Baits

I was just wondering what your go to catfish bait is? Do you have 1 favorite bait that always produces? Or are you like a bass fisherman and use a wide variety of baits? I've used cut bluegill, sucker and creek chub, and I don't think I ever caught anything on the bluegill. Of the cutbaits it seems like chub is the best. I've used nightcrawlers and they seem to be pretty consistent. But I also get carp, bluegill and other fish. It seems like I don't have 1 bait in particular that always produces.

Ridge, down here is Mississippi where I fish the bait that I find that day in and day out to catch blues is skipjack. I like to use the head and is looks like the bigger the better. Some times I use shad if I can not find the skips. If I am trying to go after flats we use live bluegills of bullheads, The MS river has been high all year and it looks like we have missed to flats this year. It will be fall before you can do much good in the daytime. If we use nightcrawlers the little fish will not leave them alone.

I have 2 Different styles of bait for the kitty's, my first choice is smelt because they are very oily and leave a good sent trail for the cats to follow. My second choice is Strawberry smelt, just take the smelt and put them in a baggy then take a pack of strawberry jello and dissolve it in a 1/4 cup of cold water and poor over the smelt and let stand at least 12 hours before using. Either one works awesome around here, even the pike love it a lot.

For big fish I all ways bring bluegill as a backup but I usually use what ever I can catch where I am fishing (sometimes it is bluegill). I prefer chubs or goldfish but chubs are harder to find and most bait shops think those goldfish are made of gold. For channels I use alot of stuff. I either use cut bait (whatever is there), shrimp, chicken breast, or I make my doughball. When I make doughball I get a little creative sometimes. I put whatever I got in there.

willie ....check walmart if they have a fish dept. for ur gold fish ....they stock feeder gold fish

my best all around bait is night crawlers/ dew worms .....for cannell cats i use a bait called tv time bait shrimp or liver .....turkey liver works very good a long with turkey gizzards........the very best bait ....dynomite ....works every time lol

Sucker for me, either little ones alive or cut, the channels up here love them.

The Walmarts around here quit selling goldfish a while back and even when they did they only sold the little ones. Now I get them from Steve (Mom's friend with a pet shop) for 62 cents a piece.

marlboro920 wrote:

willie ....check walmart if they have a fish dept. for ur gold fish ....they stock feeder gold fish

I will tell you that they are 28 cents here plus tax.

ridgerunner wrote:

I was just wondering what your go to catfish bait is? Do you have 1 favorite bait that always produces? Or are you like a bass fisherman and use a wide variety of baits? I've used cut bluegill, sucker and creek chub, and I don't think I ever caught anything on the bluegill. Of the cutbaits it seems like chub is the best. I've used nightcrawlers and they seem to be pretty consistent. But I also get carp, bluegill and other fish. It seems like I don't have 1 bait in particular that always produces.

ridgerunner wrote:

I was just wondering what your go to catfish bait is? Do you have 1 favorite bait that always produces? Or are you like a bass fisherman and use a wide variety of baits? I've used cut bluegill, sucker and creek chub, and I don't think I ever caught anything on the bluegill. Of the cutbaits it seems like chub is the best. I've used nightcrawlers and they seem to be pretty consistent. But I also get carp, bluegill and other fish. It seems like I don't have 1 bait in particular that always produces.

Ridge, I am a big catfisher. I have used liver frequently. It works really well, but if there are turtles in the place that you fish in, you are pretty sure to possibly catch one of them too. I also use nightcrawlers and hotdogs. I use a method that works pretty well. First, I take and drain all the blood out of the liver from the container. Put the liver back in container. I pour a LOT of salt in there, along with some minced garlic. Put lid on TIGHTLY and shake up . Make sure that you have the lid on tightly. You can store this outside in the sun for a few hours. Place it in the fridge till you are ready to use, shaking every day to distribute the flavors. If you don't have minced garlic or fresh garlic that you can use, I have used garlic salt and salt. Either has worked, but the minced works better. I have used bluegill here with no results. My nephew has used bluegill and has had some luck.

For me it seems like here nothing works consistently. For example, I've never caught anything on shrimp. Except one time when I put out jugs. But a couple three weeks ago Papa brought shrimp and we caught 4 pretty nice sized ones. I guess I'm looking for a miracle bait that works all the time. Well except for the dynamite idea. Besides I don't have a boat to pick them up when they float up after a 1/4 stick.

OMG LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOO!~!~! You're just too freakin funny!~!

You can also take brim and cut them into chunks...Then pour garlic over them and let them sit for a while....We have even caught stripers on this stuff....

I also read a while back that if you have a cooler with a drain plug on it. You can make your own fish oil by throwing fish in the cooler, propping up the end opposite the plug, and set it in the sun for a few days. Make sure it drains into a pan. I'm about ready to get a camera for my line so I can see if there's any fish where I'm at.

Most I use nightcrawler for catfish and bullhead.