# Was told this wouldn't work



## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

While on my way out to CJ Brown last evening I was talkin' with my brother and mentioned to him that I had taken some cocktail shrimp we had leftover for some catfishin'.He doubted it would work because everyone we know the fishes regularly for cats uses a different kind of shrimp.It did work for me cause i ended up catching 4 channels on the stuff.The biggest channel was 2 1/12-3lbs.I basically had taken it with me on a whim.I went back out there again this morning with it & again I got me some more cats.1 bullhead,3channels.Todays biggest channel cat went right around 2lbs or so,coulda been a lil more or a lil less.Probably should take my scales with me more often.Anyone else ever tried that kind of shrimp & if so what results did you all have on it.


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Just about any kind of shrimp will work for small channels. It's always cool finding new baits that people say won't work. If you do a search on Channel Baits, there are some doozies.


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

yea,they all work,some better than others. i use large, raw with scales. walmart


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## Pole Squeezer (Jun 21, 2008)

Small coctail shrimp works for smaller channels, but I use larger shrimp for bigger cats. I live near a seafood market, and their medium shrimp are 5.99 a pound. I prefer gulf shrimp (saltwater) over tiger shrimp(freshwater) the gulf shrimp has a stronger scent. I buy a half pound, and I can normally get 2-3 trips out of them. I fish them fresh, not spoiled.


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## Relayer09 (Mar 8, 2010)

I've had alot of success using any kind of shrimp. I haven't noticed any difference on any particular type being better than another. The funny part of using shrimp for cats is sometimes you get a nice bass on your line. I had that happen twice last year.


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## ur_averagejoe4 (Aug 18, 2009)

My biggest catfish was on a piece of Kroger raw white shrimp shell on. It went 10 lbs up at Indian Lake. I was shocked that something that big wanted that piece of shrimp. $5.00 a bag and we would use it until it's all gone, usually about a month or so. Everytime we get home, it goes back in the fridge in the garage. I don't get people who argue about fresh products, when most people want the smelliest bait out there for cats. I've heard people sit out liver for a day in the sun to get the smell, so why wouldn't old shrimp or any other kind of meat be ok if it's a couple weeks or a month old? I still caught cats on really old shrimp.


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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

Relayer09 said:


> I've had alot of success using any kind of shrimp. I haven't noticed any difference on any particular type being better than another. The funny part of using shrimp for cats is sometimes you get a nice bass on your line. I had that happen twice last year.


So far this year since i've been takin' out the cocktail shrimp,i've caught warmouths,white & black crappies,bluegills,whitebass,& of course the cats(channels n bullheads).Biggest channel i've gotten so far went around 7-10lbs(no scales but was longer & fatter than some of the 5's i've gotten & smaller than my biggest to date:a 10lbers outta a farm pond).See I was always told you had to use tiger shrimp(cause that's what eveyone i know uses) and my shrimp cocktail wouldn't work.Like I said i've caught 7 different kinds of fish on it so far,so i'm gonna stick to what's been workin' for me.If & when I do go after the "bigger" cats I do use small bluegills or something to that effect.Thanks to ya all for your feedback so far on this subject.


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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

I think my brother thinks i'm crazy when i've told him about what i've caught on it.Those gills,warmouths,crappies,& whitebass(1 so far on it) will hit it to.Actually figured that out on accident,"something" kept messin' with my stuff so I downsized my hook n pieces of shrimp.That's when i started catchin' everything else besides the cats.My biggest crappie to date this year(13'') has come off a whole piece of the shrimp.That was a pleasant surprise.


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## catmanbennie (Jan 15, 2010)

spfldbassguy said:


> While on my way out to CJ Brown last evening I was talkin' with my brother and mentioned to him that I had taken some cocktail shrimp we had leftover for some catfishin'.He doubted it would work because everyone we know the fishes regularly for cats uses a different kind of shrimp.It did work for me cause i ended up catching 4 channels on the stuff.The biggest channel was 2 1/12-3lbs.I basically had taken it with me on a whim.I went back out there again this morning with it & again I got me some more cats.1 bullhead,3channels.Todays biggest channel cat went right around 2lbs or so,coulda been a lil more or a lil less.Probably should take my scales with me more often.Anyone else ever tried that kind of shrimp & if so what results did you all have on it.


I use cooked and raw shrimp when I go channel fishing at C.J.Brown.Sometimes I let it soke in garlic powder the day before I go out...I have alot of luck on shrimp there.Good luck!


