Greasiest French Fries: Get the soggiest greased soaked Wendy's French Fries available when fishing for Catfish. You can usually ask the manager if there are any wasted fries thrown into their waste bucket. There may be a fee but hey. It works! There is something about that Wendy's grease they just love. Kay and James Kinder, Ashford, WV

Catchin' Carp and Catfish?: When your fishing for carp or catfish you should take a pretty heavy sinker and put it 12inches up the string from your hook. When you go to tie a knot tie a Texas knot so the hook will not break off when it gets hit by a fish. The bait I reccomend is night crawlers now what you do is pour some vanilla extract on your worms let it soak in for a minute or two then you take a worm and put it on a hook but when you put a worm on leave some of it off the hook so when you throw it in the water it will wiggle under water then after your all ready cast your pole out as far as you can then real some line in until it is tight then about every 5-10 minutes real some line in and I guarentee you will catch some fish! One more thing this is the best fishing website I have ever been to! Ryan Connolly, Ohio

Beer Balls: Me and a buddy were out fishing one day and we were drinking a little beer. We saw a couple carp surfacing the water and we decided to try to catch some carp. So I ran in to get some bread to make dough balls. The thing was we didn't have any bread. So as I was looking around in the cupboards for some bread and I found a box of Frosted Flakes. I thought to myself that will work. So I grabbed a big bowl and ran outside. I dumped the box of Frosted Flaked in the bowl and poured some beer in the bowl. I then started to make them in to little dough balls. I threw them on the hook and casted out, and then all the sudden, I started to get a bite. Then I caught a 22 lb carp! Followed by a 17 lber, then a 10!! So ever since, I have been using what I call, "Beer Balls". Cole Risner, Ohio

Corny Pipe Cleaners?: Don't waste the juice from a can of corn. Pour in zer bag and add pipe cleaners. Then when you want to use them wrap around hook. Good luck. R. Wick ham, Ohio

Sticky Chum!: Fill a 5 gallon bucket 3/4 way up with soy beans and half water, add chicken blood\shad blood. Cover and let set in sun for a month or two, then drill 1/8 inch holes in the lid. Tie a rope to the handle and put it in the water where you are going to fish and let sit for an hour or two. Then go fishing. Warning: extremely stinky chum!!! Randy - Topeka, KS

WAD-40 Tails: We've been fishing for about 4 years and we have found a great kind of catfish bait. It is WD-40, crawfish tails, and BJ's dough bait. We've used this at many different paylakes and a few of them are Bob's in River, KY, Dads in Red Bush, KY, McCoys in Martin County, KY and Sky Lake in Ironton, OH. We have caught many fish on this bait it works best in the heat of the sun. Brandon and Matt - Paintsville, KY

Carp Tips: When fishing for either carp or catfish try using a hair rig on your hook ,and make sure your bait is tight up to the hook i try to only use boilies as baits they come in different sizes and smells. I use pva bags fill them up with trout pellet or attractor and put my hook length and weight into the bag tie with pva string. So when you cast and the bag hits the bottom tighten up your line what will happen is that the bag will take about 3 minutes to break up leaving a lovely pile of bait with your hook and hair rig in the middle. This is a killer method of fishing.
P.S. Tight lines... Andrew - Kent, England

Carp Tips: First Tip: A very simple, tip for catching carps of any size. Carp is a herbivorous fish, hence try silk weed. Make a set of 4-5 small hooks and one above the other so that it can hold the silk weed. Put one floater (indicator) with a gap of 1-2ft. and drop it at any medium distance. Keep enough line for the fight.

Second Tip: Take 2 kg of powder (only from the husk, you can find this in any rice mill), add little flour (Wheat) so that it can get hold good on the hook. There are two way of catching with this. 1st take a triple hook, add lead just above the hook and add one good and long indicator. Put the ball on the lead...the moment the indicator moves you can give a hit. Second is to take a small hook make a ball and throw it to the ground--wait till it pulls, normally you get the big ones with this method.

I am sure this will work for you...Because I caught many carps with this. Happy fishing.. Salim - Andhra Pradesh, India

Tips for Farms or Pay Lakes: Here's a good tip for fishin' farm pounds or pay lakes. Go to the store and get some Lit'l Smokies. They are loaded with scents and oils that will flow through the water and have the old wiskery guy hunting for your bait. It works great and make sure to keep them in a cooler so they stay fresh. I use a number 2 cicle hook. I recently caught a 18 pound channel on this lit'l secret. Best of luck to you and get after old wiskers! Justin - Hillsboro, MO

Cat Bait Without the Stink: First fill a five gallon bucket half way full of wheat and add water. Then add flour until it can form a nice ball. You can add anise oil or any other attractants you want. It will catch catfish and carp. I have caught millions with this bait. Good luck fishin' !!!!! (E-mail me to tell me your results at jayherbertmueller@yahoo.com) Jay Herbert - Hugoton, KS

Sweet Tasty Dog Food: O.K., first take some dry dog food and add some milk, garlic, honey, ranch dressing and hot water. Mix it all together and let it soak over night. Use 1-4 pieces of the dog food on a treble hook and fish--a little goes a long way. Robert - Moore, OK

Clean Up the Cats with Soap: I tried this yesterday and I got plenty of 5-6 lbers and 1 1/2 lber. It's very simple. Take a bar of DOVE soap and cut it into pieces about the size of ping pong ball. Then stick a toothpick and dip them in a little bit of blood and rotten milk. Stick it in the zer one night and when you wake up in the morning put them in the fridge until you go fishin. GOOD LUCK WITH THEM WHISKERS! Jarrett Jones - Chester, VA

EEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSSYYYYYYY! : I live on a 65 acre lake and usually fish from shore. All ya need to do is take dog food (only round dog food not any other) take as many handfuls as ya like and heave em' out to the area you are fishing. Following that, take a 5 gallon bucket filled with blood and rotten wheat. After you have chummed, throw your bait out and let it sink to the bottom, super SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSlowy reel in every 3 seconds, do this until ya start seein' them whiskers on the top eating the chum. After that just put a fairly large bobber on and set it about 1-2 feet down. Tell me what happened when ya try it out by e-mailing me at: Joy112@comcast.net Jarrett Jones - Chester, VA

Catfish Bait Gone to the Dogs: I have tried just about everything. When one day I decided to use regular dry dogfood, but all I could catch was 5-6 carp. I left my dogfood in my tacklebox, and when I came back two weeks later all I could catch was catfish. So my suggestion is leave dry dogfood in your tacklebox a week or two before you go fishing for catfish. Jim - Granbury, TX

Combo Works in Pay Lakes: Take shrmp oil and mix it with flour until thick. Add a teaspoon of garlic, liver blood and tuna. Mix again and put in the refridgerator. I'm serious - it works even in pay lakes! Jason - Henryville, IN

Chocolate Covered Cat Bait: Chocolate covered chicken liver springkled with cinnimon caught a 28 pound catfish in the Rock River. Harlod - Byron, IL

Dipping Hook and Bait: You'll need one jar of chcken base with water and flour. Take the chicken base (as much as you want) and water it down a bit. Then take the flour and pour the flour into the water/chicken mix and knead it into a dough like texture. Use your hands to roll it into balls and put on a hook. You could leave it as a dough or add more water (very little to give it the consistency of peanut butter) put the watered down version into a jar and use hook to dip into mixture.

To make a dipping hook, you need a treble hook, a needle, a sponge, scisors, and of course fishing line. Take the sponge and cut it to a size you think would hold enough bait and goes along with hook size. Take the needle and put the fishing line through the eye and pass the needle through the sponge so it travels the length of the sponge. Tie the line to the treble hook, trim the excess line, and slide the sponge down so that the only part of the hook that is expossed is the curve of the hook, tip, and barb.

Okalhoma River Tip: For Oklahoma rivers and lakes, frozen shad guts. Thaw and use. If there are any or active cats near by they will flat knock the fire out of your pole. In a current, whammo. In ponds or lakes - whammo kapow! I've fished side by side other anglers only to appear to have a magic bait. Now you can too. Good luck and this is a great website! P.S. I also catch and release big carp. Lucius Aunko - Owasso, OK

Cheap Fishing and Lots of Fun: Here is a little tip for cheap fishing and lots of fun. Catch a some small bluegill (I like to catch them while I am waiting for my catfish to bite) then cut the tail off. Now find a large needle or make one with a small wire like I did. Thread your line through the needle and pull the needle threw the bluegill and tie a treble hook to it. I have caught many cats with this method. You can also dip it in one of these other great stink bait recipes on this site. I hope it works for you and please send me an email with your results at lucasauctioneering@hotmail.com Lucas - Iowa

For Cats Use Your Head: I have tried everything and let me tell you I have not had one thing do better for me than anchovie heads. Jack - Phoenix, AZ

Campfire Channel Cats: If you have a campfire, heat a hotdog and a marshmallow. Smear the marshmallow over the hotdog. Pour garlic salt over it and cut the hotdog into a few pieces. I have seen variations of this catch channel cats. Roger - Indianapolis, IN

Carp Love Dr. Pepper Too! All you need is Wheaties and Dr. Pepper. It is simple but it is one of the best carp baits I have ever used. I've caught some giants on this simple dough bait. Austin Lanford - Fort Worth, TX

Basic Carp Mix: Get some beef, parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Cut Beef liver into 1" chunks. Add cheese and garlic powder. You want it a little pastie. Spread the chunks out on a board and let dry in the sun a couple of days. You can either bait hooks with the chunks or put in a net laundry bag and put in a fish basket. Otis Rabun - Thomson, GA

Trout Killer: Use some Powerbait next time your at your favorite lake. The night before you fish for trout, douse the Powerbait in salmon eggs that are smashed. When you get to the lake spray the bait with anise oil, you'll be sure to catch all sorts of fish. Tight Lines!! Luke C. - Chino, CA

