Bullheads for bait (in lakes)?

[mainbutter]

Does anyone use bullheads as live bait in lakes, and if so what do you target with them?

I've been thinking, being such a soft fish, they must be pretty tasty to predators, and have been considering giving it a shot just to see if anything would take it. I like using locally occurring bait when I can, but gee is it hard to find stuff in the right size that is legal for bait.

[blakeb]

I was at the state fair and looking into the MN native species pond i noticed the lack of crappies and bullheads, when i asked the DNR guy where they were his answer was that the muskies eat the bullheads almost immediately most of the time, and the flatheads are the same way on the crappie stock.

[Ed Carlson]

Most all predators will eat a Bullhead, including walleye.

People often assume because they and catfish have the spikes nothing will eat them...far from true. The most common thing I see in River Walleye is young catfish or Stonecats.

Well worth a shot, where it is legal to do so.

There are new regs on where bullheads may be used and where they can travel alive legally, so be sure to check them out first with the DNR to be compliant.

[Stick500]

Ok, I have a few questions about nature that I can never figure out and one of them is how in the heck do fish keep from getting their mouths, throats and stomachs all torn to heck whenever they eat a bullhead or catfish! I know what even little ones can do to my hand, so how is it possible?! I once saw a watersnake swallowing a little tomcat and wondered how he could survive it, too.

[MinnesnowtaWild]

Cause if they swallow the Bullhead head first the spikes will lay flat against the Bullheads body and the fish eating it won't get poked.

[Nick Kuhn]

They usually target bullheads that are small enough that they can easily swallow them. I have seen a few pike wash up on my shore that have choked trying to take down decent sized bullheads.

[trappingaddiction]

I am thinking of trying some bullheads also. What size bullheads are you thinking of using? I know of a lake that you can get a bunch of them very easily. If your interested in the lake, shoot me a PM.

[mainbutter]

I've got a spot with plenty of <6''ers, I was thinking of using the smallest ones I could find for walleye/bass/pike, but now I've been thinking it'd be kinda cool to drag one around behind the canoe for 'skis one of these days.

[mrklean]

few summers ago i found a 5 pound bass dead that tried to swallow a big bullhead

[Brad B]

I would say about a 2 to 4 inch one would be good for walleye. Since it still is south of Hwy 210 I have thought about getting some from the one bait shop(they get them mixed in with their fatheads(so they are about the same size as a fathead or just slightly larger) and bring them up to mille lacs and try them out.

[Gordie]

bullheads best kept secret ever

[Borch]

I find small bullheads in walleye stomach caught from lakes all the time. Almost as often as perch. I'm sure they would work very well.