Cat Bait

[fisherking32]

Hello fellow cat men,

Just moved to MN this spring, and being born and raised in Missouri, I have the cat-bug, unlike most Minnesotans. I found the H-chain in a hurry and didn't take long for a nice stringer-full. Just wondering what you fellers favorite bait for our whiskered friends is?

[DARK30]

Hi Fisherking...Welcome to Minnesota!

Anything that you probably used in Mo is more than likely illegal here in Minnesota...welcome to the land of 10,000 fishing laws...and thats just for the carp

Seriously your near a couple of rivers that may interest you. The Mississippi and the north branch of the Crow.... not too far to drive to the Red, the Lower Miss, or the Minnesota for flatheads. Please cpr the big channels and all the flattys

[Ralph Wiggum]

I'm still pretty green, but cut sucker is tough to beat for the channels. I've used live suckers and bullheads for flats. They both seem to work at times.

[hanson]

fisherking32-

Welcome!!! Good to have another cat guy on board! I'll be the 1st to admit that I am born and raised Minnesotan and it took me up until 1-1/2 years ago to catch the cat bug, now I am hooked for life I do believe.

You said you found the H-chain... through the ice or in the boat is my question to ya?? If it was open water, you better hook up with some of us and catch these kitties through the ice, its a blast!!

Right now, most of us cat guys are playing around with these other "so-called" sport fish up here. (i.e. crappies, walleyes, perch, and even bluegills) But it is only a matter of time and I don't mind waiting because this ice fishing is not so bad.

Favorite cat bait?? Hmmm... Bullheads, Suckers, and Creek Chubs for flatties. Goldeyes, Suckers, and Frogs for Channel Cats.

Dark- Are you talking about (cough, cough)? You know those are illegal around these parts.

So fisherking32, how is the cattin' down in Missouri? Flatties & Blues I would guess are the species primarily targeted. You guys get big channels down there too?

[fisherking32]

I found the H-chain last summer on a tip from a baitstore, and not having a boat yet, I found a resort that has a nice long dock out near the channel. On our first trip the wife, my 4 year old and I caught 19 cats in the 5 to 9 lb. range on my favorite summer bait, chicken guts in about 3-1/2 hours.

I raise my own chickens, so these are easy to come by. I just hang about a 4 inch piece on a circle hook under a slip sinker.

When we were there, there was a guy all the way up here from Illinois fishing at the other end of the dock. The poor guy didn't even get a bite. He finally came over when we were leaving and asked what kind of stink bait we were using. I had looked over earlier and saw a large, I think 3 gal. size pail with a paint stick inside near his chair. For the first time in my life, after strong objections, I actually ended up selling chicken guts.

Have been chasing sunnies lately, but would still like to get some ice-cats. Last time I was there, there was alot of open water where I wanted to try and no deep water near any access.