Catfish baits

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
So I’ve recently started more seriously fishing for catfish, mainly to eat. Also because my daughter has discovered a new fascination with them and wants to catch “a big catfish”
Looking to expand my bait repertoire.
In the past I’ve stuck to the old standbys of night crawlers and chicken livers.

What are some others you guys might recommend trying?

If it matters, I’ll be predominantly fishing some of my local lakes.
Badin, Tuckertown, Tillery,

I’ve even hit up City Lake in Albemarle and Lake Murtis in Dan Nicholas Park in Salisbury.


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nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you want to catch really "big" catfish you are talking live bait except for blues, you will do just fine with fresh cut bait for them.

Certain times of the year you will also do alright for flatheads with cut bait, but day in and day out they prefer fresh.
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you want to catch really "big" catfish you are talking live bait except for blues, you will do just fine with fresh cut bait for them.

Certain times of the year you will also do alright for flatheads with cut bait, but day in and day out they prefer fresh.

I’m looking to catch MORE catfish honestly.
And my 5yo. Thinks the 5lb channel cat I caught at City Lake in Albemarle is BIG... LOL


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nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I’m looking to catch MORE catfish honestly.
And my 5yo. Thinks the 5lb channel cat I caught at City Lake in Albemarle is BIG... LOL


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You can't go wrong much of anywhere you are talking about fishing then with fresh cut shad. If you have access to a cast net you can usually catch them at the Wildlife access right off Bringle Ferry Rd below High Rock dam on Tuckertown. Or buy them at hwy. 49 sporting goods or Hills Minnow Farm. If you do choose to net them remember the 200 per person per day limit.
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
You can't go wrong much of anywhere you are talking about fishing then with fresh cut shad. If you have access to a cast net you can usually catch them at the Wildlife access right off Bringle Ferry Rd below High Rock dam on Tuckertown. Or buy them at hwy. 49 sporting goods or Hills Minnow Farm. If you do choose to net them remember the 200 per person per day limit.

Thanks for the tip!
I’ll probably go the buying route... I probably would end up on someone’s “Look at this Idiot” YouTube video trying to use a cast net


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nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Thanks for the tip!
I’ll probably go the buying route... I probably would end up on someone’s “Look at this Idiot” YouTube video trying to use a cast net


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If you decide to get a cast net buy a GOOD one, Betts or Old Salt. Get a 5or6' that is all you need. Plenty of lead line. Go on YouTube and watch all the different vids then get in your yard. A clean yard with grass will not hurt the net one bit and practice. You will get the hang of it. Once you have it down pat THEN take it out to catch bait. You don't need or want an audience learning unless someone is there teaching you.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Hot dogs, marshmallows, bubble gum, store bought stink wads, bloody meat of any nature, cut bait, live bait....they will bite about anything. Caught a couple on a beetle spin here and there but it’s rare.

Frogs work well.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Saw a squirrel fall out of a tree once over a pond....don’t know if it was a big bass or a cat....but something made short work of him.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Easiest for eater cats and getting more numbers....

Punch bait or other stink bait, chicken breast, or cut fish.

Make it more than a catfish trip.
Go catch perch, bluebill or bass. Use fresh or freeze fast.

Fresh cut bait always best for bigger but just for eaters chicken is easy and fast.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
Saw a squirrel fall out of a tree once over a pond....don’t know if it was a big bass or a cat....but something made short work of him.
are you telling this for a truth? Full size squirrel?
I thought I had heard them all but you may win with this story.
I love it.
 

pattersonj11

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
The squirrel didn’t strike me as exceptionally large, but I recognized it as a squirrel. Might have been a young squirrel, but still a squirrel.

That’s true. Olivia NC.
 

specialk

Twelve Pointer
x2 on hot dogs and chicken breast filets cut in nuggets.....pour a pack of strawberry-banna jello in a bag of cut up chicken breast and marinate overnight.....sticky mess but finicky cats will bite......also nuke the hot dogs till they get a little tough....stays on the hook longer......
 

shadebaby

Six Pointer
x2 on hot dogs and chicken breast filets cut in nuggets.....pour a pack of strawberry-banna jello in a bag of cut up chicken breast and marinate overnight.....sticky mess but finicky cats will bite......also nuke the hot dogs till they get a little tough....stays on the hook longer......
hmmm how do you keep from eating the hot dogs?????:p
 

pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Giving it a try at Long Lake in City Lake Park
We’ll see what we get


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pcbuckhunter

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
No cats for me, but my daughter caught 15 on her nightcrawlers. She also caught a soft shell turtle
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JJWise

Twelve Pointer
In WV I usually had the best luck with hotdogs or chicken livers, shove them in pantyhose to keep them on the hook better. Recently I’ve discovered that biscuit dough wrapped around a circle hook works great! Usually not great big fish but I tend to get more bites on that setup.
 

GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
Chicken breast cut in 1/2 wide x 2-3" strips. Sprinkle a bunch of garlic salt and put in a Ziploc. This works well in the Catawba chain but not the Yadkin chain for whatever reason. If you are fishing Tuckertown just throw out some live bream and you will catch some big flatheads.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
sounds good,,,when do we fire up the grill?

no offense guys,,,but I draw the line at using FOOD to catch FOOD,,,,,
Weeeeell, that could be a problem. You haven't admonished us for all the cut shad recommendations. LMAO But again it ain't food except for coons and a certain few. :p
 

specialk

Twelve Pointer
sounds good,,,when do we fire up the grill?

no offense guys,,,but I draw the line at using FOOD to catch FOOD,,,,,

not much different than catching bream or mullet, which can make a great meal, and using them for cut up bait......back in the 80's we would go to VA beach for the week of the 4th of july.....the last day we would hit the pier for fishing and crabbing.....we would buy chicken backs and necks to bait the traps with.....grandad just couldn't understand why we would waste the best part of a chicken to catch those nasty crabs.....lol......
 

thelivecanary

Eight Pointer
I’m looking to catch MORE catfish honestly.
And my 5yo. Thinks the 5lb channel cat I caught at City Lake in Albemarle is BIG... LOL


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I catch small panfish and then cut them up fresh, it's the best bait if you don't get live shad. The white catfish is by far the best eating of the bunch and the bullhead is equally fine. Best of luck.
 

GSOHunter

Twelve Pointer
Contributor
sounds good,,,when do we fire up the grill?

no offense guys,,,but I draw the line at using FOOD to catch FOOD,,,,,
I can usually take a couple chicken breasts and turn them into numerous catfish filets but I get what you are saying.
 
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