# Channel cat as bait???



## Captain Failboat (Jul 10, 2011)

Is it legal to use a channel cat as bait if its the same water you caught it from??? Also, when using bullheads is it necessary to cut off the spines???


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## KatseekN (Apr 10, 2012)

I'm not sure but I would think if it met all requirements to harvest it, it should be ok. Though I have no idea. Just a thought.

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## ducky152000 (Jul 20, 2005)

Any fish caught legally you can use for bait even bass, but if bass has a 12 inch size limit you would have to use 12 inch bass or bigger, you can use crappie but if there is a size limit on them you must follow the size limit, I cut the spines off of bullheads but im sure it realy don't matter, ive never caught a Flathead on bullheads in the lakes I fish, but I have caught Flathead on them in the river, that is still a mystery to me??????


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## Bass-Chad (Mar 9, 2012)

As it has been said already, any legal fish can be used as bait. I wouldn't recommend it though best bet would be a small bullhead or sunfish.


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

There is no need to cut the spines off the bullhead, flathead could care less about that. Baby channel cat work great in the GMR also, they have for me. Right now both dams are loaded with little channel and those flathead are munching down on them, them and bullhead both work good.


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## KatseekN (Apr 10, 2012)

Fishing for crappie the other day I caught a little channel. Would of made great bait about 5".

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## Captain Failboat (Jul 10, 2011)

I ask because Wednesday night I caught an eight inch channel and put him out on the lower dam. After about an hour I had a big run but when I set the hook there was nothing there. When I brought him back in his left pectoral fin was gone and his dorsal fin was broken in half. I switched him to a much lighter pole and threw him back in just for the heck of it while my big rod had a blue gill on it. After about twenty minutes the channel got taken by a monster, of course on my light rod. After a ten minute fight he took off and snapped my 12lb line. Later I got to thinking that I never here of anyone using channels as bait, so I just wanted to clarify so I can try again but not be breaking the law.


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## Mr. A (Apr 23, 2012)

I've never used a channel before but I have used bullheads or yellow bellies whatever you want to call them. I have read articals where the writer talked about finding other catfish in the stomachs of larger catfish. It only worked 1 time for me, and I landed a 15#'er off a little 5 or 6" bull head. Worth a try either way IMO...

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## katfish (Apr 7, 2004)

I think channel cats make poor baits because they
spin to escape and even with swivels in line they
twist up the hook and won't allow for good hooksets.

2 years ago I dropped a bait and never got a click.
We reeled up in the morning to a pleasant surprise.










Apparently I dropped the bait right into a brushpile and 
the goldfish immediately tangled it up. An enterprising 
channel cat came along and had no problem eating the
goldfish. But he was now hooked and thrashing a bit trying
to get loose of the hook and brush. This attracted the 
flathead who felt the vibrations of a distressed fish in its
lateral line and went o investigate.

The line was so tangled that even the flathead did not pull the
clicker.

As for bullhead, the only reason to clip spines is for your convenience.
You may not like the discomfort of catching the spiny little buggers
to bait with or worry they might injure each other in a bait bucket.
I doubt a flathead normally incurs a clipped bullhead and I feel they
would never know the difference. I believe they often eat fish 
without ever seeing it and I wonder if they smell/taste them. I 
do know once they feel close enough to flare their gills and inhale
a bait they rarely miss.


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