Hog's Back Falls in Ontario: I fish a place the Hog's Back Falls for monster muskies and huge carp and people said the carp in there are 35+ pounds. If you live in Ottawa, Ontario fish the Hog's Back Falls! Jacob - Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Do What They Do in the Bayou: Out here in the Louisiana Bayou Country we use a different type of catfish bait. Here are just a few: live minnows, worms, duck guts, shrimp, shad. The best I have ever used is: chunks of deer liver, nutra (big marsh rat) liver and fresh chicken liver. Harold J. Billiot - Montegut, LA

Grab Your Wife's.... Pantyhose: First of all I want to remind you that I am only 15 and I go fishing rain or shine. So I was thinking to myself what stinks real bad (catfish are attracted to smell) so cat poo is really smelly (we all know that) and you take cat poo and mix it with a can of tuna put a little cheese in and put it all in a food processor (make sure you don't use the one you prepare food in) and you mix it all up. Add garlic if necessary and put outside for 2 to 3 hours. Grab some pantyhose out of your wife's drawer and put the mixture in it and cast out in deep water. Once they smell it you better watch out - I caught a 43 pounder so try it!! Harvey Pennington - Glasgow, KY

Catch Mega Pounders: To catch a pretty good size carp, and I've done this before. You take a piece of meat....(beef chicken etc.) and you cut it into chunks. Put it on your hook and make sure the hook's tip is through the meat or it won't work. Cast out in a spot like a cove like area or near the weeds or shore. Trust me, Im only 13 but I've fished all my life and I've caught 39 lbers this way. Have fun and make sure you show your kids how to be a great angler!! Matthew D., The 13 year Old Angler - Glendale, CO

Our Tips-Galore: For the best results for season fishing (Summer and Winter), fish on the top in the Summer time because the oxygen level will be low at the bottom because of the heat. In the Winter time fish on the bottom because more oxygen stays at the bottom. About the best thing to use for catfish here in Georgia is chicken livers and grasshoppers. Stink bate works fine but live or dead fresh bait works the best. When you are fishing with chicken livers tie the chicken livers in a small piece of pantyhose, this will help the chicken liver stay on the hook for a while longer. Use a small amount of bait, just enough to cover the hook, because most of the fish we have caught are 3 lbs - 10 lbs on that. A bigger bait usually attracts allot of small bait that strips the hook. Bread balls with melted cheese on them work great too. Dog food works good to attract catfish and bream. Cut bait works fine too. Shad works too..... Tyler and Josh - Thomasville, GA

Korean Dough Balls: This is my tip for carp fishing. Take the powdery corn meal and mix it up with water. Let it dry a little. Then, put it in the microwave for ten seconds and take it out. Ball it up and let it dry. Keep it in the 'fridge until you go fishing. It's a Korean recipe that works great. Nick Sampson - Springfield, VA

PVA Bag Method: I think the PVA bag method is the best and the best filling is pellet. Use 14mm or two 10mm because the fish (carp) won't know what your bait is. Use PVA bag on every cast to keep fish (carp) feeding. You will have great success. Hope you have a good one Matt Twohig - London, England

Tasty Dough Balls: O.K., here goes! You take wheaties or cornflakes put them in a bowl and add water. Squeeze them into a ball dip and them in a bowl of salsa and then apply garlic salt to the ball you just made. You can catch big catfish with this recipe. Mason Brown - Pekin, IL

15 Year Old's Chum: I am only 15 but I have a pretty good recipe for catfish chum. Take the leftovers from previously caught fish (heads, tails, etc.) and put it in a glass jar. After it sits for 2 or three days, get ready to plug your nose. Mix onion powder, the fish, vanilla extract, a scoop of dry dog food, and milk. Let it sit for 2 or 3 more days. When you go out, cut four holes in the top of the jar and loop fishing line through two of them. Tie the end of the line off near shore and toss in the water. Wait about five minutes and start fishing! Robb L. - Peoria, AZ

Pepsi Loving Carp: When I go fishing in a little river this is my fishin' recipe for carp! Bread, 1 can of Pepsi, sugar and 1 box of Wheaties. Put all the ingredients in a bowl then mix it well except the bread. Ball the bread up dip it in the ingredients then it is ready to use. Zachary - Decatur, IL

Snagging Carp or Salmon: This is a good tip for snagging carp or my favorite salmon. Take a large size blue fox lure. Use some wire cutters to cut off the spinner. You are left with a bullet shaped lure with an extremely large trouble hook. locate the fish and cast about 10 feet past them as to not spook them. Lift the tip of your pole up high and reel fast so your lure skims the top of the water. When you see the lure approaching the fish wait until it is right next to the fish. stop reeling and let the lure sink under the fish. Lower the rod tip then jerk the pole upwards wile reeling to set the hook and assure line tension. You will snag many fish and have allot of fun. E-mail me with results/pics. kevinb5688@comcast.com Kevin - Eugene, OR

Works on the Ohio River: I have a great catfish bait recipe that my friend gave me and I always use at the Ohio River. You will need to buy any size bucket or can of chicken livers and some minced garlic. Add the minced garlic with the chicken livers and ze it for at least a day. Then let it thaw out and use as you wish! Andrew - Louisville, KY

Hearts Instead of Livers: Instead of using the sloppy fall-off-the-hook chicken livers, try turkey (or chicken) hearts. They stay on the hook as good as clams and the cats love em the same. Good luck :-) Jon - Franklin, TN

Styrofoam Peanuts: Hi! My name is Owen. I have a fishing tip. When you are going for flatheads and your chubs are dead, stick a styrofoam peanut down their throat. It will give the chub a lift. Every once in a while give your line a tug. Good luck! Owen Barber - Des Moines, IA

Cats on Farms: This bait works great for cats in farm ponds. Take flour put in bowl. Put in enough vanilla extract to make it doughy. Add yellow food coloring. Roll balls and boil in water to make tougher. Helps the dough balls stay on the hook better. Also works good for bluegill and trout. Josh - Nortonville, KY

Red Cat Killer: This bait has caught cats of all sizes. The biggest won that was caught was a 26 pounder. All you need is this. 2 packs of strawberry or cherry kool aid and a chicken breast cut into small chunks. Put chunks into a bowl add water then put your Kool-Aid in the bowl shake the bowl and let set as long as desired. Corey Glenn - Shelbyville, KY

Best Thing IS Sliced Bread! I'm only 14 but I go fishing all the time. I have used different recipes but to catch the big cats, I found that a ball of bread dough on a kahle hook works the best. I caught 3 cats in less than 30 min. and 10 in one day. It works great! Jordan Endsley - Canfield, OH

A Nip of Moonshine: Take one ounce of moonshine, and garlic salt/powder and one small package of chicken breast (cut in small pieces). Combine all together and put in a plastic bag. Store in cool place till ready to use. And hold your nose. Pete - Gordon, KY

Cat Burgers: This is an excellent channel cat bait: Take raw ground beef, hamburgers, or frozen sausage, thawed. Mix with parmesan cheese, garlic salt, and cheeze-its, and crush them together in a ball, then leave in the fridge for a little bit or until it hardens a little. When you use, it's best to keep it in a cooler with ice. Russell - Dayton, OH

Bloody Well! Alright this is a channel and mudcat recipe. All you need is some regular nightcrawlers and chicken blood or any kind of blood. Put the blood in a container and when you are ready to go fishing, dip the worm in the blood a few times or if you have a syringe give the worm a shot of blood and then just whip it out there and there you go. I have caught lots of cats this way. Email me and tell me how it works out for were you live. corey-b@mail.com Corey Booth - Kitanning, PA

Beefheart n' Diesel: Just take a beef heart, remove the fat and cut it into 3/4" cubes. Put it in a plastic container w/lid. Pour enough diesel fuel on it to cover the cubes. Go fishin for catfish. Works well on rod/reel, limb lines, jug lines, trotline, or any other hook/bait contraption you want to use. Refrigerate or ze between trips. I have been using this as a bait for commercial fishing for catfish for 42 years and never had it fail me yet. Elpescador3335 - Seadrift, TX

Lights, Camera, Action! Get a bunch of old CD’s and string them together so that they look something like this: --0—0—0. Make about two or four of these and when fishing in sunny conditions, tie one end of the string to your boat, and throw all the CD’s in the water. The reflections of light from the CD’s will attract fish to your boat and you’ll be waiting for them with any type of live bait and jig combination. You can also try this with glow sticks at night. GOOD LUCK!!! Mitch-Master - Park Ridge, IL

Mistake that worked! Take a container of Chicken Liver and let it sit in the sun for one day. I know it will smell but me and my brother accidentally did it so we tried and it worked great. Stephen - Taylorsville, NC

All You Have to Do is... We all know where the carp are, most likely you see them swimming in a school at the shore. Well, to start catching those big ones, all you have to do is bring a can or two of whole kernel corn (make sure you bring a can opener). You grab a small hand full and throw it where they are, or even where you want some. Then take a medium size hook and fill it up with corn, throw it out and hang on - you should get some really big ones. Prodigy Angler - Chicago, IL

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Hog Suckers Love Chartreuse: If you are fishing for hog suckers or trying to snag them with a treble hook all you have to do is take some chartreuse cloth and stick it on the end of your hook. Then take one of those sinkers that twist on to put on and put it in the sinker and twist. Wait till they are spawning and let them get perpendicular to your hook and pull up as hard as you can. Even when they are not spawning they will still bite. Sometimes you'll even get a bluegill or two but it works great for snaggin' suckers. Grant Bray - Calico Rock, AR

Jumpin' Soda Cans: When night fishing for catfish, try winding several loops of your line between the reel and the first guide of the rod around an empty soft drink can. Then if you get a run, the can will jump around and alert you to the bite, It works really well when fishing from shore on rocks. Ron Dolen - Lawrenceburg, KY

Holy Mackerel! I've lived in Chicago all my life (33 years)and moved to northern California (San jose area) for 1 year. I was introduced to using Mackerel - it works great! A chunk about 1/12 inches close to the tail is really all you need. Take a size 2 hook and start at the top of the piece and begin to place going back and forth until all the Mackerel is on hook. Launch out and just wait for the drag to go crazy. Joe Lozano - Chicago, IL

