Catfish Bait

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welcome to our Catfish bait web page
This section will include information specifically for the catfish fisherman. The catfish baits we have identified work for live bait presentations or dead cutbaits and prepared stink baits. The baits we will be discuss here are, nightcrawlers, suckers, chubs, shiners, goldfish, shad, skipjack herring, bluegills, catalpa worms, grasshoppers, leopard frogs, bullfrogs as cutbait, waterdogs, adult salamanders, crayfish, saltwater shrimp, clams, and blood baits.

There are allot of fisherman that think catfish feed mainly on dead and stinking food but that is a myth. It is very true that these type of baits do work well because of the catfish’s keen sense of smell for certain types of catfish in certain situations but the truth be told catfish consume much of their daily diet from live bait types that are natural to their environment.

Catfish are a predominate night feeder and some large catfish can be caught at night. Don’t think you need to concentrate all your catfishing at night because catfish will also feed during the day particularly if they are living in muddy or stained waters. Catfish are a warm water fish are very active when the water temperature rises above 70 degrees. We will concentrate on the catfish baits commonly used for the following three species of catfish, the channel catfish, the blue catfish, and the flathead catfish but first we want to give you a brief background of each type.

The channel catfish is very common and has a range from the northern to southern united states. They are blueish gray in color and often have spots along the sides of their bodies. The tail has a deep fork, and the anal fin is shorter and rounder then the bluecat. The world record channel catfish weighed 58 pounds and was taken from the Santee-Cooper Reservoir in South Carolina, July 7, 1964. Channel catfish grow very slowly and a channel often takes over over 9 years to reach a weight over 5lbs. Channel catfish are very tasty and a 1 1/2lb to 3lb fish is excellent table fare. This catfish species will hit on live bait, or dead cutbait as well as prepared catfish bait and also blood catfish baits.

The blue catfish looks allot like the channel catfish except they have a long anal fin and do not have any spots. They probably get their name because of their blueish gray color. The bluecat get much larger then the channel catfish and it is common to see fish larger then 20lbs. The current bluecat fish world record is 124 pounds and was caught on May 22, 2005, in the Mississippi River. Blue catfish will usually feed on cut up or dead baits, and even stinkbaits. Blue cats will also respond well to live baits and live river herring and shad usually are a top choice. they also love large shiner minnows, sunfish, suckers, and carp. The bluecat is predominately a river fish but the can also be found in some large lakes and reservoirs where they have been stocked.

The flathead also has other names such as the yellow cat, opelousas, and shovelhead cat. The flathead catfish can be fond in areas west of the Appalachian Mountains, in large rivers and their basins of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio. Their range goes as far north as North Dakota, and as far west as Arizona, and south to the Gulf of Mexico including northeastern Mexico. The shovelhead catfish can grow very large and consume primarily live bait. In some areas of the south they are a undesirable fish because they love to feed on bream and large flatheads can wipe out populations of these fish. But in many areas they are considered a prize gamefish because they grow so large. The record shovelhead was caught May 14, 1998 from Elk City Reservoir, Kansas and weighed 123 lb 9 oz.
Shovelheads like to hide in deep pools, in lakes,and large slow-moving rivers. The flathead catfish has a wide flat looking head very small eyes and are very brownish color. They have more of a square tail and their jaw protrudes beyond the upper jaw.

Common Catfish Fishing Rigs

The most common catfish rig that a majority of catfish anglers use is a slip sinker rig. One of the reasons this type of fishing rig works so well is because the catfish feels no or very little resistance when it takes the bait. But There are many other common catfish fishing rigs that work also. We will show a few catfish rigs that are common and catch fish. If you are targeting much larger catfish you need increase your catfish bait rigs accordingly. for example if you are targeting blue catfish above 10 lbs you need to use a heavy duty bait casting or spin casting rig with a 7ft rod with 30lb test line or better. If you are targeting small catfish you can use a medium tackle spin casting rig with a 5ft to 6ft rod. If you visit basspro shop online you can see much of the tackle we have listed.

Step-2 Slide the bobber bead up the line (shown with the bobber stops above) until it reaches the knot and then stop.

Catfish Bait - Selections:

Catfish Bait - nightcrawlers

Nightcrawlers have always been a old reliable bait for catfish, and they still work well to catch them. The only negative aspect of fishing with nightcrawlers is that so many other species of fish like this bait too and it is easy to get your bait picked by much smaller fish than you are wanting to catch.
You can use a variety of fishing rigs to fish for catfish with nightcrawlers. The most common rigs that many fisherman use are the slip sinker rig, slip bobber rig, and a fixed sinker rig.

Catfish Bait - White Suckers

The white sucker has a habitat range throughout the northern two thirds of the United States, and most of Canada. They are a very common bait fish in these areas. Large suckers are used to catch large catfish, pike, and muskies. Suckers are easily identified by sucker lips they have. they normally are olive to brownish color. To fish for catfish with suckers you can use them whole as live bait or cut them into slices for cut bait. Live White suckers work great to catch flatheads and blue catfish. Suckers used as cut bait works good for channel catfish.

