# Bait?



## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

I really don't have a go to spot for catching shad. But I do have a spot to get creek chubs. I plan on using them for bait this year. I talked to a guy who told me that cut shad were better. My question is are chubs good for cut bait also? I was thinking I would try to cut the heads off and try to keep the guts hanging off them with a circle hook. I have only used small dead shiners and night crawlers. The only cats i get are small 8' channels and bullheads. So this season I'm going to change my bait. Any thoughts on creek chubs as bait? Or is it easier to just go to walmart and buy the blood bait?


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## Joey209 (Oct 17, 2007)

Creek Chubs live or cut are good bait


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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

if your fishing for flatheads in the lakes i dont recomend creek chubs because the channels will eat em up all nite long. Ive used 12 inch creek chubs before in the lake thinking it would be a great flat bait and i got channels all nite long a 3 lb channel will swallow a 12 inch creek chub faster than u can set the hook. But in rivers cut creek chubs and live are great baits for channels and flatheads both. I realy would not waste your time on dip baits and or blood baits inless you want to catch channels in the 1lb to 3 lb range.


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## tcba1987 (Jun 22, 2004)

Creek chubs are great bait for flatheads and channel cats either cut or live ..........ive caught 80% of my fish the past two years on chubs !!!

Stay away from dip baits ..........they are messy and ive never had much luck on them at all !!!


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## Poohflinger (Feb 2, 2010)

Thanks for the replies. I have no problem targeting catching channel cats. I just thought I needed to change up my bait from shiners and crawlers to chubs or shad. I spoke with a cat guide service. The guy was really helpful but strictly fished with shad. He stated they give off an oily smell that drives them nuts. I think I'll try chubs and see if I can upgrade my cats. I am not fond of bullheads and little channels, so a 3lbs channel is a welcome fish. Hopefully I can get a decent flathead with chubs as well.


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## FISHIN216 (Mar 18, 2009)

you know what works just as good is shrimp. I have experimented quite a bit and it seems to me that frozen raw shrimp thawed for 1! day in the fridge works just as good as all that live bait. for channels at least....just my 2 cents. I used to use alot more live bait but it really is a hassle to me and I just dont have the time for it


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## AkronCATS (Nov 5, 2008)

you can catch shad in almost any inland lake. If you have a boat with a decent fish finder you just need to look for them schooling then throw the net on them. If you don't have a boat, try throwing a net around boat docks, or bridges. Live creek chubs will work well too, but cut shad is much easier to use and most of the time works best.


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## 70bolt (Mar 12, 2010)

I used to wade the small creeks and seine minnows of all kinds. Chubs, shiners, mullets. The mullets (looks like a small striped sucker) is my favorite bait but there hard to get around here. Its funny, one week seems like shiners work great and the next week, chubs work great. But like last week, didnt get any bites on minnows but chicken liver worked well.
I try to take a little bit of everything to be on the safe side. Someone on here mentioned using hotdogs. Ive never tried this. Anyone else have luck with this?


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## Joey209 (Oct 17, 2007)

70bolt said:


> I used to wade the small creeks and seine minnows of all kinds. Chubs, shiners, mullets. The mullets (looks like a small striped sucker) is my favorite bait but there hard to get around here. Its funny, one week seems like shiners work great and the next week, chubs work great. But like last week, didnt get any bites on minnows but chicken liver worked well.
> I try to take a little bit of everything to be on the safe side. Someone on here mentioned using hotdogs. Ive never tried this. Anyone else have luck with this?


Mullet???? In Ohio?


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## monsterKAT11 (Jun 20, 2004)

Joey209 said:


> Mullet???? In Ohio?


i see mullets all the time at creeks in the trashy parts of dayton


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

like the rest have said cant go wrong with creek chubs, its like candy to them, if fishing a lake try using strawberry chicken, strawberry extract and boneless chicken breast.


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## Joey209 (Oct 17, 2007)

monsterKAT11 said:


> i see mullets all the time at creeks in the trashy parts of dayton


I wonder if I could sneak a cast net into a Lynard Skynard concert???


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## Joey209 (Oct 17, 2007)

bassattacker said:


> like the rest have said cant go wrong with creek chubs, its like candy to them, if fishing a lake try using strawberry chicken, strawberry extract and boneless chicken breast.


Why would you use that for catfish bait?????????That sounds delicious!!!!!!!!


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## bassattacker (Mar 14, 2007)

it sounds delicious and smells it too but it works, out at the club i use it alot when the cats are being picky and i usually can get them to turn on using it... plus its something different


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## monsterKAT11 (Jun 20, 2004)

Joey209 said:


> I wonder if I could sneak a cast net into a Lynard Skynard concert???


it works but it's sometimes hard to get the mullets out once you've got them...i've lost many a castnet at skynard concerts haha


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

monsterKAT11 said:


> it works but it's sometimes hard to get the mullets out once you've got them...i've lost many a castnet at skynard concerts haha


thats why i started taking 100ft sein nets


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

Joey209 said:


> Mullet???? In Ohio?


What he is calling mullet are really Stonerollers.

Chubs can be very effective bait. I strictly use shad, skipjack, mooneye, and the occasional blue gill. But I am also mainly only targeting blue cats.

Stink and dip baits are stinky, messy, and just good for catching small cats. You might catch a decent one every once in awhile, but cut bait will out produce it.


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

fishdealer04 said:


> What he is calling mullet are really Stonerollers.



Ive seen what they are referring to as mullet and def dont look anything like a stoneroller. But now that im thinking about it they could be baby grass carp, because it seems like they are everywhere now


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## skeeter21 (Mar 26, 2010)

Shad is the way to go, and make sure there fresh!


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

pendog66 said:


> Ive seen what they are referring to as mullet and def dont look anything like a stoneroller. But now that im thinking about it they could be baby grass carp, because it seems like they are everywhere now


What I call a mullet is what all the paylake guys call mullets because thats where I first learned about them. 99% of people that say mullets are referring to stonerollers. Most of them know they are stonerollers too but they still call them mullets. Just like they call flatheads shovelheads.


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## monsterKAT11 (Jun 20, 2004)

fishdealer04 said:


> What I call a mullet is what all the paylake guys call mullets because thats where I first learned about them. 99% of people that say mullets are referring to stonerollers. Most of them know they are stonerollers too but they still call them mullets. Just like they call flatheads shovelheads.


you should grow a mullet brian i think you would look freaking awesome


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## pendog66 (Mar 23, 2005)

fishdealer04 said:


> What I call a mullet is what all the paylake guys call mullets because thats where I first learned about them. 99% of people that say mullets are referring to stonerollers. Most of them know they are stonerollers too but they still call them mullets. Just like they call flatheads shovelheads.



well apparently im in the 1% that have seen fish that arent stonerollers and in my experience they were called chubs..:bulgy-eyes:


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## 70bolt (Mar 12, 2010)

I guess I started this mullet thing. I dont know what they really are but they look like a sucker but smaller (anywhere from 4" up to about 10" with stripes across its back). Ive never caught one on a hook when fishing for minnows but have netted them in deep holes when seining. I just called them mullets because that what my dad always called them. I guess no matter what they are, I'll always call them mullets. After 35 years of calling them mullets, it wouldnt seem right to call them anything else.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

monsterKAT11 said:


> you should grow a mullet brian i think you would look freaking awesome


Lol I might do that just for you


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