Whats the best bait for catfish?

Question

Also if you know what pound test line should I use?

Answer 1

They love worms!!Test line depends where you are fishing. Heavy for river, lighter for lake, very heavy for ocean.

Answer 2

For Channel cats I usally use 12 -15 lb test and grasshopper magicbait. It works a charm. I use a slip sinker rig with anywhere from a 1/2oz to a 6oz whieght depending on where I am fishing. I always use a number 4 trebel hook.

For blues and flats I use 6-12 skipjack herring rigged an a similar rig except a 8oz wieght and a 8/0 or 10/0 hook. For line i use 30 or 40lb test.

Answer 3

Catfish aren't line-shy, so you can use light or heavy line as situations dictate. High-strength, small-diameter monofilament rated 15- to 25-pound test is a good inexpensive choice for all-round use. But when hunting the big boys, it's best to upgrade to 30-, 40-, or even 80-pound-test, particularly when you're fishing rock-strewn tailraces, riprapped banks or heavy wood cover, where you need abrasion-resistant line.

Braids, or braided superlines, are best when you need a small-diameter line to reduce drag in heavy current. Because of their markedly decreased diameters, these whisper-thin lines cut the current better than normal lines of the same test, yet they are just as strong. They also allow longer casts, making them ideal for shore-bound anglers. Braids also provide the high break strength and low stretch needed to manhandle big cats in tight quarters. For most trophy anglers, these are the lines of choice.

The trophy catfisherman must also be picky about bait. Big cats rarely are caught with chicken liver, stinkbaits, catalpa worms, cheese and other things small cats frequently eat. Using fish for bait is your best bet - live ones for flatheads, and either live or cut bait for big channels and blues. Other baits work, but the odds aren't high enough to warrant their use when you're trying for a trophy.

The type of fish you use depends largely on what's available where you fish. Among those that are popular are skipjack herring, blueback herring and shad, with the latter particularly popular for blue and channel cats. Goldfish, chubs, small carp and suckers are good for all catfish species, along with fathead minnows, shiners and killifish. Mooneyes and goldeyes are other good baits for channel cats, while sunfish work great on trophy flatheads. One of the best trophy flathead baits, which is often overlooked, is live bullhead catfish.

When you finally land your first trophy catfish, you can take pride in the fact that you've managed to triumph over one of freshwater fishing's finest trophies. Catch a second, third and fourth trophy-class cat and you enter a fraternity of elite anglers. Only a handful of fishermen catch the big ones consistently.

(There is a lot more information on fishing for catfish at the site listed below)

Answer 4

Worm are the best, if you ask me
(everyone has their own bait) but the brand is call nightcrawler worms. and they always work great for me, and for the pound test line use atleast a 17 poud test line if you are looking to keep you rod intacted

Answer 5

Catfish tend to go for Smelly baits..... some popular ones in Europe are:
- Liver (got LOADS of blood in it to attract them)
- a 1lb Carp (popular bait on the River Ebro in Spain)
- a Chicken egg sized lump of blue soap, moulded round the hook (cheap brand of soap with Lots of Animal fat in it...... popular bait in Africa and been used to good effect in other countries).
- BERKLEY PowerBait
http://www.berkley-fishing.com/cat.php?k=49614&sk=46684

For line, I'd suggest at least 20lb BS of a quality brand such as
BERKLEY TRILENE BIG CAT
http://www.berkley-fishing.com/cat.php?k=47016&sk=47014

Answer 6

Me and hubby have used nightcrawlers, chicken liver, or dough balls made from bread, garlic powder sprinkled on it, we have used bluegill heads mostly the cats around here are not picky and will bite a nightcrawler sent to the bottom. we use 20 pound test line cause anything bigger than that is so thick and tangles (birdnests) so easily.

Answer 7

Soak some chicken liver in strawberry kool-aid(the powder).My grandfather used goldfish! Cut off their heads and put 'em on the hook. And I'd say around 20lb test. Or, ask people who have fished where you're going to. Ask how big the fish they caught were, it'll give you a general idea.

Answer 8

Catfish tend to hunt at night so they use their sense of smell more than anything. This simple rule should help your bait selection, it's fun to experiment and create your own.

Boilies
Pellets
Worms
Leeches
Live & dead baits
Squid is quite a good one too.

Try making your own boilies and adding your own flavours, see what works.

Answer 9

chicken liver and it depends on how big a cats you are going after. You can catch some big ones with 10 lb test line.

Answer 10

i know you asked your question a while ago but I've noticed a lot of people near me (Oceanside, CA) use HotDogs and they pull them out left and right. Just thought i'd share what i've seen