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

I have done 2 tournaments with raw shrimp and placed 3rd and 4th...I bet I wouldnt have placed at all with cocktail shrimp IMO


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## Whiskerhunter (Sep 24, 2009)

Anything, and I mean ANYTHING that has a strong scent will attract cats. Shrimp of all sorts, spoiled chicken liver, fresh chicken liver, Ivory soap, hot dogs, cut bait, dip bait, dough baits, chicken breast marinated in strawberry jello (unboiled), worms, and just about any other thing you might think about putting on a hook. Your "x-factors" are primarily the time of year, and the individual waterway. Talk to the locals to find out what works best there. For example one of the lakes I fish the most productive method is to float a shrimp or shad about 3 feet down off a bobber right at the weedline. I've tried damn near every other method there with no takers, but man, put a shrimp in the water column and hang on... Other places I have to tightline a nightcrawler to see any action. Other places I slip rig on an egg weight with my spool in freewheel with the clicker on. It really is a matter of trial and error to find what works. Study up on all the presentations, try different things that "stink good", and eventually you'll find something.


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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

Yeah every body of water is different,different tactics for different places.I've tried just bout everything for cats except ivory soap.I've heard that it does work but haven't tried it out yet.Maybe someday soon here i'll put that to use as well.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

IMO when the shrimp starts stinking they stop eating it


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## catmanbennie (Jan 15, 2010)

Whiskerhunter said:


> Anything, and I mean ANYTHING that has a strong scent will attract cats. Shrimp of all sorts, spoiled chicken liver, fresh chicken liver, Ivory soap, hot dogs, cut bait, dip bait, dough baits, chicken breast marinated in strawberry jello (unboiled), worms, and just about any other thing you might think about putting on a hook. Your "x-factors" are primarily the time of year, and the individual waterway. Talk to the locals to find out what works best there. For example one of the lakes I fish the most productive method is to float a shrimp or shad about 3 feet down off a bobber right at the weedline. I've tried damn near every other method there with no takers, but man, put a shrimp in the water column and hang on... Other places I have to tightline a nightcrawler to see any action. Other places I slip rig on an egg weight with my spool in freewheel with the clicker on. It really is a matter of trial and error to find what works. Study up on all the presentations, try different things that "stink good", and eventually you'll find something.


Great read Whiskerhunter......


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## ur_averagejoe4 (Aug 18, 2009)

FISHIN216 said:


> IMO when the shrimp starts stinking they stop eating it


That's when we start getting the big ones.


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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

Boyz
You have heard that everyone has an opinion ************************

I have some facts. University of Miss performed studies to find what 
channel cats preferred for food. Of course this study was funded 
by commercial channel cat farmers who wanted to improve production
by finding exactly what cats would prefer and eat and grow quickly.

Anyway the studies found that channel cats detected aqautic animal 
blood at a little over 3 times the ratio of terrestrials blood. With no 
current this would cause detection in a volume of 9-10 larger for 
fish/craw blood.

Interestingly they drew no distinction between freshwater fish blood 
and saltwater fish blood. They dectect a blood enzime in fish blood 
and I imagine it is the same or similar.

This makes sense to me. Catfish evolved to detect foods most common
in their environment. It seems natural that they could detect aquatic
food sources better since they are less likely to find chiken livers or 
beef livers in their environment.










BTW scent/taste carries in water molecules different from how it does 
in air molecules. Fish smell/taste/detect scent differently from humans. 

The common misconception that channel cats prefer something that 
humans smell as foul is not true. Small channels will tune in on 
decomposing material often preferring it in early spring when winter 
killed shad are what they search for.










To consistently catch channel cats you must find what the most 
abundant food source is at the time and use that for bait. Channel 
cats are very adaptable and eat a large variety of foods.Check the 
stomach contents of the first cat you get and you will find a lead 
as to what bait you should be using.


When in doubt I have found fresh cut shad to be appealing to channel 
cats.Shad is the food source fueling lakes with lots of big healthy fish.










I believe that larger channel cats often become predators and even
canibals to support their size and energy requirements. If you have 
the patience for larger channel cats live baits are the best bet.

Channel cats are opportunistic and are caught on a wide variety of 
baits. I relay the piscatorial blood enzyme idea to you to help catch
more channel cats. Since they detect fish blood at much 
lower concentrations in water than other food sources, your catch
rate should improve.


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## spfldbassguy (Mar 23, 2009)

A few of the die hard cat guys that I know swear by this rule:"The stinkier it is,the better they'll bite it".They live & die by that theory(so to speak).Have you ever smelled those dip baits,some of 'em will make you wanna toss your cookies. Heck in all those fishin' magazines when they mention baits they usually talk about the "stink factor" as well as placement of said baits.Between the magazines & the folks I know,there's gotta be something to it.It works


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## Jackfish (Apr 15, 2004)

I prefer the uncooked shrimp, and have had a fair amount of success with it - but "honey make sure to buy the uncooked shrimp" means I have had to use the precooked stuff a bunch of times, and it has worked pretty well.


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