Old Timer's Tip: An old crappie fisherman taught me this a few years ago. When fishing with minnows, take a dozen or so and put them in a separate bucket. To this bucket add red food coloring. After an hour or so the minnows turn red and at times the crappies go wild over them. This also works with other fish. Robert Johnson - Collinsville, OH

Get The Biggest Cats: The biggest Cats will be caught in the early months in the year (January, Febuary, and March). Be sure to take advantage of this time of year when there is little fishing pressure. Jerek Russell - Durant, OK

Catchin' Panfish: To catch lots of panfish use a 1" round float, size 2 or 8 bronze Aberdeen hook far enough below the float to keep the bait near or on the bottom of the stream/lake. Use 3" earthworms or a chunk of a night crawler. To rig the earthworm, Run the hook through the mouth and out the tail. To rig the crawler chunk, run the hook through one end and out the other. This rig works best to keep the fish from stealing the bait. WARNING: don't keep your eye off the float, you could miss a perfect chance for a strike! Be ready! Franklin - Franklin, TN

Simple Carp... Here is an excellent carp bait that everyone can make: bread. Trust me. it works great! (Also, any kind of baking dough works good too). Brandon - Longmont, CO

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Good Catfish Bait! All you need is large marshmallows and chicken liver! Dip the marshmallows in the blood and put on your hook. The bait doesn't last long on the hook but you can catch cats off it! Fishman - Cincinnati, OH

Baby Turtles? I was fishing at a pay lake one time and this guy kept catching these 40 lb. plus catfish. I came back several times and he was always wearing them out. I asked him what he was using and he said keep this a secret (I'm not very good at keeping secrets!). He had been catching baby turtles (silver dollar size) out of the lake with a castnet and cutting them under the tail where just a little blood was coming out. He would put the hook through their neck and cast them out. Later that day he caught and 85 lb. flathead cat named "Big Bubba" and I caught a 32 lber. You can use either box turtles or baby snapping turtles. Try it out if you have heavy duty rods. Ryan Johnson - Greenbrier, TN

Good for Your Neighbors: I live in an apartment and can't sour a 5 gallon bucket of milo and corn to chum. I take 16 oz. sport top water bottles and fill them half full of milo. Then a teaspoon of sugar, and fill 3/4 with water. This is much easier when you get to the lake too, you just dump out a bottle or 2 and you don't even have to worry about spilling it in your truck or boat. It's also much easier on the neighbors! JB - Mesquite, TX

Use Zote! The best thing I have ever used for catfish is a mexican laundry bar soap Zote. I cut it in small cubes and place it on the hook. It works great on trotlines. Frank - Edinburg, TX

You've Always Got Bait: When you think you're outta bait think again. Top water carps like potato chips, I use wheat thins - they're not that hard to break. Don't use any weight. Use a size 10 english hook. Also for cats use slugs, snails, salamanders or catch some perch and panfish cut up into chunks but keep the skin on. You'll find out the biggins are there waiting!!!!! Shane and Ryan - New Florence, TX

A Dash of WD40: As an avid fisherman of 40+ years, I and my brother have developed a double whammy system of catching cats. Find the thermoline in your lake usually 20-30 feet deep. Chum heavily with soured wheat. Just fill five gallon buckets with wheat and set in direct sunlight for 3-10 days. We grow our own Belgium night crawlers and spray WD40 on them after we put them on the hook. It's not uncommon to catch 15-20 fish in a setting and we've had some 30+ days! Most fish are in the 1-5 lb. range, but an occasional lunker joins as well. Good fishing, you may contact me at jimdavies@direcway.com with comments. Jim Davies - Lake Buchanan, TX

Mac-N-Cheese: I go to one of the best places in the world for catfish in Dixon, IL. I've tried tons of baits but this one is guaranteed to catch you gi-normus cats! Mix water, corn flakes, and a cheese packet from Kraft's Mac & Cheese in a container and smush it together 'til it's like dough. Roll them in balls and ze until your ready to fish! Jacob - Dixon, TX

Good Chum: If you want a good chum, you can't beat soured wheat. Get feed wheat, put it in a bucket (we use 55 gallon barrels) fill with water to cover the wheat and cover the bucket. Wait about a week then bait your favorite spot and come back in 2 hours and catch fish with your favorite stink bait. I like Mr. Whiskers from Granbury, TX. Good luck! Bulldog - Mason, TX

Air Injections: First you will need to get just a regular needle, the type used to give shots. When you are fishing with worms of any type just inject them with a bit of air. This will keep them off the bottom and you wont have to use a bobber. Justin - Sacramento, CA

Cats Love It! I use nightcrawler followed by a piece of part frozen shrimp on the bottom or suspended. They love it! John - Corbin, KY

Get the Cats/Carp: I have a great catfish/carp recipe that I concocted myself. Take a half cup of both self-rising flour and white corn meal. Mix dry and add about a teaspoon of garlic powder. Make it doughy by adding corn juice from canned corn. Set it out over-night and you've got a bait that will keep tight lines and full stringers. Email me and share your success stories at wethaman2007@aol.com. Kyle Spaulding - Owensboro, KY

Breakfast of Champions: This is a real simple recipe and it works great for cats or carp. Take some cornflakes corn syrup or regular syrup and some flour and mix till you make a stiff dough. You can add some vanilla flavoring if you want but its not needed. I catch a ton of fish with this recipe and it doesn't smell bad. You wife will not kick you out of the kitchen with this recipe. Dave Scott - Bay City, MI

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Baby Crawfish: I saw on this website that to catch catfish use sucker fish. Well, to catch as many as you like, just search in the shallows for baby crawfish. Bait them live on the hook and cast in front of the school of suckers. They swarm all over it like piranhas! Mike Schultz - Manassas, VA

Smashed Tatoes and Corn: Hungry jack instant potato's, cream corn, & sour cream. About a half box of tato's, whole can cream corn, half pint sour cream. Mix all together. You may need to add bit more tato's for stiffness. Work's great, won many of derby's & fishing for fun. Biggest carp I've caught is 22lb's 3oz. @ Piasa Harbor. (GOOD LUCK) Allen Minder - Bethalto, MI

Carps or Cats: I spincast for Carp and Cats. I cast my bait out and then reel in the slack... I set the drag so the line will go out easy when the fish takes my bait and runs. I often use sand spikes (rod holders). When I hear the reel buzzin, I know I have a fish and tighten the drag slowly till it is just short of the breaking point. This takes a little practice but works great. John Prescott - Walled Lake, MI

Homemade Dip-Bait: I take peanut butter, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, tabasco sauce, and fish food. It works! I caught a 25 pound cat. How I got it in, I do not know but it sure was fun. Cap'n Catfish - Galesburg, IL

Chemical Warning: Don't try fishing after someone applies herbicide. The stink from the chemicals gets on your lures and then they will not work ever again! Carl Doty - Antioch, IL

Alrighty Then! Take about 2 cups of any kind a' blood, put it in a pie tin an leave it in the fridge till it coagulates and bam! Your own blood bait! Cody - Tallahassee, FL

Give Shad a Try: I have used two baits for catfish this year and they are Chicken Liver and Shad. In the beginning of May I was catching cat as big as 8lbs on liver but as it got closer to June the bigger cats quit hitting on it. So I decided to start using Shad and wouldn't you know it I started catching big cats again. I have been catching cats anywhere from 3 to 12lbs on Shad chunks about 1 inch square. So for you catfishermen who are not having any luck with liver, try to catch you some Shad. Cut them into 1 inch squares, and hold on to your poles!!! I have almost lost two poles so far this month.....Good Luck! Greg - Connersville, IN

Gar Hose? Use panty hoes to catch gar. Put liver in them and tie them to your line - you don't even need a hook. Their teeth get raped up in the panty hose. If this works for you e-mail me lilelmo_fab@yahoo.com. Brandon - Cleburne, TX

Awesome Chum: I have an awesome chum for every kind of catfish. All you need is 12 pack of beer, half a bag of maize, a dozen eggs, a gallon of milk and a five gallon bucket. Put every thing in the bucket set in the sun for a week. Throw out as soon as you get there it won't be long until your boat is full 1 and it really smells. James Hill - Burleson, TX

Crawdads: I've caught bunches of fish on crawdads! From catfish to bluegills to bass to even other crawdads! Angler183 - Indianapolis, IN

Top Water Action for Carp: A quick and easy way to catch carp whenWheatiese balls, corn, and all other sorts of homemade recipes don't work, all you need is a piece of bread. Don't make the bread into a dough ball, instead take a treble hook, stick it through the middle of the bread twist it and make sure it's secure, dip it in the water to give it a little weight and then just gun it out and let it float. I GARUNTEE your bound to catch one if all other baits fail and the bluegills don't take your bait first, so try it and watch how nutty top water carpin can be. Soots - Monroeville, PA

One Recipe for All Sizes: This bait is for carp. I have caught a 25lbs. 4oz., and a 12lbs. 8oz. carp in one day on this bait. I make a dough ball out of Wheaties, using water, then I add vanilla extract, then I add corn, then I add garlic salt. I recommend making this bait the night before you go fishing, that way it will be hard, and it won't come of as easily when you cast it. Sam Helton - Norwood, OH

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Grand Paw's Catfish Bait Recipe: Hi, I am a 14 year old boy from Texas and I love to catfish and this is a recipe that my Grand Paw gave to me. Get some beef blood (as much as you need) and put in a five gallon bucket and mix it with some garlic and others of your choice. Set the bucket outside in the sun and let it dry until it forms into a gel. Now just stick it on your hook and go catch the big one. Justin - Clarendon, TX

Stinky Shrimp: I discovered this by being lazy. I was fishing with night crawlers and some frozen shrimp. When I got home I neglected to unload my gear for a couple days (including the shrimp) and the next time I went fishing I just picked up some fresh worms and opened my cooler to find this mess of old nasty shrimp. I hooked one threw it in and the cats went nuts for it. P.S. Only fish at night. Casey - Riverton, IL

Pig Liver is All You Need: Get some pig liver and let it set for about a week in a ziplock bag. Then all you need to do is put in on a hook. It works every time with me. The last time I went I caught a 20 pounder and a hole bunch of 5 pounders. Trust me it works!!!!!! John Johnson - Dunn, NC

