# Cooked shrimp for catfish



## B-Dub-

I caught channel catfish, last year, with cooked shrimp, i thought that was a no no, everyone was say only raw would work.....
Comments.....


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## Buckeyeguyty93

I use nothing but crawlers and do AWESOME more often than not... as far as shrimp goes i usually use raw with crawlers and crawlers typically out produce


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## JohnPD

Channel cats aren't that picky when hungry. I think raw shrimp is a bit more stinky than cooked shrimp, especially if left out for a bit before using them. Hey whatever works is good as long as you're catching instead of fishing.


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## Core_d

Raw shrimp would be my preferance. A few days old and stinky works, probably even better. Ive heard people say large channels wont eat rotten bait and thats simply not true, they love it.

Edit: john beat me to it.


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## Bass-Chad

Never used cooked, I have used raw, rotted shrimp with chicken blood marinade though.


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## katfish

> everyone was say only raw would work.....


Not everyone said that 

Channel cats will eat all sorts of organic matter and sometimes items that are not necessarily good for them. Never say never and it is probably best to never say always.

As far as channel cats eating cooked shrimp, I do feel their are lots of baits that would be better and less expensive.



> I caught channel catfish, last year, with cooked shrimp


Even a broken clock is right twice a day 

Catchabiggun,
Robby


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## rustyfish

I will second that there are much cheaper effective baits. On short notice or in the dead of winter when bait fish are not available they are a great option. Big piece of smelly flesh that smaller fish have trouble ripping off the hook. I have spent a small fortune on shrimp the last 4 months. I'll also second the soaked in blood technique. I always use raw but but there is no reason they would not eat cooked. I don't use cooked shad, gills, worms, or liver so why would I use cooked shrimp. Cooking removes some of the taste and smell so I see no point. Heck if you tried I bet you could catch one on just about anything. I think of catfish as the bears of the water. Big, strong, and will eat just about anything with a strong enough smell to get their attention.


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## Fishnhunt

Walmart is the cheapest option for shrimp, you can get 40-50 pieces for $5. That's cheaper than most baits that I use although I catch way bigger cats on cut bait 


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## Chillydigits

Raw shrimp from walmart, thawed, place in a gallon bag with the contents of a can of sardines or mackeral, mush together leave on the counter or in the sun for a couple hours, it works well for me especially early in the spring and late in the fall.


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## JohnPD

Heck, if I had to cook my shrimp first, I'd eat it myself before feeding it to the cats.


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## twistedcatfish1971

just caught 2 channels from west branch yesterday from shore using raw shrimp. a 2 lb and a 4 lber.


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## B-Dub-

JohnPD said:


> Heck, if I had to cook my shrimp first, I'd eat it myself before feeding it to the cats.


The shrimp was leftovers from a party, lol
So i tried it out....


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## B-Dub-

Someone claimed worms with garlic works....


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## Govbarney

For years I used cooked and did well, but my productivity increased exponentially after I switched to raw.


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## WallyWorld42

Try using chunks of raw chicken breast. Have had a lot of success catching channel cats with it. Don't knock it until you've tried it. Haha


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## B-Dub-

WallyWorld42 said:


> Try using chunks of raw chicken breast. Have had a lot of success catching channel cats with it. Don't knock it until you've tried it. Haha
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


I hear all kinda of stories, like Shad cutbait....


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## City fisher

Everyone has their own preference. There is a guy where I work that swears by the green nitro night crawlers. I think he gets them at walmart. Only thing he will fish for cats with. My cousin prefers raw shrimp and I prefer cut bait, but I will mix it up depending on the lake I'm fishing. Silver creek is raw shrimp, Milton is cut bait, Springfield is raw shrimp and night crawlers. I've used cooked shrimp before too and had success with it. I saw one caught in the canal by the baseball fields in Canal Fulton with a piece of chewed bubble gum by a couple kids. I think they will eat anything really.


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## damrat

Chicken livers shrimp salted and garlic, works great.


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## B-Dub-

damrat said:


> Chicken livers shrimp salted and garlic, works great.


Last season, everyone was using raw shrimp, i switched to liver, and was the only one to catch a Channel...


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## katfish

Maybe a picture can illustrate the difference in channel cats and hatchery released fry.










Sat night Chad got a 10.2 and I got an 8 channel and a saugeye on
live bluegills intended for flathead baits.

Feel free to use whatever you prefer for channel cat bait. I thought you wanted to know what caught big cats.


