Catfish baits?

[kuhaman]

I'm going to give channel cat fishing a try. What would be a good choice for bait, worms, chicken livers, um chicken nuggets? lol What do you guys use?

 

Thanks

 

 

Kuha

[dave524]

get a cheap shrimp ring

[kuhaman]

get a cheap shrimp ring

Shrimp actually work?

[dave524]

Shrimp actually work?

 

Yes, very good bait for cats.

 

Edit, and a whole bunch of other species, like Steelhead and Smallies

Edited June 15, 2017 by dave524

[kuhaman]

 

Yes, very good bait for cats

Thank you

[Bill Shearer]

Dave is correct, shrimp are a very good bait for channel cats.

My favourite concoction, is a 1/4"X 1 1/2" strip of squid with a chunk of shrimp, on a 6/0 circle hook. The shrimp we use is frozen, uncooked, the same as the squid. Pretty stinky stuff, which the cats seem to love.

Good luck on your search for the cats!

[kuhaman]

Dave is correct, shrimp are a very good bait for channel cats.

My favourite concoction, is a 1/4"X 1 1/2" strip of squid with a chunk of shrimp, on a 6/0 circle hook. The shrimp we use is frozen, uncooked, the same as the squid. Pretty stinky stuff, which the cats seem to love.

Good luck on your search for the cats!

Thanks! Is a circle hook more effective than a typical baitholder hook?

Edited June 15, 2017 by kuha

[Bill Shearer]

There is quite a learning curve to using them! You basically do NOT set the hook! The fish takes the bait, and hooks itself. If you become impatient and try to hook the fish, 6/10 times you end up pulling the bait out of the fishes mouth. If patience is not your virtue, then get Octopus hooks. All this depends on whether the fish swims at you when it picks up the bait. If that happens then hook-up rates are terrible, with either hooks, based on my experience.

Edited June 15, 2017 by floatman55

[aplumma]

I use squid strips and PORK livers. for most trips. Use a circle hook tied to the end of the line. Put a bead behind it and then a slider with a sinker attached. This allows the bait to float away from the sinker and as the fish runs it does not feel the weight of the sinker. Remember that the circle hook does not require you to set the hook you sweep the slack out gentle pulling the hook into the corner of the fishes mouth. Chicken livers are a good bait but the pork works as well and stays on the hook better. Shrimp will work but does not have the drawing power that squid or liver does. Catfish use scent to locate food and shrimp does not produce a strong scent trail. It will catch the fish near the bait but does not draw them in from downstream. Catfish will bite in both the day and night but bright sunny days and clear water really knocks the bite down. Search for current breaks swirls and eddies are prime locations as well as humps and logjams. I usually put out a spread of 5 lines on sloping areas leading to flats. (legal in my State). If a spot is going to produce it will cough up a fish in 15 minutes and then when the bite slows down don't be afraid to move once located the pattern should work moving from location to similar locations.

 

 

Art

[kuhaman]

Thanks again!! Is night fishing more effective?

[dave524]

Depends on the species of Catfish, Art, I've found the Channels up here are more inclined to hit a fresh bait rather than the stink concoctions that are popular further south.

[porkpie]

I'm no expert, I just did my first intentional channel cat trip last week, but we took advice and brought along a nice big dead sucker that I had frozen. We cut it up in the cooler and put medium sized hunks of it on the hook. It worked great, and I got my biggest channel cat to date. As for circle hooks I've been using them for years now for live bait fishing pickerel and smallies. Most of the time you can just reel down to the fish and it'll be on, but don't stress about the no hook set thing. I have hooked piles of fish on circles after setting the hook. They work great, and seldom do I get a swallowed hook.

Edited June 15, 2017 by porkpie

[misfish]

 

Yes, very good bait for cats.

 

Edit, and a whole bunch of other species, like Steelhead and Smallies

 

And salmon. Under a float. I never believed it til I saw it. It,s my go to now.LOL

 

Chicken livers work great for cats. Land and water ones.

 

Edit to add,,,,,,,,,,

 

If you want to buy cheap shrimp, hit the asian store where BPS is. It,s my go to store. They also have great steam dumplings. $2 each. YUM YUM.

Edited June 15, 2017 by Misfish

[aplumma]

Depends on the species of Catfish, Art, I've found the Channels up here are more inclined to hit a fresh bait rather than the stink concoctions that are popular further south.

Totally agree that stink baits are not the answer for big cats. For eater size up to 4 lbs the pork or squid (fresh) are the key for quantity of fish. When guiding for bigger channel cats over 8 lbs fresh strips of fish are the key. I guide down here for Blue cats and channels and usually put out 2 fresh mud shad chunks, 2 pork livers and 1 squid till the fish tell me what they want that day. If the client wants just trophies then we look for the deep holes and steep slops with big chunks of shad. The feeding flats are productive if they are actively feeding and finding fresh water clams and mussels is a big key. A fireball rig using a float by the hook will sometimes be the answer when you find that your bait is on a weed bottom and it also allows you to get your bait to drift back in the current. Catfishing can be as simple as a worm and a hook but to really dial it in takes years of fineness and learning.