Bird Poo? This may sound gross, but it does work. Since most of the lakes that I fish for carp at have many geese and ducks all around, I find that the carp generally consume the excrement from the birds. So, next time you are out, take a baggy and collect the bird-poo, then take it home and mix it up with hamburger meat, vanilla extract, garlic salt, and maybe a little bit of soy-sauce. There you go, my miracle bait! Nick - Denver, CO

When Things Get Slow... - When fishing pay-lakes for catfish and the baiting slows down, try fishing your bait to where it barely touches the bottom, cast it out and let it sit for a couple minutes. Then reel it in very slowly, at about the pace of one turn of your reel handle every couple seconds. Sam Helton - Norwood, OH

Hard Time Catching Lunker Bass? - Do you have a hard time trying to catch lunker bass in the early Spring? I have a tip for you that will change the way you fish. When Spring comes the water starts to warm up to the 40 to 50 degree range and the largemouth bass tend to spawn during those periods. What the bass do is go shallow so they can spawn. Go on your fishing boat and look for them in shallower water in milfoil, or any type of cover. I would go and put on a jig with a crawdad or pork on it. Here are some more baits you should use: jerkbait,lizard,plastic worm,spinner bait with 1 blade, crankbaits, and later on when the water warms up go to topwater lures. Around the 50 degree range or higher. But remember work the lure slow, use smaller than normal lures, and pick the right colors. Tell me how you do and Email me at Zazu81687@attbi.com. Paul - Park Ridge, IL

Fish Flack Balls: Get power bait and melted cheese mix together well. Then add small amounts of fish flacks (buy at any pet shop) and mix it all together. Once you have the balls, once again dip the balls in the fish flacks and push them into the balls again. Then put it on the hook - works great! This bait helps you get the big ones! Good Luck! Marcie Jones - Tujunga, CA

Got a Question... - I think this Web site rocks! I have gotten so many fish with those recipes. I was wondering if you guys have a bass recipe I can use? Email me @ brkskt8r@netzero.com Daniel - Riverside, CA

Beef-n-Wheaties... Here is the recipe that I have used and has brought me good luck out here in Ohio. 1 pound of ground beef (preferably set outside in the sun for a few days), half a box a Wheaties, handful of oats, lots of parmesan cheese. And for a little boost throw in a little bit of chicken liver! Josh - Dayton, OH

Spring Bass Fishing Tip: Take large night crawlers and a mid-large size hook and hook the night crawler 2 times. Leave most of it hang then put on a heavy weight and cast near weed beds in deep or shallow water. Set down your pole and leave slack in the line when the line tightens, set the hook and bring in the big one have fun and e-mail me pics @ DJ01BADMAN@aol.com. Justin Johnson - Janesville, WI

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

No expensive fishin' bait... Don't go and buy any expensive fishin' bait, buy some cheap sweetcorn or peas, and fish with them, I've caught a 41 lb., 2 oz carp on them. Also, buy some cheap spam or steak, and fish with that, it works well. Big Red Fisher - Lincoln, England

No measuring needed... Hi, I have a good recipe for carp: Add: flour, water, wild berry jello mix, yellow cornmeal and peanut butter. Good Luck! Will - Clinton, IA

Instead of water... Whenever using an ingredient that contains water, try using corn juice instead. Just go to the convenient store and buy the cheapest sweet corn you can buy. Mix in a little salt, then mix in with the bait. You are guaranteed to catch something if you are mixing it in the right bait. Nick McCarty - Plainfield, IN

Easy Cat & Carp Recipe: I have caught Catfish and Carp with this easy recipe. Mix coarse ground garlic (canned is best) and peanut butter to a paste, then mix uncooked oats and a bit of salt and roll into balls. Don't make more than you can use in a day as it gets too soggy after a while. Worked well for me on Lake Lanier, GA. and works well for my friends also. Blondie Johnson - Lexington, KY

Not Getting Bites? Ever been fishing a tight-lined Wolf River Rig (weight on bottom, hook and bait above weight) and you aren't getting bites, yet you KNOW the fish are there? Use what I like to call an "involuntary twitch." This tactic works on Wolf River Rigs for yellow perch, crappie, other panfish, and even the occasional channel catfish if they're in the mood. Instead of deadsticking the rod (leaving it sit propped up in a rod holder or a "Y" branch stuck in the ground), hold the rod instead.

Gripping the rod by the front grip (that little piece of handle ahead of the reel), rest the butt of the rod on your thigh close to your knee if you're sitting, or on your belly near your belt if you're standing. Make sure the rod is held up at between a 45 to a 75 degree angle. Also make sure your index finger is against the bare rod blank ahead of the front handle, and/or one of your fingers has contact with the line, to detect those light biters (jumbo perch, walleye and channel cats are notorious for biting gently).

This extra, subtle action attracts a fish's eye, many times drawing fish in better than purposely imparting action to the bait. Many times using this method, you’ll fill the bucket with fish while you fish, instead of filling your lifemate’s ear with excuses after you fish. Good luck!

ANOTHER TIP: To get those crankbaits (and other lures) deeper when trolling, drifting or casting, cut down on the size of your line. Heavy pound-test monofilament has a diameter that’s big around, and is more water resistant. Lighter pound-tests of mono are smaller in diameter, and a narrower line cuts through the water much easier, and, consequently, gets those lures and baits deeper. If you want to fish with strong line, get a braided superline, such as Spiderwire. The 30 lb. test Spiderwire has a diameter of 6 lb. monofilament, and cuts through the water just as easily, yet you still have 20 pounds worth of breaking strength. Good Luck! Big D - Round Lake, IL

Editor's Note: Hey, Big D - thanx for taking the time to share these tips with us!

Cats Love Bad Meat - Take about 1 lb. of spoiled hamburger and about 1 lb. of spoiled chicken and mix it in a bowl with about 2 cups of flour or enough to make it doughy. Then all you do is add a little water and let sit in sun for 1 day....I've caught about a 52 pound cat on this! John Johnson - Cleveland, OH

Peanut Butter is Better for Catfish: I learned that if you take peanut butter, corn flakes, syrup, 1 packet of Koolaid, and a little water and mix together it makes a good dough ball! Andy - Rayland, OH

Worms and Livers? Num-num! First you take chicken livers and then take worms and cut them in 1 in. pieces and then you put them in the chicken liver containers and let them sit for 24 hours. Then you got catfish worms! If you catch anything email me at Tmac0012002@aol.com. CCB - Beloit, WI

Carp in England: Over here in England there exists many methods of catching big carp. Many are indeed caught just with sweet corn. Many are caught on Boilies. The best and its a cert. is chick peas. Take a length of dental floss (about 10 inches), and super glue approx. 10 chick peas on the floss. Next glue or tie to your main line or hook. Feed chick peas sparingly over the desired area, little and often is mainly the best approach. Jason - Stoke, Staffs, England

Editor's Note: Hey, Jason - what are "Boilies"?

Falling Chicken Livers: When you use chicken livers they fall off the hook right? Well, I have a solution to that problem. Once you have the liver on the hook take about a six inch piece of thread and wrap it around the liver to attach it to the hook. This allows you to wing it out there with out losing any bait. Jeff - Hillsborough, NJ

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Chew Snuff and Catch Bass: I found this to be a good way for both, large mouth and small mouth bass in ponds. If you chew snuff such as Skoal Wintergreen, or any wintergreen chewing products. When using worm for bait, spit on your worm before you cast it, or find a small container and spit in it. To make it a little easier, just dip your worm in the snuff spit prior to casting. I've tried other wintergreen products, but it seems as if Skoal works the best. Well happy fishing. Troy - Pittsburgh, PA

Catch Cats, Carps and Turtles: I haven't been fishing long as I'm only 17 but I been fishing since I was around 3 or 4. About 5 years ago I was looking for some bait to go fishing in this creek by my house and well all I had was bacon so I tried it out it really does work! Now when I go fishing all I take is a pound of cheap bacon .... but its best used if you only put the white fat on your hook the red will work also but the fat has more grease on it and it will cloud in the water. This bacon bait will also catch turtles and carp but mostly cat fish. Enjoy! Shaun Carroll - Louisville, KY

Cats up the Ying Yang? Hi, my names David and I've been fishin in Bacon Island for 13 years and these are two catfish Recipes I use:

Cut up spam into cubes put some garlic salt and cheese from a mac & cheese box in a baggie. Before casting out put the cube(s) in the baggie and shake. This works really good.

