I have alot of fun with channel cat in the spring when I'm crappie fishing around the banks. I catch them with a light spinning rod and reel with somewhere around eight pound test line. They put up a good fight and pull some drag. The fish are usually in the four to five pound range.
If you are one of those folks that don't like to play them on the line, and I have fished with some that believe ya should only play with em when ya get em in the boat, I would suggest medium casting equipment with 12-14 pound test line. That will crank em right in.
