Cat fish bait ?

[gaddy]

What are you guys using ? I've heard about so many different odd baits. Tried a couple with no luck. Talked to a guy yesterday that said chunked chicken breast sprinkled with strawberry jello powder was his go to. 

[Southpole]

What have you tried so far?

[Kola16]

NightcrawlersYou're welcome 

[jackelope]

We used to catch them like crazy back east with cut up chunks of herring. I bet shad would work. Really probably anything would work. Nightcrawlers for sure. Don't overthink it. They're bottom feeding scavengers.

[h20hunter]

When legal, fresh cut bait from any forage fish native to the waters.

[pickardjw]

They go crazy for chicken liver. They make procure for it so it stays on the hook better too. It's all we use in the south.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Kittens.

[Ridgeratt]

Perhaps reach out to a fella on here.
Goes by the alais of RASBO.
He may have a few pointers.

[cbond3318]

When legal, fresh cut bait from any forage fish native to the waters.

  And blue package frozen squid bodies.

[duckmen1]

Chicken Liver and cut bait work great. Chicken liver usually hooks up a little better on bites unless you really let them swallow it. I do a lot of catch and release so set the hook early to hook in roof of mouth or lips. At least a 2/0 hook. 12lb line.

[brokentrail]

What are you guys using ? I've heard about so many different odd baits. Tried a couple with no luck. Talked to a guy yesterday that said chunked chicken breast sprinkled with strawberry jello powder was his go to. 

I would guess that guy got his go to bait from Dieter Melhorn, he's a pretty well known catfisherman, he has a YouTube channel, knows how to catch catfish and that bait is something he teaches how to make and he swears by it.  I've never used it, YMMV.

We have always done well with cut bait of some sort for Blue's and Flatheads, worms for Channel's.  Been a long time since I was able to catfish though.

[IFunk]

My Dad was always very successful with night crawlers.  If there was one catfish in a lake, he would catch it. 

*Disclaimer* I'm not condoning any water pollution and would never do this, but find it somewhat interesting:

I once heard that catfish will hit cigarette butts or anything sprayed with wd-40. 

I recently learned from a very proficient fishing guide that if you want to get them off the bottom to drop a can of chew down there and reel it up.  And that they don't like it.  Good luck. 

[carpsniperg2]

Works and chicken liver has been what we have used in the past. I want to try some of the procure on the livers to see how they hold up. I use bait net in balls to keep them on the hook.

[gaddy]

1st off, I Have never "seriously"  targeted catfish but want to get into them. Tried a few times and used night crawlers, "fresh" chicken breast, caught a few blue gills for bait, all beef hot dogs left in a ziplock for a couple days out side (gotta wear plastic gloves for these) and a few other things I can't remember that people have said work. Never tried chicken livers.  I'm thinking it might be location or depth.
Got to thinking about the scents in the bait fridge. Maybe bloody tuna, garlic, shrimp, crayfish ? Maybe some of my steel head shrimp.
Just had a thought, Years ago, early 80s I was sitting on the bank of the Columbia killing time with a worm out doing no good. Had brought a can of baby smoked oysters for a snack. Decided to hook one up and in short order had a nice little 3' sturgeon on (now that was a battle on a trout pole with 8lb). Might have to give that a try.
Thanks for the suggestions all.

[LDennis24]

As stated, nightcrawlers and chicken liver, or cut bait for blues and flatheads. I know some folks who make their own nasty dough bait too. Several recipes available. Buy some cheap fillets at Walmart and cure them with Borax and salt or get yourself a cast net and find some sucker minnows to net and use. Depending on legality of where your going of course. Immediately chill the minnows you catch so they are fresh and don't rot. It only takes a few hrs after a fish dies to rot if it's not chilled. Big catfish like to eat big meals and fresh ones at that, so fresh minnows will be a good one for big cats.

[fast60eddie]

Mackerel, put a good chunk of it on a number 1 bait holder no weight.

[rasbo]

Bluegill killer bait

[asmith]

Back when I used to catfish a lot, in my used to state, I would always use expired chicken livers or dead clams.  Most grocery stores with a fresh seafood counter will either give you or drastically discount the dead clams.  Just use some thread to wrap it onto your hook and you're good to go.

Catfish are also attracted to light.  We used to take glow sticks and tie them to another pole with a heavy weight and throw it somewhat close to where are bait was sitting.  I don't know if that would be allowed here in Washington or not.

[Pete112288]

Bluegill killer bait

 
The only thing I have personally fished that did better than nightcrawlers was cut bluegill.

[Trapper John]

When legal, fresh cut bait from any forage fish native to the waters.

  And blue package frozen squid bodies.

Bluegill killer bait

Cut bait has always worked for me, forget the odd stuff like jell-o hotdogs, etc.



 
The only thing I have personally fished that did better than nightcrawlers was cut bluegill.