Do the same for Bacon but put Chorizo on it. You'll have cats up the ying yang! Good luck! email if all went well at david102488@yahoo.com. David Paniagua - Stockton, CA

Floating Power Bait: O.K., power bait doesn't float!! It sometimes will if you are at low altitudes, but I am up in the mountains and power bait doesn't float. Take a sliding sinker and put it on your line about 6" up and put a TINY split shot and PRESS IT ON as tight as you can with pliers. Then, at the end of your line put a #12,11, or smaller size treble hook with (VERY IMPORTANT) a small piece of styrofoam!! You MUST put styrofoam on the hook!! It makes a huge difference! After, put your favorite dough bait, (power bait or magic bait is the best) cast out your rig and let it sink, then reel in your line so there is no slack and you can see a bite on your rod. Don't use large split shots! They will feel the weight and spit the bait out. Zero - South Lake Tahoe, CA

Catfish Love Wendy's Croutons: Try using Wendy's (garlic) croutons. Whenever I go to Wendy's I always pick up some croutons. I have caught allot of big catfish from these. Mike Knecht - Bensalem, PA

Fishin' for Shrimp? I don't know how many of y'all fish with shrimp, but here is a quick way to catch shrimp. Of course you got to be on a beach or other saltwater body of water. You take some panty hose, put cat food inside, and just drag in the water. This is best to do at night when the shrimp are moving around. The way this works, shrimp have a barb on their noses. They ram into the cat food, and get their barb stuck in the panty hose. Jared - Pensacola, FL

Get Rid of Stink-bait Stink! Everyone has a so called solution to get the smell of fish or stink bait off their hands. Some work, most don't. The one sure thing that I use that actually works is toothpaste. Give it a try, trust me. CW - Texas

General All Around Bait: Mix flour, water, corn juice, cat or dog food together until it gets like dough. You can also substitute the cat food with melted cheese. I found blue cheese and parmesan cheese works well if you want to catch cat fish. General all around good freshwater bait. Have fun!!! Jim - Palm Harbor, FL

Too Easy! This bait is too easy. Take your old leftover steak, hamburger, pork chop, etc. and bait it up. This works very well if you marinate your foods. Tomato sauce and garlic have worked the best. This is good for fishing without much notice. Krum, TX

Flip your skirt! Ever toss spinner baits where you KNOW the bucketmouths are, and have no luck? Next time they seem to have lockjaw, try turning the spinner bait skirt around, so it doesn't flare out. Most spinner baits are rigged so the skirt flairs before dangling back by the hook during the retrieve, and this works fine most of the time, as we all know. But sometimes bass are munching on thinner minnows, like fatheads or emerald shiners, and the normal flair of the spinner bait skirt turns them off. Reverse the skirt so the skirt doesn't flair, and you'll be imitating the thin minnows they're chasing. Then nail your shoes to the bottom of the boat, stick 'um 'n' haul 'um in! Good luck. Big D - Round Lake, IL

Go Barbless! Buy barbless hooks for your lures, or get a Dremel and make your own barbless hooks. Barbless hooks are much better to pull out of the fish (and you). All you have to remember during a fight with a barbless-hooked fish is to keep tension on the line, and you'll haul him in. The only hooks that might need barbs are live bait hooks. Also, cut or grind that third tine off of all of your treble hooks. This not only makes it easier to dig them out of a fish's mouth, but your treble-hooked lures will avoid snags better, plus they'll lay in the tacklebox nicer, too... you'll get more lures in each tacklebox compartment, and they're easier to separate when they tangle as well. Good luck! Big D - Round Lake, IL

Catfishing Gone to the Dogs! Dog food - when catfishing, chum the area you are fishing with cans of cheap, mushy dog food. Just poke a few holes in the can with a screw-driver, tie a 15'to 20' piece of rope to retreive when done. Have fun, don't litter. Chris Gilbeau - Salisbury, NC

Catch the Biggest Flatheads! This one will catch the biggest flatheads you've ever seen. Simply take a decent size bluegill (no larger than 4" or 5") lay the fish flat on its side and slit the tail about 1" so that the tail is in two separate parts. This also slowly bleeds the bluegill while it continues to swim. I like to fish this on bottom with decent current. You will need to change your bluegill every couple of hours, but bluegills seem to live longer than other bait fish. Enjoy! Phil Hamilton - Hamilton, OH

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Size does matter! If you want big fish - use big bait. If you want smaller fish - use smaller bait. Works on all kinds of fish you would find in lakes or marshes. Graham B. - age 9, Barrington, IL

Keep the shells on! My husband and I always use chicken livers & shad to fish with. We have the best luck with the chicken livers but the last time we went we bought a bag of uncooked shrimp, with the shell on, and we got more bites on the shrimp than we ever get on the chicken livers. Also it keeps the little ones away. Heather Jackson, Lyman, SC

Like the feel of catching Big Ones!? Everyone loves the feel of catching one of the BIG ONES!!! I have found that when fishing by more rapid water such as a damn or canal, that cutbait seems to work extra well. I have noticed in the canal I fish at that there are GAR. I usually hook one of them and use them as cutbait. Use this and you will almost definitely catch a BIG ONE!! Rick Armstrong, East Moline, IL

Brook Trout Tips: When fishing for brook trout in rivers, a high quality bait is to use a 1-1/2 tube jig with florescent colors. Real it very slow and if you want put a little bit of berkley trout attractant on it and you'll catch them like crazy. Greg Schoemer, Sheboygan, WI

Editors Note: Greg has a site with lots-o-trout and salmon info. Check it out: Trout and Salmon of the Midwest

Microwaved Bait? Well, I really haven't used my bait but I think it will work! This recipe consists of 1 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, and water. Mix all together for a paste. Put on a plate and cook in microwave for 1 minute! You are ready to go fishing! Please email the results @ Dustin5475@yahoo.com Dustin, TX

Colored Worms: Take your worms and put however many drops of food coloring you want and it works great for bass fishing. If they don't change color put more drops, any color! Jace, Tecumseh, NE

Better Bells & Plastic Totes: Instead of paying big bucks for bells to alert you to a bite from the fishing section in your local shop. Spend less than two dollars for a whole bag of jingle bells at the local Walmart and put all those twist ties you have been saving from the trash bags to use. A more permanent solution is nylon wire ties. Another great tip to an easy catfishing trip is to invest in plastic totes. Keep everything you need for your adventure in totes. If I have a friend call wanting to go fishing I can have everything together in less than fifteen minutes. I keep small items and lanterns with fuel in the totes, and keep rod holders, lantern holders, and rods bundled together with nylon rope. If the opportunity arises "Go Fishing" it is the anti-anxiety and anti-stress drug of choice. Mark Marcum, Chattanooga, TN

Where to fish in Rockford, Illinois?? Yeah, I would like to say first of all that this is a very informative site. Secondly, I was wondering if anybody out there knows of any good places to fish in the Rockford, IL area? The best place I know of is the Rockford dam on the Rock River. But, I'm a catfisher women and that is not the safest place for a women to be haggin' around at night or during the day for that matter!!!!! I like bobber fishing at night with those bobbers that have lights in them. The only lakes we have around here are no good for cats. So, please let me know if you know of any good places to fish around Rockford, Illinois. One last thing, if you know of any Web sites of places that talk about catfishing from the bank (I don't have a boat) would be appreciated. Thank you. Email me at Tazed2@yahoo.com Jodie, Rockford, Illinois

Older Tip: I took a tip from an older man I was sitting on the bank with 5 years ago. Take your sinker and put it 2 feet under using a 3 way swivel, then your hook off another, on a 1 foot piece of line. Put your leader on the other lead of the swivel. The point is to get your bait off the bottom 6 inches or so. Of course it's meant to be fished off the bank. I have had better success with this one. Tight Lines! Bro Catfish, Newark, OH

Hot Pink Walleye! Depending on the day, either trolling or if you have a good wind this is how to catch some tasty walleye. Walleye's favorite color is hot pink "they can see this the best in murky water, like the chain is". Place your boat over any drop off, take a small hot pink jig and hook a walleye minnow on it by its tail - not by the head that's the secret. Cast it out while you're either trolling or drifting then watch the tip of your pole because they hit lightly. Paul Jones, Fox Lake, IL

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Clam Things? Collect some of those clam things that you see at the bottom in the water. They are great fished on a hook by themselves, but otherwise put them in a jar. Let them sit in the sun for a few hours, or until the clams are oily. Put the oil over some cereal and make dough balls and then add flour to make them more dense. Rufus Payne, Austin, TX

Tip from Fish Enemy #1: When you are going fishing, here's an easy way to get a lot of action. Just tie on a hook and put a half of a worm or a whole minnow on it. (A split shot or two is optional, depending on if you want to cast a further distance.) Let it sink a while, then jig it up a ways, then let it sink again. A fish will usually take your bait as it's sinking. You can catch trout, perch, bass, bluegill, catfish, you name it! Good luck! Fish Enemy #1, North Bend, OR

Mix it up! Corn flakes, jello, sugar, corn meal, and any soda. I use cherry. Mix it all together until thick. It works great and a tip is to chum with corn. ;) John, Burlington, WI

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Liver Hooks: If you are using chicken livers they have a new hook in my town called a liver hook. It holds the liver on the best I have ever seen. The way it works is like a safety pin top that you slide the liver down and that connects to the 3 pronged hook. M, Iowa City, IA

Want Some Big Ones? If you want some big son of a b**** carp, then snap an original flavour twiglet in half and shove both halves on a size 7 or 8 hook with an AAA drennan clear waggler float or if you are fishing quite far out in a lake, then use a drennan skud 12 gram. It works a treat, but remember 2 use a barbed hook. Spunk Monkey, Leicester, England

Trout Tip that Works! When fishing for trout, my friend has a tip that always works. You hook a marshmallow onto the hook. Then either put on an egg or whatever small light bait you are going to use. Cast it out and when it sinks it won't hit the bottom of the lake. it will float a few inches above it. you'll get the big ones! Leonard, Kitchen, IL

Losing Tackle? I've had trouble with Carolina rigs snagging and causing the loss of all the terminal tackle. I now put my weight on a very short line attached to a small(!) snap swivel. This line is 5lb lower break strength(or less)than the main line. Above the swivel on my main line I put a plastic bead and above the bead I hook the snap swivel over the line. The bead keeps the snap swivel from fouling on the lower swivel. It also allows me to remove or change weights quickly. Another variation of this is to use the same type line with 'clamp-on' type weights on this very short drop line. They are clamped loosely enough that they will come off if jammed in the rocks or brush. Sometimes getting the right clamping pressure is easier said than done. Fred, Bedford, TX

Hold on tight... Take one can of whole kernel corn and put it in a container big enough to hold it and 3-4 teaspoonfuls of vanilla. Imitation works fine. Seal it and then shake good. Put in the refrigerator overnight and hold on to your pole tight!!!!!!!!!!! Josh Lee, Georgetown, IN

Need some advice... I have a question. Even though the lakes in my area are full of carp, I've always fished for other "gamefish". It wasn't until recently that I turned to carp fishing as a way to turn my kids onto fishing. I have to admit, being stuck on the bank, there's no other way to go. They're allot more fun than bream. I've just begun to tap all of these new bait ideas (always used corn). My question is about chumming. What's a cheap effective chum? How soon before I fish the area? What type of area is best? And how do I get the really big boys to bite? Carp is virtually no man's land around here. So my lakes have some VERY big carp. I've seen several 40 pounders basking in the sun. Any advice is welcome @ lonewolff95@yahoo.com. Dale, Hampton, TN

Want to catch the big ones? First off I have to say I love this site. Just as much as I love cat fishing. I take peoples ideas and modify them to fit my area and make my own style. If you want the big ones I have a few ideas that have been great for my friends and I.

