Catfish Baits

Everyone has their favorite homebrewed catfish bait. Here are several baits I scoured from the internet. Try them and let me know how these work out for you...

HotDog Based Baits

I fry em up a bit before adding the hotdog to any recipie. It toughens the skins and keeps them on the hook better...

#1:  Cut hot dogs into 1" lengths, place them in a jar, and cover with Fish Formula Catfish Lure. Let set at least overnight before using.

#2:  Put the following into a jar: package of cheap hotdogs, cut into 1" lengths; several slices of bacon, cut into 1" pieces. Add enough vinegar to cover well. Add some powdered ice tea, brown sugar, seasoned salt, and parmesan cheese.

#3:  Use cocktail sausages, either plain, or with cheese.

#4:  Take several hot dogs and cut each into 6 equal pieces. Put them in a sealable container, add 2 cups of white vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of garlic powder. Stir or gently shake to mix up garlic powder. Seal and let set at least a couple of days before using.

Kool Aid Based Baits

#1:  Marinate hotdog chunks in strawberry Koolaid mix, garlic and water, drain and put em on a hooks.

#2:  Marinate hotdog chunks in strawberry Koolaid mix, and water, drain and put em on a hooks.

#3:  Strawberry Doughballs. Strawberry doughball is simply a doughbait flavored with strawberry, usually strawberry jello or kool-aid is used as the flavoring. Try variations of other flavors such as vanilla, maple and blackberry.

#4:  Cut boneless chicken breast into bait-sized pieces and put them into a Ziploc bag. Dump in a package of strawberry koolade on top of the chicken pieces. Add just enough water so that it forms a marinade for the chicken. Let set in fridge several days before using. OPTION: Add a couple of tablespoons of grape jelly to the marinade.

Liver Based Baits

#1:  Mix in cheese powder found from easy mac, chicken liver, garlic salt, tabasco sauce, flour, vinegar and lemon juice all into a blender. Paste it onto fresh chicken liver and dry them in the sun for 5 hours. Set them on your treble hook and git-er-done.

#2:  Mix in cheese powder found from easy mac, chicken liver, garlic salt, tabasco sauce, flour, vinegar and lemon juice all into a blender. Paste it onto fresh chicken liver and dry them in the sun for 5 hours. Set them on your treble hook and git-er-done.

#3:  Cut chicken livers into bait-sized pieces and set them outside on a smooth, slightly slanted surface, so that the livers don't overlap. Sprinkle heavily with garlic powder, then very heavily with non-iodized salt. In 4-6 hours, they should be ready to turn over, so that you can put garlic and salt on the other side. Let them set another 4-6 hours, until they are about the consistency of steak cooked medium-rare. Put in a Ziploc bag in the fridge, and they will keep for several months. OPTIONS: Add or substitute anise or vanilla. Put some Thai peppers and Thai fish sauce into the Ziploc bag with the cured livers, and mix up like a salad. Let marinate overnight or longer.

#4:  Cut chicken livers into bait-sized pieces. Put a layer of garlic powder on the bottom of a plastic container, then place a layer of livers; put in another layer of garlic powder, a layer of livers, and so on, till you run out of livers, finishing up with a layer of garlic powder on top. Mix up a package of flavorless jello (gelatin) and pour the hot mixture over the livers till they are barely covered. Mix this around every few minutes till cool. Cover container and place in fridge.

#5:  Buy beef kidneys and chicken livers and leave them setting out in the sun for 3 to 6 hours before using them for bait.

#6:  Take a tub of chicken livers and cut the livers into bait-sized pieces. Pour a dry package of jello over them and mix well. Let set in fridge for at least 24 hours before using.

#7:  Drain the blood from a couple of containers of chicken livers into a gallon jar, then put several 8" minnows, chubs, or suckers in a single layer in the bottom of the jar, so that they are soaking in the blood. Tighten the lid and let set till it really stinks. Then use the minnows as bait.

Shrimp Based Baits

#1:  Get store bought shrimp and soak them with chicken livers. The shrimp absorb the bloody aroma of the liver.

