The Catfish Buffet: A Guide to the Best Baits
In almost every other type of fishing, we talk about lure color, action, and vibration. In the world of catfishing, one sense rules them all: smell. A catfish’s body is covered in taste buds, and their whiskers, or “barbels,” are highly advanced sensory organs that can detect minute amounts of scent in the water from a long way off. Your success as a catfish angler is almost entirely dependent on how appealing your bait smells to the fish. But here’s the secret: not all catfish like the same smells. Matching your bait to your target species is the key to success.
For Channel Catfish: The Scent is Everything
Channel catfish are the most opportunistic of the big three. They are primarily scavengers with a highly developed sense of smell, and they are attracted to loud, pungent, “stinky” odors.
Prepared Baits (Stink Baits)
This is the classic “stink bait” that many people associate with catfishing. They come in several forms, like “dip baits” that you dip a special ribbed worm into, or thicker “punch baits” that you press a bare hook into. They are made from a secret recipe of rotten cheese, fish guts, and other foul-smelling concoctions. They are messy, they stink, but for catching lots of channel cats, they are incredibly effective.
Chicken Livers and Shrimp
Fresh chicken livers, found in any grocery store, are a classic channel cat bait. They are full of blood and scent. The only downside is that they are very soft and can be difficult to keep on a hook. A popular alternative is raw shrimp, which is tougher and also puts out a strong scent as it soaks in the water.
For Blue Catfish: Fresh and Bloody is Better
While a blue catfish will occasionally eat a prepared bait, the big, trophy-sized blues are primarily predators. They are not looking for something rotten; they are looking for a fresh, natural meal. The key is fresh, oily, bloody baitfish.
Cut Shad and Skipjack
The undisputed king of all blue catfish bait is fresh-cut gizzard shad. These oily baitfish are the primary food source for blue cats in most reservoirs. Cut the shad into thirds: the head is a fantastic bait, as is a section from the middle of the body. The goal is to have blood and oils leaking into the water, creating a scent trail that a roaming blue cat can hone in on. Other great cut bait options include skipjack herring, carp, and drum.
For Flathead Catfish: Strictly Live Bait
This is the simplest category of all. As we covered in our guide to flatheads, these fish are apex predators, not scavengers. If you want to catch a flathead, you need to use live, struggling bait. A big, active bait sends out vibrations of distress that a flathead can feel from a long way off.
Live Bluegill and Sunfish
A hardy, 4- to 6-inch live bluegill, sunfish, or even a small bullhead is the perfect bait. Hook it carefully to keep it lively. A flathead will ignore a dead or artificial offering almost every time.
A Note on Bait Presentation and Freshness
No matter what bait you choose, keeping it fresh is critical. Keep your cut bait on ice in a cooler—don’t let it get hot and mushy in the sun. If you’re using prepared baits, re-bait your hook often to keep the scent trail fresh. For live bait, a good aerated bait tank is a must. A fresh, lively bait will out-fish a dead, stale one ten times over.
Choosing the right offering is the first step to catching the freshwater giants we cover in our Guide to Catfish Fishing.
-Captain Sal