First before you head out for the big ones you need a cast net, chicken livers, large non clamp swivels, 1/2 to 1 Oz egg sinkers, and double barbed hooks.

2nd head to your favorite fishing hole.

3rd go ahead and use liver first and so not to waste time. While you have your line in the water use the cast net to catch shad. These lovely smellin' fish are the best bail for catfish and bass.

Always use a Carolina rig style when setting up your rig. If you don't know what this is, it is your hook tied on about 6 inches of your line and then tied to a clampless swivel and then tied to your main line with your weight about the swivel so the fish can hit harder without pulling the weight. Use double barbed hooks to hold shad on better. hook them bout 2-4 inches behind their head through one side to the other. Cast at different depths and watch the weather channel and if you see the barometer about 33.10 go fishing that day and good luck. Dale Boggess, Nitro, WV

Minnows . . . Use minnows in heavy current, like a dam or river, in the afternoon. The cloudier sky, the better. My friend caught a 10 pound catfish under these conditions. I caught a few myself. Mike, St. Charles, IL

Fruit-by-the-foot . . . A good bait I have used to catch trout is the children's snack food FRUIT-BY-THE-FOOT. I have caught many rainbows in Alaska on it, and I have caught some trout in Alabama with it too. I haven't tried it on other fish yet, but if it works I will add on to this. Ben Freiger, Madison, AL

Oats . . .Take a box of oats to the lake get a handful and dip it in the water and squeeze while your hand is still in the water. Pull out of water and squeeze more then put on the hook and cast it - don't sling it to hard or it may come off the hook. I have caught millions of carp this way!!! Be patient they will get it. Have fun. Josh Owens, Tennessee

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Crawdads, Chicken Liver and Corn Juice! . . . Info Tip Comments - Buy some crawdads and use their insides for bait. If that doesn't work, get some chicken liver and soak it in corn juice mixed with some water. Put it in the sun for about a day. It will stink but the fish love it!!! Danny Hollowen - Glen Ellen, IL

Sizzlers! . . . My wife & I use Eckrich Smoked Sizzlers - Cheese Sausage and catch mighty fine and good size (so far 6 & 7 pounder this year) catfish. We have also caught carp, crappie & bluegill all at Lake St. Louis. Ray Brown - Lake St. Louis, MO

Chopped It Up! . . . I once caught a 10 lb. catfish on nightcrawlers and canned corn. Wrap the nightcrawler on a treble hook and with the remaining hook space,cover with pieces of canned corn. We fished for only a little bit one night and me and my friend caught two big fish. Kevin Krainock - San Diego, CA

Chopped It Up! . . . When using chicken liver cut it up into 3/4 to 1 inch chunks at home so you can bait up quicker. We like to chum a spot before we fish it if possible,commercial chums seem to work good but are expensive if you fish allot. We make our own sometimes w/cracked corn,laying mash,any leftover small grains. Blood seems to be the key to the best baits we've tried. On the chicken liver if you keep it cool in a cooler it seems to work a lot better. Good luck. I will submit more tips later. Brad - Beardstown, IL

Hogg Wild Stinks . . . Do not use HOGG WILD. It doesn't work for anything. I haven't caught a darn thing on it. Personally I think that it was a waist of my money to buy it. Jeremy Sims - West Monroe, LA

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Yucky Days are Best . . . One of the best days for a trout fisherman is when there is over cast skies and is sprinkling. Mike Dahlen - Iola, Wisconsin

Flaky Bread . . . Get some bread squeeze the bread on your hook leaving it flaky around the edges, your bread will float and the crumbs of the flake will attract the carp. I caught a 16 pounder on that and lots of 10 pound carps. Matthew Robinson - London, England

Smelly Raw Shrimp . . . Take raw shrimp and put it in a bucket with about a inch of water in it. Set it in the sun for about two day it smells really bad. Make sure the shrimp has the shell on it. P.S Wear gloves or take some soup with you fishing, good luck. Will Schoemer, Monongahela, PA

For Big Bass . . .

Use Salamanders! Julie Cloud, Decatur, Illinois

Attn: Ice Fishermen . . . Tie on a small or mini rattle trap with the rear hook removed and a short 12" leader with a small ice jig in place. Makes a great attracter and also gets deep fast when used with a ice jigging rod. I have had fish hit the trap along with the ice jig at the same time!!!! Scott, Park Ridge, Illinois

Bass and Rubber Worms . . . When fishing for L.M. BASS anywhere , first try to use a pre-rigged rubber worm that is purple and scented. Fish it shallow, and slow. make sure that you use a snap swivel also. If this works email me at S19hockey@aol.com. Joe, Illinois

Off with their heads! . . . Use a plain old blue gill head and hook it through the eyes. Every now and then take off and put new one on. I had so many hits it was unreal! At first I tried to use liver but that didn't work. So I tried a bluegill head. It was awesome! Stayed up all night; but they are really hard to hook. Dustin Muellner, Tabor, Iowa

Bread and Bacon . . . One day me and my friend were fishing in our farm pond. We were fishing for catfish using bread and bacon. It was about seven o'clock. By the time it was dark (9:45) we had caught 15 catfish, 2 carp and 8 bream. We had lost 4 hooks about 40 yards of line and 8 sinkers. In the end it was well worth it. Brandon Arnold, South Carolina

Gar Tip. . . My name is Jason and I am only 12 years old but my grandfather has taught me well. I have a bait for all you Gar fishermen. If you take a piece of nylon cord and tie a overhand knot and fuzz the bottom the Gars teeth will get stuck in the cord and you can land him. If it works you can e-mail me at abab75@hotmail.com. Jason Archer, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Atomic Tip. . . Several years ago, my Dad and I knocked Carp dead with a mixture we made after learning from this from an ol' timer.

We acquired this atomic bait powder (not sure if it's still around), but flour works second best. Use 2 cups into a bowl. Then you add 2 tsp. vanilla extract, and make a doughy mixture by adding only the necessary amount of strawberry or grape soda pop. If it's too soft, just let it sit out in the sun. Use it on a treble hook with spring. Joe Gunja, Leavenworth, Kansas

Simple Rig Works. . . When dragging a Carolina rig around heavy cover I use 25 lb. test Guerrilla braid for my leader. Although I find this line to be somewhat uncastable it makes for a super strong, abrasion resistant and small diameter leader. Shane Williams, Bathalto, Illinois

Simple Rig Works. . . When fishing out in rivers or moving water a simple rig can make a difference. Take a separate piece of fishing line about 1' long attach to one end a sinker and to the other end a swivel. After doing this thread the line that is attached to the pole through the swivel with the sinker on it. After doing this attach the separate piece of line with the swivel should slide up and down your regular line smoothly . Then attach your hook and your choice of bait to your line cast it in. Buy doing this when the catfish bites onto the line it will not fill the weight of the sinker thus scaring the catfish off. Jeremy King, Nampa, Idaho

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Toothpaste. . . Buy a tube of very cheap toothpaste to carry with you. Use to wash your hands after using that nasty bait or after cleaning fish. Biodegradable and leaves your hands smelling fresh and clean. John McDowall, Treynor, Iowa

Wrap that Liver. . . When using liver wrap string around the liver after you put it on the hook and it will never come off even when you get a bite. It has always worked for me. Jason from Quincy, Illinois

East Coast Fishin'. . . This tip is for all the cat fishermen located in Northern VA. When the herein are running catch as many as you can and use them for cut bait. I have found this to be the best bait I have ever used, and it produces some big fish. Dan Grayson

Panty Hose. . . Many of your tips include using squares of panty hose to keep soft baits on the hook, personally, I have found that if you roll the hose down to the toe, put the bait in the bottom and then tie a knot in the hose just above the bait it is faster and much more effective. and if you tie another knot just above the first one before you cut the hose you will be able to use this tube in the same manner all of the way to the top. This makes for less trouble and more fishing time. Walter

Cat Fishing Tips Dos and Don'ts: Catfish have an excellent sense of smell, so wash your hands in lake water thoroughly and rub them both with whatever dough bait you are using then dispose of that particular bait. When you make up a dough ball bait do not use water out of your faucet as city water has chlorine in it and that will turn them off as well as cost you a nice stringer. Instead go to any fresh water lake and fill clean odor containers. I also use plastic throw away gloves when making my bait to help prevent contamination. If you use bug repellent, have your wife or friend spray you and then don't touch the area where you have been sprayed. Rivers I have found have one advantage over lakes as cats have an excellent sense of smell and can follow the scent of a doughball upstream as much as one mile so you have current working for you. On the end of my line I first put a 1/4 oz. bullet weight and #6 trebble hook with a spring to hold the bait. Set the drag on your reel to a very lite setting as! Too much drag before you can get to your rod will make them think something is fishy and lose interest. For night fishing I use a lawn tractor battery for a mechanics drop lite with a 12 volt yellow bulb in it as well as a spare. I hang the lite as low as possible from a shephard's hook and back a bit away from the waters edge. Camping World carries the 12 volt yellow bulb. More tips later. Let me know how this improves your catch. Mowrar11@awesomenet.net Chuck (Mr. Whiskers) Mowrar, Mission, TX

Catch Big Cats! Mix: flour, water, garlic powder, BBQ sauce, syrup until you get a dough bait to the consistency you like. You should use a #4 treble hook. Then you better hold on to your pole cause you'll be catching BIG cats. Email me about if it worked good or if it doesn't: juarezcb23@hotmail.com. Mike, Garden City, KS

Shrimp & Nightcrawlers: I have been catfishing for as long as I can remember and the two best tips I have gotten from my Dad and Grandpa is to use either shrimp or a nightcrawler sprayed with WD 40 or catch a ton of carp and cut their meat off. Then throw the meat in a jar with a lid and then add about four to five whole bulbs of garlic slightly chopped. Place the lid on the jar and bury it in the ground up to the neck leave for a week then go fishing. It's great stuff let me know how it works for you. knflytyer@hotmail.com. Chris Ashby, Providence, UT

Fish Oil Works: Hi! I am 16 and I have been fishing all my life. I noticed everyone has lots of good baits but try this. I get a whole 4 gallons of cw blood and put it in five gallon bucket. Set it up outside with a screen around it then check on it until you see fish oil - it is white. Dump it out (fish oil is good for trapping scent bait too) then you put garlic salt, then peanut butter. Then mix - you have your catfish bait! I use treble hooks with nylon stockings to keep it on. Andrew, Columbus, NE

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Night-Fish Cats: Just found your site and will be adding a link. I also night-fish cats quite a bit. I've found dead shad to be excellent, even better than liver. One trick I use at night is to take a piece of foil from a cigarette pack and twist it on the end of your rod. It reflects the light of your lantern or campfire and is easy to see. Beef liver stays on the hook more easily than chicken and works almost as well. A levelwind reel with a clicker is a big help at night because you can hear the fish take off with the bait. You can also solder an LED to a watch battery and tape it to your rod tip. Or just scotch tape one of those glow-bobber sticks to the rod, but this gets expensive. Rotten shrimp is excellent catfish bait, but it's hard to get cheap up north. I'm going to experiment with squid from the oriental grocery this year, it smells to high heaven and stays on the hook. Just don't let the squid juice touch anything that you're not planning on burning in the campfire later.

