Even though it's still cold everywhere, (We're getting flurries in GA today) I wanted to know what your favorite bait for catfis

[driggs5454]

Even though it's still cold everywhere, (We're getting flurries in GA today) I wanted to know what your favorite bait for catfish is. Do you like something dead and stinky or alive and kickin'? also, any recipes you want to share?

[Beekeeper]

For channel catfish and blues fresh cut bait (bream or shad) and worms work best for me. Slightly spoiled (not rotten) shrimp is also good. Fish them on the bottom at the edge of curent breaks. For flatheads I like live bait such as bream or large shiners fished just off the bottom in deep holes or eddys.

As for cooking, larger catfish which are a little on the stong side can be rolled in a bowl with a little yellow mustard just before breading. Smaller catfish can be marinated for 30 minutes in a mixture of milk or butter milk and hot sauce then breaded. Like most southerners, I like my catfish deep fried with a side of slaw and hushpuppies drizzled lightly with honey. If you add fries make them fresh cut please. My favorite commercial breader is Louisana Brand New Orleans Fish Fry, House Autry second. Or you can use stone ground cornmeal and season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

I don't like to grill or blacken channel or blue cats (don't like the texture), however Flatheads are good for that purpose. Any of the popular seasonings will work well for this task. I think I know what is for dinner tonight!

[badger99]

my best luck has been with live bait jubbs 6-8 inchs long

[rabbitpolice88]

I've always used cut up bait fish. We usually catch the bait fish in the area we are fishing and use them.

[mdhager115]

I like dough bunched up on a hook. Or a hook jam packed w/ worms. Both have worked for me and my family.

[dukerjj]

there is a creek near my house and it usually rains where i live once twice like downpour every year and the water is moving fast when it is like that (the creek is connected to our damn) the water is coming out of Lary strunk (the damn) and the fish are coming out fast in big numbers well there are these little gullys where the water is standing still and they are jammed pack with chad and blue gill perfect for bait fish just get your net and sometimes it might surprise you ive caught walleye, whitebass, whiper, ctfish, in these gulleys but i usually let them go to be caught by the next anxious fisherman

[dukerjj]

there is a creek near my house and it usually rains where i live once twice like downpour every year and the water is moving fast when it is like that (the creek is connected to our damn) the water is coming out of Lary strunk (the damn) and the fish are coming out fast in big numbers well there are these little gullys where the water is standing still and they are jammed pack with chad and blue gill perfect for bait fish just get your net and sometimes it might surprise you ive caught walleye, whitebass, whiper, catfish, in these gulleys but i usually let them go to be caught by the next anxious fisherman

[bomberpride]

Liver will do the trick. Also pieces of hotdog work good

[Alex Pernice the fly rod winner]

Biggest Bluegills (7-8 inches) crush flathead on my river, channel and blues, a SMALL (1.5 by 1.5 or so) chunk of bluegill.

[Jim in Mo]

I like stinky stuff. You can never go wrong with worms or rotten meat of any sort like spoiled chunks of ham, chicken or even hot dogs. For some reason, bluegill chunk or whole never works well on hook and line on the Mississippi yet trot line or limb line they do well. Shad or skip-jack is excellent (best) but store bought stuff won't stay on hook well, you need to use a throw net and get fresh stuff and use immediately.

[Alex Pernice the fly rod winner]

Smaller cats also like Sonny's dipbait, the only one that i found would work for me.

[Del in KS]

Here in KS I use chicken livers for Channel cats. In Georgia Catalpa worms was THE bait to use.

[Jim in Mo]

Del, You mentioned Catalpa worms! Those are so difficult and hard to get (fresh), you have to find them hanging on the trees, I haven't used them for a long time but they are great. Good post

[deaddiver]

one word..... Bluegill one around 2 inches caught me and my uncle the biggest cat of our lives

[CPT BRAD]

stink baits or chicken hearts or livers work well. I've caught them on minnows but not with any success