catfish baits

[friendlyfisher]

Just wondering what the best catfish baits are. I do a lot of catfishing but mostly during the hot sommer months. Mostly because all I use are frogs. I need a couple other coices that carp and bullheads will not suck on all night.

[Dennis Steele]

Frogs are a great bait but during the middle of the summer I prefer,or at least I think the cats prefer some type of cut bait.On my home river the MN River, 1" chunks of sucker,creek chub,works best.Goldeye and shad also work very well when you can get them.Freshly killed bait usually works better than frozen at this time but I always try to have a variety along.
Prepared baits like stink bait or dip bait also work but you will end up catching smaller fish.

------------------
Minnesota River Guided Fishing
www.mnriverguidedfishing.com
[email protected]
NPAA #863

[Guest]

i like to use little bullheads they work great. if the fish arent hitting that then i cut the stingers and wiskers off and then get a few more fish. i dont get much luck on but bait i try every once in a while. good luck the summer.

[simplefish]

I don't fish much flats, but fot the channels I'm a big fan of Junnies Wickedsticky. The warmer it gets the better it works. It does not come off in current and the fish love it. I also tried for the first time last year catalpa paste from a tube. I squeezed it in one of those hollow teardrop lookin' things. Works very well. Especially on smaller cats for meals. I think berkley makes it, but I could be wrong. If your looking for natural baits, in the spring you can't go wrong with fresh killed cut up suckers. Cut em into 1" steaks and cast em out. Crawdads work well also. As do worms in the spring. The fish are keying in on baits that will float downriver with the thaw, dead fish, frogs, crawdad, and worms. Leaches work well behind islands in rivers, 'cause they ley their eggs there in the spring.

[This message has been edited by simplefish (edited 03-21-2004).]

[Lunker]

When you say frogs for bait, is this reffering to channels or flats mainly?

[friendlyfisher]

Lunker.
I am mostly talking about channels.
Thats about all i have been able to run into.

[computergeek]

I have never had a lot of luck with cut baits, but I am fishing the morning hours usually and have never tried cats at night. My bait of choice is chicken liver. I have tried beef liver but chicken will out fish beef five to one, I know because we have tried it several times. From what we have found is that cut bait tends to get bigger fish but liver gets the numbers.

[scotty B]

I agree with schnerdog bullheads work great for channels. Cut a small bullhead in half use the head but make sure there are guts attached. I use a 7/0 mustad circle hook and once they are on they stay on. also try some cut pieces of steak you can get a cheap pakage for about 3.50 or less and it will go a long way and it stays on the hook great. Cheaper method buy a loaf of bread form a ball to fit the hook. I got a ten pounder last year on bread betcha it could bring in bigger Later scotty B P.S if the bread aint that hot on cats that day you could land some whopper carp.

[joshb]

how do you guys round up your bullheads?

[korn_fish]

I catch all the bullheads I need using a ultralight rod and reel or cane pole. Creeks or streams that have a low head dam or something similar seems to always have bullheads stacked right up behind them.

Their is a spot in Faribault that is known to produce hundreds upon hundreds of bullies.

Some bait shops will have them as well.

[EBass]

Dont' over look cut sucker minnows. Get a half doz med-large minnows and keep them alive. When you get to your spot cut one up at a time. Mabye even cut part of it in little chunks and chum the water.

Also in certain times of the year they will want leeches. I don't know why but I saw this kid catching them left and right on the Crow. I was using worms and missed one bite. He gave me a leech to use and wham, channel cat on the line.

As Dennis stated bring along a variety of baits. Suckers, crawlers, chx liver, stink bait, leeches. Ya just never know what they want and it changes all the time.

However, take this with a grain of salt. I can't seem to find cats in the spring or the fall. But late spring and summer I think cut sucker minnow is the best. Other's will disagree, but for me that's what I find works most of the time.

Good luck

[slabberknocker]

In SD we go and catch some creek chubs and when we get to the river try to catch a couple of skip jack. Flatheads love cut skip jack. I also agree with the stink bait. We catch a lot of fish using that, but they only reach about five pounds.

Slab

[Boar]

For channels, CREEK CHUBS, 2nd choice fresh cut sucker. Boy I'm starting to drool again. Boar