Catfish Bait - Chubs

The hornyhead chub is also called a redtail chub by some fisherman. It’s habitat is medium sized clear water streams in the North Eastern United States. The hornyhead or redtail chub get it’s name from the distinguishing little bumps called tubercles on the head of the breeding male. The horny head resembles closely the creek chub, but the fins and tails are more redish then the creek chub. You can fish cubs as a whole live bait for larger channel catfish and Blue Catfish, or use them as cut bait. Catfish love cut up chubs. In some fishing locations I have tried mutliple different kinds of catfish baits with no luck until I throw on some chubs as bait. Cut chubss into strips or chucks, either works well. If you fish them live, hook them through the lips with a 5/0 hook and add a trailing treble hook leader attached to the shank of the leading hook, then hook one of the hooks on the trebble hook to the bottom of the tail.

Catfish Bait - Shiners

Shinners are not a very hearty fish and they are hard to keep alive. The do make a good live catfish bait, but they work very well as a cutbait.

Freshwater BaitFish Description - Golden Shiner
The golden shiner is a deep bodied baitfish, which in fact is not a shiner at all. The golden shiner often grows to a foot in length. The sides of the golden shiner have goldish look and the belly has pointed keel. Their main habitat is weedy lakes and ponds in the Eastern United States and Southeastern Canada.

Freshwater Bait Fish Description - Emerald Shiner
The emerald shiner has a blue green back and silver sides. This shiner is found in Central Canada and the Eastern United States. It’s habitat is large lakes , reservoirs, and rivers.

Freshwater BaitFish Description - Spottail Shiner
The spottail shiner is found in large lakes in most of Canada and Northeastern United States. The spottail is easily identified by the black spot found at the base of it’s tail. The back is pale olive and the sides are silvery.

Freshwater Bait Fish Description - Common Shiner
The common shiner has a deep body and larger scales then most of the shiner species. This shiner lives mainly in streams but also inhabits some clear water lakes. They range from Southern Saskatchewan to Colorado and Eastward to the Atlantic Coast.

Freshwater BaitFish Description - Red Shiner
The red shiner gets it name from the breeding male’s redish head. The red shiner has a deeper body then the common shiner. They have a habitat area that covers from Southern United States and into Northeastern Mexico. They live in small streams.

Catfish Bait - Goldfish

Freshwater Bait Fish Description - Goldfish
The goldfish is actually a Asian native. Its habitat varies here in the united states but just about any freshwater area will hold gold fish. Most of the local populations come from people releasing their aquarium goldfish into the wild or from fisherman releasing their unused live bait. many bait stores sell gold fish or you can go to a tropical fish dealer and purchase them cheaply. Fish 4 to 12 inch goldfish as live bait. a good way to hook gold fish is with a 5/0 or 6/0 hook right in front the dorsal fin make sure the tip of the hook is exposed upward.

Catfish Bait - Shad

Freshwater Bait Fish Description - Shad
There are too types of shad that make great live bait one is the gizzard shad and the other is the threadfin shad. The gizzard shad is much hardier of the two is the most common type bait fish used for fishing. The gizzard shad has it’s habitat in inland rivers and reservoirs throughout most of the Midwest and Eastern United States. The gizzard shad has a dark silvery body with and a long ray at the rear of the dorsal fin and a dark spot behind the head. Gizard shad are excellent bait for catfish. Shad are normally fished as a cut bait. many anglers catch their shad in quantity and free them for later use, but fresh shad cutbait works best. here a number of good ways to cut shad. If you are fishing small shad, cut of their heads and tails weave the bait onto a 5/0 or 6/0 hook. If you are using large shad cut them in 4 to 6 inch by 1 inch wide strips, or chunks and weave them onto a 5/0 or 6/0 hook.

Catfish Bait - Skipjack Herring

Freshwater BaitFish Description - Skipjack Herring
Skipjack herring are mainly found in the Mississippi river drainage system. The skipjack herring is easy to identify by the perturbing lower jaw. It has a bluish to greenish back, and silvery sides and a whitish belly. The skipjack herring has a extremely oily flesh and makes great cutbait. Many catfish anglers from the south swear by it. Cut skipjack herring into 4 to 6 inch strips 1 inch wide, or chunks 1 inch wide.

Catfish Bait - Bluegill

Freshwater BaitFish Description - Bluegill
The bluegill is part of the sunfish family. You can find bluegill throughout the United States and Canada. They prefer warm water lakes and ponds that have plenty of weed cover. The bluegill is easy to identify because it has black ear lobe and a dark spot on the base of the dorsal fin. Bluegill are a excellent bait when fishing for flathead catfish. They work well when fishing for large blue catfish and channel catfish too. A very efficient way of fishing bluegills is as a live bait using a slip bobber rig.

Catfish Bait - Catalpa Worms

Catalpa Worm

The catalpa worm gets up to about 3 inches and length. To find catalpa worms you need to look for catalpa trees. Catalpa worms feed on the leaves of these tree and are easy to spot. They have a district black stripe down their backs and a black spine on their tails. Catalpa worms make great bait for catfish. Use a 3/0 to 5/0 hook, with a slip sinker rig, or a slip bobber rig.

