# Best catfish bait????



## Flipfishing (Apr 18, 2019)

So here's the million dollar question to settle an argument with my wife. She is new to fishing an is absolutely instant on using live bait for catching cats. I have always used dead bait such as chicken livers, hotdog, and bluegill. So any suggestions?


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## Morrowtucky Mike (May 2, 2018)

Imo it depends on the species and wether your after eaters or trophies. Flats I usually use live bait but cut skipjack works well also. Channels I’m a shrimp guy. Bull heads chicken livers and night crawlers works for me. I’ve never fished for blues yet so no opinion there. All catfish can be caught on just about anything including artificial lures but those are how I target each species.


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

Dog turd ha


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## Flipfishing (Apr 18, 2019)

I haven't gotten a blue yet but want to. I know they are in the Ohio and have seen many people pull them from around the new Cumberland dam off of route 7.


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## Harry1959 (Mar 17, 2011)

Live chubs or suckers


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## InlandKid (Aug 29, 2006)

I've tried them all, hot dogs, shrimp, chicken liver, pepperoni, stink bait, night crawler, cut bait. I seem to catch the most consistently on night crawlers out of them.


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## Pooka (Jan 30, 2012)

Flipfishing said:


> So here's the million dollar question to settle an argument with my wife. She is new to fishing an is absolutely instant on using live bait for catching cats. I have always used dead bait such as chicken livers, hotdog, and bluegill. So any suggestions?



That can depend on where you are, what time of year, what species of Catfish.
Once fished Santee Cooper and absolutely slayed them on beef liver, thought I had found the best bait ever. Tried that back home on the Mighty O and tribs and drew a blank.

In general, I like cut bait. Cut Skipjack is my favorite, then Shad, Bluegill, after that whatever is available, Chicken Liver, Nightcrawlers, stacked Minnows, prepared baits in descending order.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

i've had my best fishing for channels with chicken liver. also had good luck on trotlines with spam for channels and turtles. but for big flatheads live blue gills is best but other live bait has been good. so both of you are right depending on what your fishing for. never fished for blues so I don't have a clue which bait works for them.
sherman


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## hailtothethief (Jan 18, 2017)

In lake erie i like emerald shiners. It should be on pretty soon. The plus about shiners is the perch and crappie like em too so you can catch multiple species.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

The BEST bait, hands down, is WHATEVER the best food source in that body of water is prevalent... PERIOD

If you can catch shad or suckers/chubs from THAT particular body of water… Then you're going to have a lot of success.
I fish rivers in southwest Ohio for catfish ....And yes, I have caught them on Cut shad,live bluegills, and nightcrawlers… BUT...When I harvest crawdad's from the same river… My catch rate goes up exponentially and the fishing is absolutely ridiculously good!! 
I have also fished lakes around southwest Ohio, and I can catch them on a variety of baits… BUT...When I cast net shad from THAT particular body of water… The difference and success is night and day!!


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## BNiemo (Mar 28, 2019)

I have heard good things about fish bites


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## pawcat (Oct 24, 2011)

My favorite is shad.. must be fresh for best results.. live and cut.. I repeat must be fresh.


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

If your after mature channel cats it's really hard to beat fresh cut shad and suckers, if your after any size channel cat chicken liver is hard to beat for numbers. Now if your after flathead it depends on the time of the year. Live shad, suckers and even fresh cut shad is great in the spring until water gets in the upper 60s. From 60 to 70 degrees green sunfish and male bluegill is a great bait. When water is above 70 goldfish is your best bet. They are very Hardy and can live all night.


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## HeaVyMeTaLFiSHinGFiEnD (Oct 2, 2010)

I've caught more channel catfish on live minnows fishing for crappie than anything else. Catfish don't seem to be overly picky. I'd defiantly stay away from all the BS catfish bait they sell at wal mart or other bait stores. Gigantic waste of money!!!


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## doegirl (Feb 24, 2005)

For big channels and flatheads-live blue gills. For smaller channels I try to keep a selection of a few different baits on hand and let them tell me what they want. Whether it be nightcrawlers, chicken livers, shrimp, or cheap hotdogs infused with garlic.


