catfish baits

[stream walker]

some of the old timers i know swear by shrimp left in the sun for a day or 2.

[Jigwiggler]

goldeye belly, large prawns, and occasionally, large shiners. i get stubborn with prawns and if i have an off day, i usually blame the poor wind conditions. fishing the red, i have found that with fresh inflow that you get after a heavy thunderstorm, combined with a strong north wind from lake winnipeg brings in the large lakers (cats) that are very sandy colored. this is when the bite gets hot. you can easily tell the difference between river cats and lake cats. grump

Grump,  You'll have to translate prawns for me.  Never heard that one before.

[Mackdaddy21]

Fresh Chicken liver is the best bait for Channels. I cut the into smaller chunks and place it on wax paper and leave it on the counter. One side of the liver will dry out and the other will remain bloody. This firms it up and makes it much easier to keep on the hook.
At night, I place the liver in a bait bag from sarge's bag - a - bait. The bag is prerigged with a 2/0 hook and closes. This is a small thin mesh bag which will always keep the liver on your hook.
Nightcrawlers, live minnows, crayfish, frogs, and of course cut bait like sucker, carp, or chub pieces kick butt too. Anchovies are good as well. But honestly, fresh, bloody liver seems to outfish everything else 5 to 1 or better. The Colorado River is a massive, murky, powerful swirling river where bloody and oily baits attract fish easier.

Tyler

[TroutFishingBear]

Grump,  You'll have to translate prawns for me.  Never heard that one before.

Prawns are shrimp, just another name for them, spanish in decent I believe

[Jigwiggler]

Gotcha, Thanks Bear!!  I have heard that shrimp were good bait, especially if you soak them in vanilla extract??  I have never tried it but it sounds interesting.

[tuckerdg1970]

I try to stick with chicken livers or 3 to 4 large night crawlers on my hook. Does anyone use thoes little (cheese, garlic, blood) flavored nuggets by power bait and actuley have success catching cats ?

I use the blood scented nuggets but for something else. What I do is take a spray bottle and put your nuggets in it. Add water and garlic powder about 4 tbl spoons fill bottle to within 1 inch of top. Let sit out side for a week or 2. Shaking the bottle every day or every other day. Then I spray that on my chicken livers just before casting. Try it works for me. Let me know how you make out. Haven't tried the cheese yet. Maybe this year. AKA CATFISH HUNTER(sean)

[Trophy Hunter639]

You must be fishing for little cats with that stuff?

[treed942000]

One of my favorites is rotten (couple days in the sun) cubed up beef liver, can't stand eating the stuff so might as well make it my bait.  I have also had lots of success with Uncle Bee Jay's Dough Stink Bait but haven't had any luck finding it around here.

TReed

[MikeMo]

Ive used live shiners and cut fish both work well.

[peple of the perch]

what about other fiah livers like bass i would like to try catfishing this year

[peple of the perch]

the bait shops minnows(locally seined from that water) for $1 for aprox.3dozen, and pinch the minnow belly before dropping it down
Bingo!
Finally catching big cats, on the most common of all things.
crappieloo

what does that mean

[chrisfrank]

I also like to go with the large shiner on a circle with a slit up the belly making sure the guts are hanging out.  I have lots of luck with chicken liver but have trouble getting it to stay on for long.   

[rgfixit]

Last Monday we were hitting some nice cats in our local canal. We were fishing for crappies with small white bucktails and minnow under a bobber.  No crappies but lots of nice cats 2 - 12 lbs.

RG

[bayonne]

live shinners on a floating jig head works great on big cats fish it on a slip sinker rig and you will be amazed at how good it works

[camo_fish]

I just use the reg., chicken liver and cut-bait, but I have use ivory soap once. My the time you widdle down a piece and put a hole in it for the hook. Chicken liver and cut-bait is the quickest and easiest, by far.