Corey - Fridley, MN

Bloody Minnows! Rake 1 dozen minnows put them in a blender. Then add one cup of blood and let it sit for a week. Cody, Walthill, NE

Special Ingredient Devil Dung! Start with commercial made catfish bait. Get any cheese but swiss. Run it through a meat grinder in pails or buckets. Then add shad or minnows in a separate bucket. Let this mixture sit in sun about a week. Stirring every other day, then add fish liquid to your cheese, stir together, then as a attractant mix in asaphoeida (devil dung). This is enough for most people for a year. As far as the devil dung - you will see why it's called that!!! Catfish Joe, Dubuque, IA

Spicy Shrimp: When ever I go cat-fishing this is the recipe I use take... 1 lb. frozen shrimp let them though out. Put them in a plastic container with allot of garlic and Tabasco sauce. Put a lid on it. Leave it out in the sun for a day or to (the longer the better, then go out and hold on to your pole!!! Good Luck!! Jay P., Muncie, IN

Slippin' Chickin' Livers? I am sure everyone out there has had problems keeping chicken livers in on their hook. If so, try this. Keep it simple. Pour your chicken livers in a larger container, add some water, allot of salt and put this in the refrigerator for at least 3-4 days before using. The salt will toughen the membrane making livers easier to throw or even troll. This really helps with the nasty frozen ones. Good luck. Moses, Lakeland, FL

Good for Fishin' - NOT for your clothes! Take two pounds of chicken liver, cut into good size to fit a hook. Then place the liver back into the container it came in. Then I add some garlic (MINCED) if you do not have minced garlic then garlic salt will work, then I add some (this might be hard to get) Thai extra virgin fish sauce. WARNING DO NOT GET THIS STUFF ON YOUR CLOTHS! Place lid on container, place in sun for a day or two, fish at night or day, hang on. Steve Smith, Paxton, IL

Mix this! Take one cup of flour and mix it with garlic powder, salt, some molasses, a little cooking oil, vanilla extract, then water. If sticky keep adding flour. Jim Langley, Lampasas, TX

Guts do Matter! When you skin the catfish keep the guts! Leave the guts in a can at room temperature - but no more then 3 days. Tie them on a treble hook with of string (or panty hose). Use lemon juice to get the smell off your hands. Edward, Anderson, SC

All You Want Catfish! O.K., I am only 16 but I have caught all the fish I want in one day with this tip. Take some bread and cut the crust off. Make a firm ball then take a sliver of bacon and wrap the ball in the bacon. Then, let the bait sit out for 1 day or so then dab the ball in vinegar before fishing. Email me and tell me what you think: @ clarky2hotty@yahoo.com. Clark Smithson, Alvin, TX

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Garlic? Holy Mackerel! First get some of those catfish worms to hold stink bait. Then cut in half and hook it back up with the treble hook. Now, hook a piece of garlic mackerel and dip it in some DOC’S dip bait (make sure to follow direction on consistency on the container). Even in the middle of winter I still get a few hits on this combo in just a few minutes. Good luck and tight lines! Arthur W. Danielson, Orange, CA

Soak Your Livers! Soak your chicken livers in strawberry banana Jello for at least 24 hours. This will hold it on the hook better and catfish will hit this over regular chicken livers. Let me know how this works for you (nightowl@crtelco.com). Kenny Barrett - Streator, IL

Good Smellin' Liver! My dad taught me this when I was a little kid and it works the best of all stink baits...and your wife won't kick you out of bed for stinkin' from it either! It is very simple...

Take your plain ole liver, (beef or chicken) and put enough anise oil/extract in it to make it smell like the black licorice you used to eat as a kid. It doesn't even have to sit out or anything. It works right away and catches all the cats in the lake!

I keep a bottle of anise extract in my tackle box and occasionally just dip a plain old nightcrawler in, toss her out, and hang on! Let me know how it works for you guys @ tydun23@yahoo.com. Tanya - Nebraska

Get the Channel Cats: Try bran flakes, cheese, loaf bread, liver and big red soda. Mix all together and let set for at least one week or longer. Works well for channel cats in pay lakes also have caught blues and an occasional flathead. Fish with no sinker, just your hook and line on the bottom. Good luck! Dennis - Maysville, GA

Bluegills for Bait: Hey what's up? I live in a small town in WV right by the Ohio River and have been catfishing all of the 16 years of my life. I've tried every bait you can think of and then I started making my own. I've come up with a couple good ones, so let me let you in on the best! Go to a local farm pond or lake catch all the bluegill you can carry and put them in a cooler. The day you decide to go fishing put them in a tub or bucket full of blood and let them sit for as long as you like. I generally do for 2-3 hours then take some limburger cheese grind it up until it's almost powder. Then, take some garlic powder and mix it in with a few small splashes of vinegar and the blood you soaked them in to marinate the fish and let them sit out in the sun for an hour or so. Then, go fishin' and really catch the big ones!! Shad Daniels - Benwood, WV

Smelt Works! For years I've used Smelt cut up into about ¾ inch pieces. They work fantastic. I would like to attribute the numerous cats I've caught to my expertise, but then that would be one of those good ole fishin' stories....the secret is the Smelt!! Doc - Lombard, IL

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Soy Chum? This isn't really a bait but more of a chum. All you need is soy beans, a bucket, and water. First fill the bucket 1/4 way with water then fill it until it is 3/4 way with the soy beans and let it sit until it ferments. Throw it in the water where you are going to fish. Good luck!!!! Arthur W. Danielson - Orange, CA

Guts Galore: When you clean a catfish keep the head and guts. Put the guts on the hook and take a piece of string and tie it on so they won't fall off. HAPPY FISHING :) Edward Hancock - Anderson, SC

The Best Catfish Bait! Visit your local chicken hatchery and ask for some "dead in shell". These are merely chicks that have failed to hatch, they work very well and must be   fished on the bottom. Rogue Isemonger - Gaborone, Botswana

Nightcrawlers! Hey, I've found out one of the best ways to catfish...nightcrawlers, they're really big fat and juicy, so if you hook one, cast, and the worm blood will fuel the cats to search for it. With the type of worm being so big, it's easier for the cats to see it. I've tried it time and time again, and it works best at dusk or about and hour before dawn.

Another good catfishing bait that works great is grub worms, if you can find an old log around your favorite fishing spot turn it over and look for 'em you can't miss'em. The white color of the bait and constant movement of being drowned works great for bullheads and channels. Captain Cat, Chester, SC

Eggs and Cheese...Set a dozen eggs in the sun for a week. Then take a strong cheese (Limburger, Sharp Jack) and mix together with eggs. Add flour or flake cereal (Wheaties or Corn Flakes), to a desired consistency. Add a generous amount of fresh garlic or garlic powder. Mark McPhillips, KS

Wax Worms: I just started using wax worms and in two fishing trips I have caught 18 cats. It is a very effective bait. Fill the hook up all the way, it really works! Richard Wise

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Great Tasting Cats: Soak your cats . . . After you catch your catfish soak them in buttermilk overnight it really helps take the mud taste out. Bill Gallery, Klamath Falls, OR

Weight Tips . . . When you are catfishing with a tight line the catfish can feel the pull of your weight so I came up with a solution for that. Take an egg weight, slide it on to your line, then take a split shot and clamp it on about 6-8 in. above your hook, then tie your hook on. This way the catfish will not feel your weight. My other tip is during the day catfish love worms but at night they have problems seeing them so you should use something with a smell to it like chicken or beef liver. These tips are what I always use. If you have any questions about catfishing please e-mail me @ Verno17@usa.net. Vernon Richards, Virginia, IL

Shad? Out of all the recipes and old secret baits, shad is still the most popular bait either dead or alive! Catfishing USA Sean McEwen, Ft. Worth, TX

Peppermint Patties? For catfish use peppermint patties in chicken liver and let it set. Do not put the patty on the hook just use the chicken liver because it will soak up the smell. Rick Dunn - Marion, OH

Wanna catch some big cat? I beheaded some shrimp lately, put the heads in a bucket and let them soak in chicken blood for 2-3 days. I caught catfish left and right! Ben "Boomin97", Illinois

Holy Mackeral . . . I just found this site and can't wait to try some of these recipes for catfish bait. I just want to throw in a little info myself. L. Heffern from California said mackeral is a great bait but won't stay on the hook real good. Well, I've used mackeral too for some years and found that if you use panty hose or about a foot of thread wrapped around and around it, it will hold on a hook for several casts. (Works great on chicken livers too.) A pair of clippers will snip off thread for the next baiting. The mackeral that I found was whole and frozen at an oriental grocery store for almost nothing. Please e-mail with any other ideas I'll be happy to try them! Bill Scarbrough @ tscarbro@home.com