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## Uglystix (Mar 3, 2006)

One of the best I have tried is Carp. Cut strips of meat with skin left on. The skin keeps it on the hook.


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## garshark (Aug 23, 2011)

I use to use nightcrawlers then someone insisted on me trying shrimp and I have had very good luck with those. But if looking for trophy catfish fresh cut bait is hard to beat


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## piketroller (Oct 24, 2016)

The best cut bait I’ve used came from carp. Shoot a ten pounder with a bow, and you can get a lot of chunks of bait from just one fish. Plus the cut bait actually keeps quite well in the freezer which is definitely not going to happen with shad.


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## stonefly71 (Apr 14, 2004)

Cut skipjack if they are around you mooneye shad bluegill they all work great even chicken breast plain or soaked in jello or garlic powder works


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## gbourne (May 21, 2008)

Live Bluegills.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

Can't believe nobody has mentioned shrimp for channel cats. We used to wear them out on Sandusky bay on spreaders.


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## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)

Last summer I caught a 7 lbs channel cat on a damn Jitterbug lure of all things! I agree with the consensus here though- nightcrawlers (I spray garlic bait scent on mine), shrimp and chicken livers will always produce, but live bait for Flatties and cutbait for Blues produces best. I'm in Wooster and I wish there was a catfish hole closer than 35 miles away!


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## HeaVyMeTaLFiSHinGFiEnD (Oct 2, 2010)

Atavistic By Nature said:


> Last summer I caught a 7 lbs channel cat on a damn Jitterbug lure of all things! I agree with the consensus here though- nightcrawlers (I spray garlic bait scent on mine), shrimp and chicken livers will always produce, but live bait for Flatties and cutbait for Blues produces best. I'm in Wooster and I wish there was a catfish hole closer than 35 miles away!


Pleasant hill and charles mill are both great catfish lakes


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## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)

Good call. I agree, especially Charles Mill, but they're 30 miles away. I hooked up with a Striper in CM fishing for shovel heads last year! Mogadore reservoir is just a little further and it's awesome for channel cats. Best I've found around here. I'm hitting it next weekend


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## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)




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## Doboy (Oct 13, 2008)

"I'm in Wooster and I wish there was a catfish hole closer than 35 miles away!"


Our hunting camp was on the Muskingum. 90% of our catch was CATS,,,,, many times one after another,,,, all night long. then SMB & a sauger or two.
Stillwell Bridge, up.
Heck,,, your not far from Coshocton,,,, hit all of those feeder mouths!?
I've seen many pictures from the locals, where the cats are in the back of a pick-up, & touching BOTH wheel wells!


And to add to the OP's question, & what many of the other's have said,,,,
TIME OF YEAR, + WATER TEMP, & whats 'Local',,, the available baitfish will make a huge difference.
When we're bank fishing the Ohio's feeders,,,, AFTER a bunch of spring rains,,,, a gob of night crawlers works better for us, than anything else that we tried.

Then Right below the dams, in the backwashes,,, we use cutbait. Any 'dink' that we can catch.

*Now, UP ERIE,,,, late May June,,,, we look for Bath-tub warm water. Maybe Way up a feeder, around the docks or in a cove. Hundreds of cats are feeding up near the surface. Just Like the white bass in a feeding frenzy,,,, they are herding the baitfish up. 
Any splash on the surface brings them up to your hook.*
Again,,,, we'll use a GOB of CRAWLERS,,, but we'll hang them 16"-24" below a popping cork!
Make that splash, wait 10-15 sec and jerk-splash again,,, and he's on! ;>)
Days like this, every year, same time; 
(ya,,ya,,, been posted before,,,, We'll try to up-date pics in 2 months! ;>)

If your wife would like a day like this,,,, just ask. You can follow us.
We'll need a bigger table.


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## Whaler (Nov 16, 2004)

I caught a lot of Blue Cats at Santee Cooper in the past using cut blue Back Herring.


