[Swim and Jig]

I thought we could share cut bait tricks that we have. I'm new to catfishing and caught my first channel on cut bait yesterday. Must say it was fun. Maybe it was just me, but the cats seem to strike the bait harder.

I was using blue gill cut in strips and used the head too. Has anyone ever heard of XXX Blood Bait? I've never heard of using a dip on cut bait.

 

[vaporizor]

Your on the right track, bream heads work awesome, I normally cut them from behind the head at a angle to behind the vent so you retain the entrails in 1 bait, then hook through the bottom of the jaw and come out between the eyes, catfish candy for sure

 

[Mack in N.C.]

Best advise I can give you on cutbait is GARLIC SPRAY. not powder, some guys like powder and its ok for freezing cutbait but Garlic spray is the ticket. My taxidermist told me about this 20 plus years ago and if you are using straight cutbait and your partner is using the same cutbait with the spray you will get outfished. good ones are Bang garlic spray and jacks juice.

http://mackinncblog.blogspot.com/2013/07/garlic-for-catfishing.html

 

[Luni]

No complaints with cut bait and garlic powder. Friday I was getting bit as fast as I could get a bait in the water. A couple times I would get a fish in, get it on the fish grips and unhooked and if the bait was still on sling it back out and have another fish on before I got the first on the stringer.

Tried chicken livers a couple times and just had a whole bunch of bluegill clean my hooks off for me.

 

[Tomahawk]

Right now the blues and flatheads are going after live bait, like whiteperch. Yesterday I got about 10 blues and 12 flatheads biggest at 30lbs. it's been rocking and rolling out there lalty. Been having ther best luck 2 hrs before dark.

 

[Mack in N.C.]

No complaints with cut bait and garlic powder. Friday I was getting bit as fast as I could get a bait in the water. A couple times I would get a fish in, get it on the fish grips and unhooked and if the bait was still on sling it back out and have another fish on before I got the first on the stringer.

Tried chicken livers a couple times and just had a whole bunch of bluegill clean my hooks off for me.

Didn't mean to make garlic powder sound like it wouldn't work cause it does but imo garlic spray last longer.

But, if you have a date that night or are married don't use garlic spray cause if you are not very careful you will smell like garlic for awhile. in that case powder is better. Either way u don't have to worry about vampires!

 

[roostertail24]

I tried raw chicken marinated in garlic powder once for a while but went right to back to using shrimp for channels. I don't think you will ever find a better cat bait than shrimp, fresh cut bait or live bait.

 

[Mack in N.C.]

I tried raw chicken marinated in garlic powder once for a while but went right to back to using shrimp for channels. I don't think you will ever find a better cat bait than shrimp, fresh cut bait or live bait.

Fishwhisperer and myself floated a river last year for bass and we saw 2 guys wear out the channel cats on jugs using shrimp for bait.

 

[Swim and Jig]

Awesome tips all around. So with the garlic spray, you just spray down a piece of cut bait?

Also, vaporizor, when you say cut at an angle do you mean so there's more meat on the bottom half of the head?

luni, doesn't the powder just wash right off? How do I keep it on there?

 

[Luni]

I cut the bait, coat it until it disappears, then toss it in baggies and throw it in the freezer until I need it. I like to think some of the flavor gets into the meat. Most of the powder rinses off. Friday you probably could have tossed out a treble hook in an old sock and caught fish. Saturday they were pecking. You'd get one hit and if you didn't hook into the fish it was gone. I would leave the bait in place for a while then reel in and try a different spot. After a few casts I would throw on fresh bait cause it made me feel better. A garlic scent designed to last underwater would be way better if you're letting a bait soak to draw in fish. I was basically hitting actively feeding fish in the head with fish food.

Next time out I'll try shrimp and garlic spray for comparison. I kinda think anything but chicken livers will get the fish's attention.

 

[riverpirate]

I think it's being over thought here, I've never had any problems with fresh cut bait just plain. No sprays, no powders, etc etc. live bait is my number one, with cut shad or bream cut in half for number two.

 

[Swim and Jig]

Yea, I was using plain cuts Saturday and had a great day. But I'm all for new ways to fish. I was even able to catch a cat and reuse the same piece of bait to catch another. The blood had washed all the way off and they still loved it. I'm still in search of a "big" cat though. I guess I have to go to the river.

 

[sundrop]

I caught several small 1-3 lb channels in Falls last week all were full of very mature eggs.. I like to use shrimp but nightcrawlers or liver is great and cheaper and cut bream is free!

 

[Mack in N.C.]

Awesome tips all around. So with the garlic spray, you just spray down a piece of cut bait?

Also, vaporizor, when you say cut at an angle do you mean so there's more meat on the bottom half of the head?

luni, doesn't the powder just wash right off? How do I keep it on there?

Yeah just bait up and let the bait hang in front of you and spray it down. it really does work and it easy, simple and quick.
Remember if you get it on you you are going to smell like garlic for a good while.....I was skeptical 20 years ago when my taxidermist told me about garlic spray but he always outfished me with it. there is a good video on you tube about garlic worms also...you put diced up garlic cloves in with night crawlers and the crawlers eat it and they smell like garlic.....search garlic worms on you tube....they really work better than regular crawlers as I tried them last year.

 

[Brenardo]

One thing I think is often over looked IMO is the way your bait floats in the water. You definitely don't want it spinning like a helicopter. I always try to think hydrodynamics of my bait and make it as easy of a meal for a catfish as possible.

 

[boredgunny]

As kids we would catch the sunfish (didn't matter what kind), cut them in strips from the head all the way to the tail (throwing the tail away) and put everything in a glass one gallon jar and a couple of tablespoons of vinegar and then set it on the porch for a week or so and then use them the following weekend. Yeah, you had to turn away from the smell, but the cats would tear them up.

 

[sundrop]

To me, adding scent helps bring the fish to you, when you may not have quite found the right hole for them. If you find a good spot it doesnt take much to get them eating. But if you are a little off, or fishing for roaming feeders, like blues and channels, scent helps alot.

 

[badge]

Well up north I would take my dad every year to the catfish tournament, he always liked to use day old liver and it stinks, he would catch some catfish, me I always use my go to bait hot dogs and I would catch twice as many and bigger fish.

 

[sundrop]

I have found that "stink" baits catch more smaller fish. Good for filling a cooler with fryers but not good for trophy hunting.