Bell and Bobber . . . When I went Catfishin', I would use a bell or bobber to let me know if I got a strike, but time after time it would be the wind. So sometime I wouldn't bother getting to my rod and checking, so I got a hook and attached it to the bobber and put it on the line at the end of the rod and pulled down so that the bobber was hanging ly and connected to the line, and when you get that strike you see that bobber shoot strait up and you set the hook. That has worked for me so many times...... Give it a try! Alfred Soto, El Paso, TX

Catfish Messin' Around . . . Every time a catfish feels like messin' with your bait just let it mess around with your bait. Just set your drag set and as soon as he takes off with your bait just yank it and set the hook. That will increase your chances of landing the fish, instead of having the fish do it's famous spin move and have it get off your hook. Daniel Stone, Brandon, FL

Bluegill Blues . . . Over the summer, I tried using Bluegill for catfish bait. I used a large bobber, kept the bluegill alive, and put him about 3 1/2 feet down. I tossed him out and let him swim frantically for about 1/2 an hour. This works great, I caught a 7 1/2 lb. channel cat, a 9 lb. channel cat, and a 13 lb. channel cat. On the 13 pounder, I didn't even use a very large Bluegill. This taught me that it isn't always size that matters. Aaron Roberts, Sun Valley Lake, IA

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Liver and Carp . . . I normally use just plain chicken livers and catch cats as they want to feed, I used Brandon Arnold's advice about strawberry Kool-Aid, I just mixed in with the chicken liver and it started a good catfish bite. I had ten cats within 1 hr.

I have found when the carp are around the shore, I@ll cut them into 1" strips and cast with a 1 oz. sinker back into the channel gets the big cats. Would somebody please e-mail me and let me know where I can buy Uncle Josh Catapala worm paste on line? Thanx. Paul Clavin @ clavin888@aol.com. Huntington Beach, CA

Give Cats Carp . . . I have found that carp meat works great for cats.You can fish it on the bottom under a cork or on juglines.I have caught fish up to seven pounds with this stuff. Basswacker ~ Canyon Lake, Texas

Learned allot . . . This is a great web-site. I have learned more about catfishing here than I have ever in my life. Everything that I needed to know was here on this site. My new catfishing adventure begins today. Hopefully your hints and suggestions will help. "Marlen"

Great Site . . . At last a place where the CITY SLICKING fly fisherman take the back seat. I think most of these guys are afraid to handle bait, much like my 10 year old daughter. My fishing philosophy is through out bait first then plugs and flies when the previous two are depleted.

Case in point: a good friend of mine is an avid fly fisherman which I try not to hold against the guy. Last spring we would head down below the dam and fish for the big browns that came over the spill way. He has a good day if he catches 1-2 fish, I'm not happy unless I get in the 20-30 fish range. Guess who catches the most fish. Hint: it's the guy who has to worry about what he puts on the hook if the worms sat out in the sun too long.

My best luck on catching the big kitties is to float down the river bumping worms and minnows off the bottom. Roger
Thanx for the story and the compliments, Roger!

Sunfish. . . The best catfish bait I have ever used is plain old sunfish. Use a throw net to catch them, and use the ones that are 2-3 inches long. K.C. - Texas

Pucker Up. . . I'm found that really old hot dogs soaked in vinegar and pickle juice is a very good bait for cats. David Knox ~ Tell City, Indiana

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Use Foam: When catfishing at night when I'm not fishing with floaters. I put a piece of foam off a nightcrawler cup or something else on my line it works real well. When you get a bite the foam starts moving up. It is easy to see at night even without light. T. Smith

Shrimp! If you would like to try something different - try shrimp! Frozen, 40 to 60 count. Dave Bell

Nylons: Mike Martin says "I use a small piece of nylon hosiery tied around my catfish dough ball...stays on longer and I catch more fish per bait."

Simply Worms: When putting together your bag of "secrets and tricks", don't forget the worms. If you can't catch anything on anything, try a plain old worm on a plain old hook. It may seem too simple to work, but it has always worked for me. You may not catch the kind of fish you went after but you will almost always catch something. Keep this tip in mind of you're taking a kid fishing.

Gotta Swivel: When using a trot line, make sure you use swivels when you attach your hook lines to your main line. Catfish will spin in attempts to get loose from your hook, if you use the swivels you will keep allot more fish on the hook.

Don't Spit! Don't spit tobacco juice on your bait......It has long been a tradition of tobacco chewing cat fishermen, to spit on their bait, “giving it that extra bit of special magic“. What these “experts” don't realize is that the majority of this spit washes off as soon as it hits the water. And any residual spit that remains will actually scare fish away because of the human sent.

Bright Bottles: When “Jug fishing” for cats, use clear bottles (like the 1 and 2 liter soda bottles) and paint the inside of the bottle a bright color, rather then the outside. This way, the paint never wears off, and if it does, it stays neatly inside the bottle instead of getting in the water and every where else.

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

So What if it's Cold! When it gets cold, most people give up the cat fishing for easier, or more excepted activities. This decision is usually based on statements like “all the catfish are hunkered into the mud for the winter” or “the catfish have gone dormant”, plainly put, these statements are just excuses and far from the fact.

Actually, when the water cools, catfish gather and move in large schools. This makes them harder to find because they are not so widely dispersed. Some habits may also change, like the locations that usually have some fish, but can not support large numbers of fish, will have no fish.

The trick here is to locate the school. Try the big deep holes, channels, or other large areas with slow to slight current. Also, don't spend too much time in one spot, if you haven't had a bite after a reasonable amount of time, then move on. The big reward to this “puddle jumping” is that when you do find the school.........you will experience some of the fastest cat fishing action you can imagine.

Try Something Different: I firmly believe that nobody knows everything about cat fishing. And that anyone that knows anything about cat fishing, found out, directly or indirectly, through the age old process of TRIAL AND ERROR. So don't be afraid to try some thing different. Especially if you don't know of anyone else that has tried it. You may just uncover a “secret” that only you know about. And always remember.......KEEP IT LEGAL.......your "secret" isn't much good if you can't use it.

No Mud Taste: Allot of meat from THE BIG CATS is wasted because it tastes like mud. I have found that it is usually the blood that taints the meat. Take the time to pull the large veins out of your fillets before you cook them. Some people also soak the fillets in milk prior to cooking.

Private Land Fishing: Some of the best fishing holes are right under your nose...PRIVATE LAND. The main reason people get kicked off of private land is that they didn't ask the land owner for permission BEFORE they fished it. This angers the land owner and he gives you the boot. If you ask before you use, and show the owner some basic respect (ie; don't leave a mess, use the roads he tells you to, close gates, etc.) you will more then likely get two major pay backs:

1. An exclusive fishing hole that very few people have access to.
2. A friend that knows all the best fishing holes on HIS land.

[ Have a Fishin' Tip to share? ]

Where There's Little Cats... If you're going after the BIG CATS, but all you seem to be catching are the little 3" to 8" bull heads, try moving just 10' to 15' from that spot. Where there is little cats.....there will be BIG CATS, but they won't compete with a school of 200 bull heads for their food.......they'll move about 10' to 15' away from them (get it?). But remember where that spot is (the one with the school of bull heads), because it would be a great place to take a kid fishing.

Electrical Tape Tip: Many cat fishermen (or catfisherwomen) use bells as strike indicators. I do as well, but I sometimes forget to take the bell off before I cast my line back in. This can prove to be rather costly if you keep tabs on how many bells you have cast into your favorite hole. My solution is simple yet effective:
Use electrical tape to tape the bell more permanently to your rod tip. The bell will stay on when you cast, and you can still take it back off, whenever you WANT to, without damaging your rod.

Catfish Hate Light: This is why they stay in deep holes and muddy water during the day. But at night things are different, catfish are feeding, and they are moving around. Don't be afraid to try some shallower areas and faster currents when you are night fishing. You might be surprised at what you catch.

Think Ahead... Before you leave for the fishing hole, bait up 10 or 15 leadered hooks with your favorite stink bait and put them in a plastic bag. This way, when you need to re-bait you won't get what ever is on your hands (ie; fuel,soot,beer,etc.) on the bait.

Rod Tip Tip: Since most cat fishing is done at night, paint your rod tips with white, yellow, or some other bright color. This way you can see your tip with very little light, and even the slightest movement will be easily detected.

Hidden Bait? When fishing areas with current, allot of times there is so much junk (floating moss, sticks, grass, etc.) that your rig collects an unrecognizable junk monster that can add substantial weight as well as water resistance to your line. But the biggest problem it causes is that your bait is somewhere in the center of that monster, and the fish can't find it. Two solutions I have found that work well are:

1. Use heavy weight and cast up stream so that when your rig sets in, your line is angled up stream and against the current. This way the junk still collects on your line but it catches and slides up your line. As opposed to down your line and onto your rig.

2. Crimp a small split shot sinker onto your main line about a foot above your rig. The junk will slide down your line and catch on the sinker, leaving your rig (and your bait) clear, to function as it was designed.

Hiding Cats: Catfish lurk in areas of heavy cover, usually around log jams, stumps, heavy weed beds and old car bodies. This can present unique problems to the cat fisherman attempting to retrieve his line from these heavy cover areas. I have found that, contrary to popular belief, it is the sinkers that get snagged more often then the hooks (because they are heavier). To solve this problem, use a lighter weight leader (about half the strength of the main line leader) when attaching your sinkers to your rigs. This way, if the sinker gets snagged, the lighter line will break before the heavier main line, thus the only thing missing from your rig when you get it back to the bank is the sinker.

Crawdads: When using crawfish (crawdads) for bait, make sure you kill them first. Otherwise, as soon as they hit the bottom (whether the have a hook through them or not), they're going to burrow into the mud to hide from predators. This is a natural reaction, and a very effective method to avoid being eaten.

Help support our site and buy our Fishing Bait Recipe eBook!
For only $14.95 you get 77 pages cram packed will over 150 recipes and tips.
All proceeds go towards keeping this site live and !!