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## Atavistic By Nature (Jul 4, 2018)

Man what are you trying to do to me lol I said CLOSER to Wooster not further! Ha! I'd honestly love to make that hour drive to Coshocton to clean up on Flatties and I appreciate the tip too but that's just way too much driving for my stupid back- Stenosis & disc disease. Not to mention how expensive it's getting to go fishing now too, damn, these gas prices are nuts! 



Doboy said:


> "I'm in Wooster and I wish there was a catfish hole closer than 35 miles away!"
> 
> 
> Our hunting camp was on the Muskingum. 90% of our catch was CATS,,,,, many times one after another,,,, all night long. then SMB & a sauger or two.
> ...


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## Bronze backs&cats (Aug 1, 2021)

Morrowtucky Mike said:


> Imo it depends on the species and wether your after eaters or trophies. Flats I usually use live bait but cut skipjack works well also. Channels I’m a shrimp guy. Bull heads chicken livers and night crawlers works for me. I’ve never fished for blues yet so no opinion there. All catfish can be caught on just about anything including artificial lures but those are how I target each species.


I have got to say as with most fish species season water temperature and prevailing weather patterns mean everything on what bait to use and which cat you are targeting


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## PG2 (Jan 28, 2020)

Try the white perch as cut bait! You will be pleasantly surprised..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## brad crappie (Sep 29, 2015)

Shrimp and chicken liver left out for 24 hours with covid blood on it! No doubt the best ever


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## Gotworms (Jan 29, 2015)

Chubs fun to catch as the catfish


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## slimdaddy45 (Aug 27, 2007)

Doboy said:


> "I'm in Wooster and I wish there was a catfish hole closer than 35 miles away!"
> 
> 
> Our hunting camp was on the Muskingum. 90% of our catch was CATS,,,,, many times one after another,,,, all night long. then SMB & a sauger or two.
> ...


Those are some of best flathead bait there is live of course the green sunfish I like those better than bluegill but cant alway get them the one in my avatar was caught on a 12'' yellowbelly


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

Flathead76 said:


> Can't believe nobody has mentioned shrimp for channel cats. We used to wear them out on Sandusky bay on spreaders.


I take frozen shell on shrimp and let them sit in the sun for the last couple hrs of sun to get nice and nasty. They work magic


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## c. j. stone (Sep 24, 2006)

Atavistic By Nature said:


> Man what are you trying to do to me lol I said CLOSER to Wooster not further! Ha! I'd honestly love to make that hour drive to Coshocton to clean up on Flatties and I appreciate the tip too but that's just way too much driving for my stupid back- Stenosis & disc disease. Not to mention how expensive it's getting to go fishing now too, damn, these gas prices are nuts!


Off topic, but I seize any opportunity to help someone w/ back trouble! I had those two AND sciatica! Then saw an article in a med mag “at my dentists waiting room”! The gist of this was(according to my specialist-only surgery would help!) In a study in Europe, 100 people with severe back problems tried this. 75 of them had complete healing or reduction of pain to 5-10%(minimal) of what they started with, all the remainder had “substantial“ pain reductions to “Tolerable” levels! You get a “standard Vit B Complex” supplement at the store(if I rem. correctly around 50-60 mg and they'll normally have a couple other things in them), take one(religiously!!)-EVERY DAY for 30 days! This completely Worked For Me!(no more numbness and leg throbbing, no more lower back pain(even from light yard work!), no tossing and turning at night trying to find a painless position to sleep, no rolling onto the floor in the morning then dragging myself “erect“ by clawing the bed! This was 15 years ago. My back is(has been since I did this “treatment”), good to go! I have to admit, I(still) sleep in a Lazy Boy recliner(just easier to get upright at 75/yrs!) and I occasionally pop a B Complex at the slightest back “twinge”, but no cronic back pain since(two weeks after starting!) the initial protocol mentioned above! No doc will ever advise “OTC supplements” so don’t even ask them. But pls PM me if this helps!


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