 

Art

[OhioFisherman]

Dang Art, my son asked me what mud shad are, had to look that up, we call them gizzard shad here. Makes sense to me that they would be good cat bait, tons of them here, and they have big die offs, lot of the littering the bottom of lakes and rivers as a food source for cats.

 

After the spring crappie spawn here channel cats could be caught in big numbers fishing the same way for them, a bobber and spreader with emerald shiners, just set deeper to hug the bottom.

[dave524]

I think I mentioned it here before that years ago we would fish them all summer right up until duck season opened late Sept in Lake Erie, surf casting at night off Hasting's Ave at Long Point, wade out a few yards to the first sand bar , chuck out your bait and come back, set in a rod holder with a bell clipped to the rod, crack a cold one, put another dog on your stick in the fire and wait, quite a few fish in the teens and the odd twenty. This would have been '73/74, shrimp usually was the bait of choice and we got 30 cents a pound live weight for them from a commercial fisherman, I was making 4 bucks an hour at the time at my day job paid for the eats and refreshment .

[aplumma]

A winterkill of the mudshad are a great place to find some big kitties. If you find a winterkill place mark it on the map it is showing you an eddie that food settles in and usually holds cats throughout the year. If you do not have mudshad you can use any oily fish like mackerel or as someone said salmon which can leave a scent trail for them to follow.The deciding factor is which puts a strong scent trail in the water that the catfish want. Blood/amino and protein are a natural dinner bell for the cats using those in combinations will bring them in.

 

Art

[Old Ironmaker]

Anything from rotten chicken liver to shrimp rings that can be eaten for dinner if they don't catch a fish. I've tried the marinated cut bait of shad, Herring, Solomon Gundy pickled herring worked once. Oily Mackerel too.

 

My favorite are uncooked shrimp with the heads still on. Then the frozen pre cooked shrimp.

 

I find cats more active at night and over cast days. It is about the end of their most active feeding season. Best is when the buds start coming out on trees I find.

 

Have fun and bring something that can reel in a 25 pounder as well as a small guy. Simplest fishing you can get. Lots of weight, enough to get to the bottom and not drift away in the current, a slip barrel sinker is best for me and a circle hook with a leader tied to a ball barrel swivel below the weight. Loosen the drag or free wheel until you see the line spool out, never set the hook using a circle hook. Just let the line tighten or you will pull the hook.

Edited June 16, 2017 by Old Ironmaker

[Acountdeleted]

Fisher pete showed me the recipe to success. A nice fillet of white sucker with a circle hook through it works wonders. I've also heard they like spicy stuff.

[Locnar]

I am also interested in giving channel cats a go, never caught one. Tried in Jordan Harbour back in April... got skunked, lost a decent sized fish that I can guess was a channel. Anyone have much luck on the Trent or Moira rivers?

[blaque]

Weve been fishing cats down here on the south shore of Erie for a few weeks now and been having a blast. The hot and heavy action typically starts right at dusk and goes an hour or so after sunset. Then my arm gets tired and its time for bed

 

Over the years, ive gone thru many phases of confidence in baits........but pretty much landed on fresh cut bait as a tried and true producer. The biggest fish typically come on cutbait vs the competition as well. Im finished with tying nasty chicken liver bags, and shrimp can get a little pricey.

 

I do like the thought of trying Calamari though in the next couple outings lol.......hadnt thought of that

 

One from last weekend........

 

Edited June 22, 2017 by Blaque

[dave524]

I believe there is also action on the north shore as well, I believe it was here I posted about catching them all summer from shore , off Hasting's Ave. at Long Point, many years ago, right up till late Sept and duck season. Your report makes me believe the fishery would still exist if any capable wanted to give it a try. Thanks for the report, it was good times with a small fire on the beach, dogs on a stick and brown pops in the cooler.

[blaque]

I believe there is also action on the north shore as well, I believe it was here I posted about catching them all summer from shore , off Hasting's Ave. at Long Point, many years ago, right up till late Sept and duck season. Your report makes me believe the fishery would still exist if any capable wanted to give it a try. Thanks for the report, it was good times with a small fire on the beach, dogs on a stick and brown pops in the cooler.

 

Agreed, its a blast. Catfish thumb the next day sucks though

[Locnar]

I've heard using carp for cutbait can be really productive, is this true? If so, I know a pond around the corner where I can catch 4-5lbers all day.

[Brettiop]

Got a bunch of big cats on the weekend, most on stinky old shrimp! One nice one on worms as well but the shrimp was the ticket!

 

Landed 4 fish over 24" and a few little guys...

 

28 1/2" that somehow looks small to me...

 

 

30 1/4"...this was an epic fight!!

 

Edited June 26, 2017 by Brettiop