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## B-Dub-

katfish said:


> Maybe a picture can illustrate the difference in channel cats and hatchery released fry.
> 
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> Sat night Chad got a 10.2 and I got an 8 channel and a saugeye on
> live bluegills intended for flathead baits.
> 
> Feel free to use whatever you prefer for channel cat bait. I thought you wanted to know what caught big cats.


Whats the best way to hook the live bluegill?


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## fastwater

Like to hook mine just behind the dorsal fin and above the lateral line with a slip bobber rig.

If fishing current, through the lower lip up through a nose hole.


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## half pole

Hot dogs works good for us


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## bassattacker

i strictly use cut bait for channels, usually get better quality fish. Gills, Chubs, Suckers, Goldfish, Shad, etc... only on those super hot summer days ill break out some livers.


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## B-Dub-

bassattacker said:


> i strictly use cut bait for channels, usually get better quality fish. Gills, Chubs, Suckers, Goldfish, Shad, etc... only on those super hot summer days ill break out some livers.


Gill as cutbait, or live gill?


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## jonnythfisherteen2

bassattacker said:


> i strictly use cut bait for channels, usually get better quality fish. Gills, Chubs, Suckers, Goldfish, Shad, etc... only on those super hot summer days ill break out some livers.


Does the warmer water help spread the scent?


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## behole

i like to soak my liver in garlic salt, it toughens it up and helps the sent profile, and it seems like that warmer water prolly would spread sent better , it makes sense but sure about that, ive heard that the larger channels tend to prefer cut bait as opposed to liver though. yet liver has always been my tried and true, average 6 pound channels on it, perfect eaters


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## Mr. A

behole said:


> i like to soak my liver in garlic salt, it toughens it up and helps the sent profile, and it seems like that warmer water prolly would spread sent better , it makes sense but sure about that, ive heard that the larger channels tend to prefer cut bait as opposed to liver though. yet liver has always been my tried and true, average 6 pound channels on it, perfect eaters


Personally I like to soak my liver in rum. If you have enough of it you can pull in doubles or even triples IF you're even able to hook one! 

I grew up using shrimp and chicken livers but over the past couple of years have really stayed almost entirely with using cut bait or live gills. I have caught some big cats on livers and shrimp, but I have never caught a bullhead on a gill before! But I do admit I like shrimp over livers in a pinch.

Mr. A


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## behole

yeah, def right about the damn bull heads but hey if your low on cut bait there ya go lol, ive never had any luck with shrimp, i dont use it that often , i mix it with the liver get it all bloody thorw like 3 or so on my hook b4 i cast, but im also using left over shrimp cocktail from walmart, i figured soaking it in the blood would help, im going to try buying raw though


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## Nightcrawler666

I used cut up carp over the weekend in about 1-2" cubes, seemed to work pretty well. The fish were actively going for it almost immediately and I didn't catch anything other than 5lb+ cats. Kept the little ones away, as-well-as drum and carp.


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## Mr. A

I always use raw shrimp if I use shrimp. I may add some Anise oil and salt to them, and/or let them sit out and rot for a few days. Plus, it's easier to find a few uncooked shrimp in the "managers special" section! 

I also use the bigger tiger shrimp (I think?). I can only get one one the hook because I run my hook following the curve of the shrimp and just barely leave the point and barb exposed. No idea why, I have just always hooked shrimp like that.

Great, now I wanna go catfishing! LOL

Mr. A


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## monte39

QUO[TE=Mr. A;1833430]Personally I like to soak my liver in rum. If you have enough of it you can pull in doubles or even triples IF you're even able to hook one! 

I grew up using shrimp and chicken livers but over the past couple of years have really stayed almost entirely with using cut bait or live gills. I have caught some big cats on livers and shrimp, but I have never caught a bullhead on a gill before! But I do admit I like shrimp over livers in a pinch.

Mr. A[/QUOTE]

QUO[TE=Mr. A;1833430]Personally I like to soak my liver in rum. If you have enough of it you can pull in doubles or even triples IF you're even able to hook one! 

That's funny I've caught plenty of doubles after soaking my liver with beer for about eight hours


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## behole

really beer? thats awesome, how does it help? does it toughen it up at all or add a sent, do the fish like to get drunk while night fishing as well?


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## JohnPD

jonnythfisherteen2 said:


> Does the warmer water help spread the scent?


I personally don't think water temp helps spread scent any better than cold water.


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