Cutbait

[Lunker]

Yes, I know that we have a LONG time before open water, but just thought I'd post this question anyways. Any one ever use something like herring for cutbait? Bought 4 dozen frozen for pike this winter, but got to thinking I'd save a dozen or so since it's such an oily fish, maybe good for the cats? I'm new to the game, catching all of the cats I've ever caught all this last summer, and am in the process of buying the proper equipment this winter, can't wait to get out there again! Thanks

[Dennis Steele]

Hey Lunker
I would give it a try.I think herring and shad are related species so you wouldn't be too far off and cats LOVE shad.
I have heard but haven't tried it yet but Mackeral is supposed to be good.

We talked about getting out last fall,maybee we can get out when they start going this season.

[vern]

They should work good. I prefer fresh cutbait, but frozen baits will work also. The one problem I've found is that the flesh on frozen bait will get soft & doesn't stay on the hook as well. I've used frozen smelt, shad, goldeye & sucker & they've all produced. Fresh cut-bait might be better, but try the frozen herring. It's great back-up bait if nothing else. I usually keep some extra cutbait in the freezer for just that reason. Vern

[Toad]

Ciscoes, or tullibees, absolutely attract channel cats. One of the fattiest species in freshwater, which means that strips of cut cisco exude loads of positive scent into the water-- wonderful juices that can really get cats worked up. Really, oilier species like this, though, tend to work best as a "soured" bait, particularly right at ice out and into early spring. It's also because obtaining fresh ciscoes during the openwater season is nearly impossible.

Agree with Vern that freshly killed and cut baitfish almost always outproduces frozen and thawed (or preserved) baits. Particularly stuff that's caught directly from the water you're fishing. But again, there's definitely a period in early spring when "soured" baits really get cats cranked. At this point in the year fish are familiar with feeding on winterkill baitfish, which eventually loosen from the ice and sink toward the bottom.

Soured bait itself is typically made by placing whole gutted or pieces of baitfish in mason jars, set in the sun for a few days, then burried underground for a while. And oh yea, after all this wicked fermentation, it's every bit as vile as you might imagine. Not something I'm brave enough to do much of anymore since I got married ; for some reason, most wives frown on their husbands playing with oozing degraded fish, I can't imagine why, but they do.

At any rate, early spring's when I've done real well with cut (and soured) ciscoes. And if you can consistently get your hands on fresh (or live) ciscoes during the openwater season, please let me know-- I've talked to guys who've used them on the Red River in October and absolutely couldn't keep the cats off.

-a friend,
Cory Schmidt

[This message has been edited by Toad (edited 01-09-2004).]