Homemade Bait for Catfish Fishermen
People have used homemade bait for catfish fishing for centuries. Why? Because catfish, particularly channel catfish, will eat just about anything. Soap, lard and WD-40 have all been proven to work. Not necessarily what I would recommend but others swear by them. With the knowledge in mind that catfish will eat anything. The idea that you can make your own baits is much easier to comprehend.
The easiest type of homemade bait for catfish, in my opinion, is dough bait. To make a dough bait you can either use flour or cereal to create a base that holds together. I generally use cereal, any corn flakes will do, but I like to use Wheaties. Add a little water and crush it up until it has good sticky consistency and it works very well by itself.
Here is homemade bait for catfish that uses something everyone that has fished for catfish has used at one time or another. Some never go near the water without it, chicken liver. But I am going to give you a way to may it into dough balls that will stay on your hook and provide sent for much longer than just baiting your hook with it.
Take a large bowl and pour in about half a box a Wheaties. Crush it up good. Take a pint of chicken livers that you bought at the store and pour them into your blender. Use fresh livers if possible, not frozen. Blend until liquid. No take another bowl and pour the liver from the blender into it. Add Wheaties from the first bowl, constantly kneading, until a paste forms that you can easily separate and mold. Put the mixture into plastic bags and store in your fridge. It won’t matter if you don’t use it right away. Catfish like smelly food.
With a little trial and error you will find the best catfish bait for your waters. Good luck on your next outing. Visit Catfish Bait Recipes to get more great baits. For catfish fishing tips visit CatfishAngling.com.
How to Use Catfish Traps
Catfish traps are regulated or prohibited in many states. Before learning how to use catfish traps you should know the regulations for your area ahead of time. The reason for them being regulated so stringently regulated is that channel catfish must be able to move to breathe. If they can't breath they suffocate and die. You must also take responsibility for how you use the catfish traps. If you use the catfish trap to catch channel catfish for food that is fine but if you place the trap you must check it at least every 12 hours.
There are two types of catfish traps that are commonly used. One is a box made from wood slats with the entrance on one end across the bottom. The entrance into the box is angled out from the box. Another type is a box made from heavy wire mesh with a funnel made of wire at one end that narrows to a small opening in side the box. Both traps work by guiding the catfish through a small opening into the box. Whichever one you choose make sure it is big enough for the size fish you intend to trap. Big catfish are strong and can move a small trap especially if they have current helping them.
Once you have choosing what type of trap you will be using you need to decide on what bait you will be using. A lot of people use dog food. It does not cost much as a large supply can be purchased for fewer than ten dollars. Some of the other baits used are cheese, chicken livers, stink baits, and anything else you would normally use to fish for channel catfish. Another bait that seems to work very well is canned cat food but since cat food dissolves rapidly the best way to use it is to poke holes in the can and place the can in the trap.
That is all there is to it. Now you know how to use catfish traps. If it is legal in your area and you decide to use a catfish trap be responsible and check it as often as possible. Do not leave it in the water if you are not going to check it. Fish will swim into it and die.
Doug has been an avid angler for 35 years and is dedicated to providing you with the best Catfish Fishing information possible. For more information on catfish traps
The Right Catfish Hooks to Increase Your Success
how to select the right catfish hooks for the type of catfish you want to catch is very important. Fishing for a 2lb channel is vastly different than fishing for a 50lb blue or flathead catfish. The sizes I use range from 2 to 2/0 in most waters but there are times when you can use larger hooks up to 6/0 effectively.
I usually fish with a 2/0 baitholder hook as I can get both table fare and some good sized cats without having to worry about the hook failing. When I am at a location, such as below a dam, that has proven to produce monster cats consistently I will use a 4/0 hook.
The way I select the right catfish hook is easy. In waters where I am unsure of what to use I always start with a 1/0 baitholder hook. If your drag is set properly this hook is sturdy enough to bring in the big catfish and small enough to provide good table fare.
When I am trying to make sure I have a decent catch to take home for dinner I often switch to a smaller hook. Not many catfish anglers recommend this but I have had great success doing so. For instance, if I am having a problem with the catfish taking my bait, running with it for a short distance and then just simply dropping the bait I will switch to a #2 baitholder. Of course it is not as effective for big fish but it does put food on the table.
When it comes to winter fishing for catfish, you really can get better results using smaller hooks too. Even when you are trying to catch big fish. Especially in the winter, when the water is cold and calm, the catfish tend to be finicky, and you have to try to get them out of the water without spooking them.
In the springtime, when the fish are not so finicky, you can move up to some bigger hooks like a 4/0 baitholder hook. These are particularly good when there are flood water kinds of conditions present. During flood conditions, the fish tend to get very aggressive, and they really grab on to basically whatever is out there. You will miss some fish you could catch if you use the smaller hooks in flood conditions.
No matter what size or type hook you prefer to use you should always have an assortment on hand so that you can adapt to the waters or conditions you are fishing in. Go often enough and you will work out your own system and preferences for choosing the right catfish hooks.
For more information on the right catfish hooks. Doug has been an avid angler for 35 years and is dedicated to providing you with the best Catfish Fishing information
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