Function

• Many times the hook is the least expensive item in a tackle box, but deserves special attention as the final link between an angler and catfish. Examine your hooks regularly to determine whether sharpening is needed. Sharp hooks penetrate better and catch more fish than dull ones. Chemically sharpened hooks -- made of finer grade steel and dipped in a chemical bath -- are the best option. However, they can be twice as expensive as conventional hooks.
  
  

Size

• Keith Sutton of the Bass Pro Shops website recommends using the smallest feasible hooks, which penetrate quicker than big hooks and allow for better bait presentations. Don't confuse small hooks with thin-wire hooks, which often straighten out when connected to modest-sized catfish. The hook should be sturdy enough to hold the catfish you are targeting.
  
  

Bait

• Match the size of the hook with a similar size of bait. For example, when fishing for small catfish, use small bait with a No. 1 or No. 2 hook. With small strips of cut bait, a 1/0 or 2/0 hook is indicated. A 3/0 or 4/0 hook may be necessary if the cut bait is prepared in thick chunks. Use a 5/0 or 6/0 when using bluegills or other live bait up to six inches. Employ even larger hooks for baits in the 1-lb. class.
  
  

Style

• Many catfish anglers carry a number of different hook styles in their tackle boxes. The style is determined by hook shank's length, the bend and size of the eye and the gap -- the distance between the hook point and shank. The gap determines the size of bait that can be used. Each style has a different function. For example, the wide gap hook has an open gap design that provides plenty of room for large bait. The circle hook is meant to quickly penetrate the catfish's mouth while it struggles against the tension of the line.