[Helicool]

I know it may sound odd, but Spam works well.

However, my favorite is whole kernel canned corn. Throw a half dozen kernels on the hooks (of a couple rods) and scatter a handful out in the water. They just start hoovering up all the corn in sight, and don't even realize those few kernels had teeth. Works great on bullheads... and still gives you plenty of time for a beer.

[GlennM]

Quote:      

Anyone have much luck with bluegills in half? i have heard this works well too and tried it but had no success

Around here, we call it "cut bait". Absolutely lethal on channel cat, and works well if you use just the guts and gills for flathead. Flathead, IMHO is one of the best eating fish there is. (And unless you've tried flathead, don't dis me.... LOL It IS just like cod). For most purposes, any channel over 5 pounds has too much fat on it.

Depending on the time of season and what lake I'm on, I use Bee-Jay cheese stink, nightcrawlers, cut bait, live or dead shad (depends on the quarry), and chicken livers. For you guys who use chicken livers and can't keep'em on a hook, check out the "Liver Holder Hooks" at Cabelas. 3 in a pack and they ROCK for holding the bait on.

I've also used whole very small bluegill, hooked through the eyes and put a few slits on each side so it "leaks" a bit. That's also a time-proven winner.

Great recipes in this thread, guys.. gonna have to try a few. Thanks.

After all, I -did- win the cap that said "Catfish Angler of the Year" 2 years ago at the Millstadt Sportsmen's Club..... a club nobody's ever heard of in a town that's so small you miss it if you blink. But what the heck.

[justin_klgr]

Live bream between 5 to 6 inches, fresh cut shad, and sour cut carp in early spring.

[deadzero]

Quote:       Originally Posted by GotCoffee

Raw shrimp (let it rot a little though)

that is what has always worked the best for me. awsome stuff. just don't forget to take it out of the car. did that once, it wasn't even in there for 24 hours but it was unbearably nasty. didn't think I would ever get that smell out.

[justin_klgr]

Yeah shrimp can git nasty in a hurry if left in a car. Shad sides and guts can be just as bad too. I always put 3 or 4 plastic grocrery bags around to try to keep the smell down.

[dman24]

Cut bait, dough bait, livers, hot dogs, shrimp, caught my biggest catfish on stew beef. The little strips already cut up that you put in stir fry, cheap and stays on hook good.

[jimkim]

My actual favorite "catfish bait" is a good castnet.

[FortyXDM]

Quote:       Originally Posted by GlennM

Around here, we call it "cut bait". Absolutely lethal on channel cat, and works well if you use just the guts and gills for flathead. Flathead, IMHO is one of the best eating fish there is. (And unless you've tried flathead, don't dis me.... LOL It IS just like cod). For most purposes, any channel over 5 pounds has too much fat on it. Depending on the time of season and what lake I'm on, I use Bee-Jay cheese stink, nightcrawlers, cut bait, live or dead shad (depends on the quarry), and chicken livers. For you guys who use chicken livers and can't keep'em on a hook, check out the "Liver Holder Hooks" at Cabelas. 3 in a pack and they ROCK for holding the bait on. I've also used whole very small bluegill, hooked through the eyes and put a few slits on each side so it "leaks" a bit. That's also a time-proven winner. Great recipes in this thread, guys.. gonna have to try a few. Thanks. After all, I -did- win the cap that said "Catfish Angler of the Year" 2 years ago at the Millstadt Sportsmen's Club..... a club nobody's ever heard of in a town that's so small you miss it if you blink. But what the heck.

I know. We used to catch catfish in a small river near Conception, Mo., in an area where the water was somewhat murky and fast running through a sandy area. We would throw a small crawdad that we had seined in the morning from a farm pond, and let it roll with the current. No weight attached. Caught 1 to 1 and a half pounders right and left.
Fry em up that night. Best tasting fish you can get.
Those who don't agree never et um.

[Cross Hair]

We used to night fish alot for channel cats. We would set out a thing of chicken livers and let em' bake in the sun all day with the lid on to "seal" the juices in! Sometimes was so rancid had to put in bits of panty hose attached to hook to keep bait on. Caught some HUGE catfish that way.

Forty, gotta agree with frying them fresh and smaller cats are much better eatin' than those 20LB monsters, we always let the big guys go.

[Dakoma]

Fresh cut shad,bluegill live on a sliding sinker that is for flathead also cut carp for flathead and they prefer fresh the fresher the better.Channel cat will eat any thing,guted one one time to see what they were eating and they were full of magots,we made our own skink bait and used plastic worms called breathing worms they had rings and little pockets that fills with bait,to thicken use flour and it will stick good ,a forked stick is needed you dont want to get it on your hands the smell wont come off.Minnows and perch are good if layed in the sun untill they are kind of rubbery and the oil starts to come out of the skin, sack them in a ziplock for easy carry,flathead will take them sometimes but prefer fresh cut or live best.

[bigione]

Find some large road kill. hang in branch over water. When maggots start dropping into water, drop hook with anything in vicinity. Hang on to the rod.

[Sav .250]

Cut bait (fish) strips..........fresh of course.

[GlennM]

Just took out one of my favorites from the freezer. For channel cat... Try this.. you may like it.

Ice tray, put about 5 or 6 drops of (cheap) vanilla extract in each cube partition, chicken livers cut in half, your favorite cat hook run through it, and drop each one in on top of the vanilla. Put in freezer and let get hard. Then take them out of the tray and put into ziploc bags and put back in the freezer until you need them. I used to use steel leaders tied directly to the hooks... but using snap swivels even up to 30 pounds test I've had the occasional fish straighten the damn things out. SO, now I usually tie the hook directly to the (powerpro) line. Works pretty well. Give this combo a try. Good luck and happy fishing!

[pontiac_fiero_g]

easiest way i know to get rid of the smell is washing your hands with tooth paste not gel but paste.

[bucklover]

i like homade doe bait for carp buffalofish andcatfish basicly bottom feeders

[MilkMan]

Large shinners or creek chub.

[thrillbilly]

I use a variety...livers, hot dogs, bait shrimp, nightcrawlers, minnows, and small panfish (perch).

[Whootsinator]

Ground up trouble makers mixed with chicken blood, rolled into balls, then set outside to dry for three days.