Well, I recommend definitely using a longshank hook. For bait a small mudcat with the spines clipped off. they fight fairly well for the first 5 minutes but then give up fairly easy.
They are really difficult to clean. We used to use a hatchet and a hammer to cut through that armored skin and then peel them out of it.
If you soak the meat in buttermilk in the frig overnight and fry it dark after coating in corn meal, it's not too bad.