Catfish Bait - Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers
There are 100’s of different grasshoppers just like crickets. Their colors are range from gray to brown to green. The ones used for fishing are normally 2 to 3 inches long. Use a 3/0 to 5/0 hook, with a slip sinker rig, or a slip bobber rig. Weave the grasshopper on the hook, leave the hooks barb point exposed.

Catfish Bait - Leopard Frogs

Leopard Frogs
Leopard frogs are most popular species of frogs that are used as live bait. The body of leopard frog is green to light tan color with multiple spots all over the body. The leopard frog has distinct ridge lines that run the entire length of the frogs body along the edge of it’s back. Leopard frogs average in size to about 4 inches in length and they are fond all over North America except on the West Coast. To fish for Catfish use a large leopard frog as live bait using a three way swivel rig, or a slip bobber rig.

Catfish Bait - Bull Frogs

Bull Frogs
The bull frog is similar in color to the green frog but much larger that the leopard or green frog. Their bodies are 4 to 6 inches in length but their back legs can stretch another 7 to 10 inches. The bullfrog is found throughout the United States with the exception of the Rockies and Northern Plains. To fish for Catfish use pieces of bull frog as cut bait. A slip sinker rig works well for fishing bullfrog pieces.

Catfish Bait - Waterdogs

Hook a salamander through the lips by coming up from the bottom lip. Then slide the on through the top lip. When you are finished the barb of the hook should be facing away from the salamanders eyes.
adult salamanders can be hooked just in front of the back leg in the loose skin between the leg and body. This is a great way to keep your live bait presentation alive for long periods of time.
Use a slip sinker rig with a 5/0 to 6/0 hook, or a slip bobber rig and a 5/0 to 6/0 hook.

Tiger Salamanders Larva Form, Waterdog
The larva form of the tiger salamander is often called the waterdog and is used as a live bait. The waterdog is much better as a live bait then the adults. Waterdogs have external gills ,tiny legs and a long fin around the rear of the body. There normal size is 4 to 8 inches in length.

Catfish Bait - Adult Salamanders

Tiger Salamanders Adult Form
The adult tiger salamander will range in size from 6 inches up to more then a foot. Most fisherman will use adults in size from 6 to 8 inches in length for live bait. Several sub-species of tigers have a distinct yellow and black body.

Catfish Bait - Crayfish

Crayfish
There are more then 500 species of crayfish that a habitat that includes North American waters. Crayfish are fond in ponds,roadside ditches,natural or man made lakes, fast flowing streams and sluggish rivers. Just about anywhere there is standing freshwater you will find some kind of crayfish. Selecting crayfish depends on the size of the fish you plan to target. For example if you want to use crayfish to catch trophy catfish you need to use crayfish over 4 inches long. Crayfish make great catfish bait because they leave a distinct smell that travels long distances and attracts the cats. You can hook just the tail our use the whole crayfish alive but remove the pinchers. Hook whole crayfish in the bottom of the tail by pushing the hook from the underside up through until the hooks barb is pointing away from the tail.

Catfish Bait - Shrimp

Many times freshwater fisherman will use both freshwater and saltwater shrimp as live bait or frozen bait. Fisherman along the coast can purchase shrimp in bait shops or catch their own in the estuaries near their homes. They can catch mud shrimp and ghost shrimp in the mud flats, and saltwater shrimp in the estuary waters. Other fisherman through out the country can buy chilled or frozen saltwater shrimp at the larger grocery stores in their area. I personally use frozen shrimp when I go fishing for catfish on occasion. thread shrip onto a 5/0 or 6/0 hook.

Saltwater Shrimp
Many species of saltwater shrimp, ranging from 3 to 5 inches in length are commonly used as live bait for both saltwater and freshwater species of fish. Saltwater shrimp have tiny claws and a short antennae and are tan to pink in color. Saltwater shrimp can be found in estuaries that have weed beds present. Ribbon weed beds make the best habit for shrimp to live in, and you will catch larger quantities of shrimp if you look in these areas. To catch saltwater shrimp for live bait head to the ribbon weed beds in estuaries. Shrimp will be hiding here. To catch them you will need a very fine mesh net that has a very long handle. Plunge your net down to the bottom and push the net along the bottom against the current. Bring the net up and do your sorting. Make sure you throw back everything but the shrimp or other bait fish you may catch. You do not want to destroy the weed bed.

Catfish Bait - Clams

To fish for catfish using clams, open a clam up and look for the firm muscle called the “foot”. This is the part of the clam that makes the best bait. If it is legal where you are fishing gob the foot of the clam onto a treble hook , making sure that the barb of each hook goes the the meat of the clam foot and is pointing upward. you can also put the clam meat in a fine mesh bag and use a single 5/0 or 6/0 hook. fish clams using a slip sinker rig.

Catfish Bait - Blood bait

Many catfish anglers swear by blood baits and there are good reasons why. Blood baits do leave a distinct sent trail in the water and are excellent baits to use in rivers and large reservoirs were there is a current. the scent travels fast down stream and attracts the catfish to your area. Blood baits also work great when you are drift fishing. As your bait is bumping along the bottom it is releasing a sent as well as a blood trail the catfish smell from distances away.