and release them).
The DIY Shallow Water Anchor Reloaded:
An all new and updated version of our DIY Shallow Water Anchor. This covers everything you need to know to make “anchor pins” or “anchor poles” for anchoring in shallow water easily and at a fraction of the cost of the models available for sale.
Catfish Species Essentials: The “Big Three” Types Of Catfish
Everything you need to know about the “big three” types of catfish, blues, channels and flatheads including their behaviors, preferences and more to help you get on the right track understanding your target species.
World Record Catfish, The Top 4 Trophy Blue Cats
Details on the current and past world record blue catfish and each specific catch. There’s some great insight here!
How To Clean A Catfish In 15 Seconds (Without Skinning)
I’m a major supporter of trophy catch and release but it’s fine to keep a few smaller catfish now and then for the table. This in depth guide covers everything you need to quickly and easily clean a catfish without skinning it and do so in less than 15 seconds.
Should You Really Be Using Chicken Livers For Catfish Bait?
Chicken livers are popular catfish bait but are also one of the most over-hyped and over-rated baits there are for catfish. This takes a look at chicken livers, why they’re not quite as good of a catfish bait as many think they are, how to keep them on the hook and some other alternatives.
Night Fishing Facts and Fiction (and 5 Night Fishing Myths)
Many people think they need to fish for catfish at night and that couldn’t be further from the truth. Take a look at the facts and fiction surrounding night fishing for catfish and what you need to know to be sucessful whether it’s day or night.
How to throw a cast net the easy way in simple step by step instructions. If you’re new to catching your own shad or need some throwing help this breaks it all down!
Shad For Catfish Bait: The Essential Guide For Catfishing
There’s no doubt that shad is one of the best baits for blue catfish. This essential guide breaks down all of the basics and covers exactly what you need to know about shad and using them for bait for blue cats.
9 Catfishing Tips For Late Summer Success
These tips are geared toward late Summer catfishing but many of them will help you catch more catfish all year long. This is a must read!
Seven Winter Catfishing Tips To Catch More Catfish
Winter is one of my favorite times for catching catfish and this collection of tips covers some of the essentials for being successful catching cold water cats and many of them will help you all year long. This is a must read!
Get The Catfish Edge and Help Out
One of the questions I’m often asked from others is what they can do to help support Catfish Edge.
Most of what I do here is free. It’s a labor of love, I enjoy teaching, I enjoy sharing information and the fact that Catfish Edge helps so many people in their quest to catch more and bigger catfish.
At the end of the day though it takes money to keep Catfish Edge online not to mention the camera equipment, video cameras, time and all of the other resources that go into making everything happen.
Many people ask what they can do to help support my, the site and help keep the information flowing.
First and foremost the quickest and easiest thing you can do is buy one of the Catfish Edge digital products like How To Catch Shad, The Secret Catfish Rig, Summer Channel Catfish Techniques, Spring Blue Catfish Techniques, Splat Fishing or Drift Fishing For Catfish.
If the digital products are not your thing then there’s also the Catfish Edge apparel like hats, t-shirts and neck gaiters.
Getting one of the decals and slap it on your truck or boat is inexpensive and helps get the Catfish Edge name in front of others as well!
Then of course if you’re thinking of hiring a catfish guide I’d love you to come fish with me or the other guides.
Here’s Some Free Stuff You Can Do!
I understand that times are tight and not everyone has money to spare. If you’re looking for a free way to help support Catfish Edge here’s some options.
I’d appreciate you doing one, a few or all of them!
Coming Up, Prizes, Catfish and More
There’s some big things coming up in the weeks and months ahead.
Be sure yo’ve signed up by email and subscribed to the Youtube channel as there’s some free prizes coming up very soon and some other innovative resources i’ll be releasing to help you catch more and bigger catfish in 2015.