#2:  Shrimp soaked in vanilla extract

#3:  Put shrimp, hamburger, garlic, crawfish oil, fish gut, and cheese through food processor or blender, adding just enough water so that the mixture won't go through nylons. Make up baits with the nylon and put them in a loosely sealed bottle in the sun for about a month.

Dough Based Baits

#1:  Here is another special "blend"

1 can of tuna

5 cups of mustard

5 cups ketchup

1 cup onion salt

1 cup garlic salt

1 dill pickle cut into chunks

2 slices bologna

Mix together and blend until it is almost a paste. Then on a piece of wax paper, form balls of the bait, size depending on size of fish, and put in freezer for about 4 hours. Use after taken out of freezer and go catch fish

#2:  Soak dry dog food in water for an hour then mushes it up with a potato masher and adds flour and oatmeal to make it into a paste

#3:  Pillsbury dough (89 cents to $2) and right before you cast out, dip it in some tuna juice. It's oils adhere to the dough well

#4:  Heat a pint of milk till very hot, but not quite boiling. Add two tablespoons molasses or honey. Add 1/2 # of limburger cheese and stir till cheese is melted and well mixed. (If you shred or chop up the cheese into small pieces first, it will melt faster.) While continuing to stir, add oatmeal till thick. You should be able to make doughballs that will stay on the hook. If you have trouble adding enough oatmeal while stirring, you can remove the mix from the heat, let cool some, then mix in more oatmeal with your hands. Keep in a Ziploc bag.

#5:  Melt 1/2 # of limburger cheese over medium heat. Stir until thoroughly melted, then remove from heat. Add finely ground oatmeal until the mixture is stiff enough to stay on a hook.

#6:  Experiment by adding other (ground-up) ingredients such as liver, hog feed, calf starter, shad (or other baitfish).

#7:  Fry some bacon till very crisp, but not burned. Grind, process, or mash the bacon into a coarse meal-like powder. Mix bacon, rye bread, and creamy peanut butter to form a firm ball. Should stay on a hook, but a piece of loofa works especially well.

#8:  Mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1 1/2 cups blood and stir till sugar is dissolved. Add 2 cups corn meal and mix well. Add about 3 1/2 cups plain flour, 1/4 cup at a time, mixing well after each 1/4 cup is added.

#9:  Grab a handful of instant oatmeal and dip in water. Squeeze until thick enough to make a ball that will stay on the hook. Once the ball is on the hook, you can either dip it into the attractant, or squirt the attractant onto the ball. Attractants: strawberry syrup; blood; anise; fish oil

#10:  Mix 2 cans of mackerel cat food or 1 can of jack mackerel with a loaf of bread (or cornbread), and fish oil. Should make a firm ball. Make into bait-sized balls and freeze in Ziploc bag.

#11:  Take the oil from canned tuna (or other fish oil) and add some finely ground spare fish parts. Make balls from bread and dip into mix. Don't let the bread soak up so much that it becomes soggy, or it won't stay on the hook. If it gets too soggy, mix it with more bread.

#12:  Buy the cheapest canned biscuits you can find, open them, and let them set in the fridge for a couple of days. Roll them into bait-sized balls and put them on a hook.

#13:  If you don't have luck with this, try adding an attractant. Once the ball is on the hook, you can either dip it into the attractant, or squirt the attractant onto the ball. Attractants: strawberry syrup; blood; anise; fish oil

#14:  Mix 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/4- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, then add just enough water to make a firm ball that will stay on a treble hook.

#15:  Mix 2 cups flour and 2 cups cotton seed meal. Add 1 can cheddar cheese soup, 2 tablespoons pancake syrup, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or fish oil). Add a little flour or oil if necessary to make a firm ball. Store in Ziploc bag in fridge.

#16:  Mix 1 cup flour and 1 cup cornmeal. Mix 1/4 teaspoon anise oil with 1 tin of sardines packed in oil. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, then slowly add water till a bread-like dough is formed. Let the dough rest. Boil a quart or so of water in a shallow pan. Form the dough into bait-sized balls (grape to golf ball sized) and drop into boiling water for 3 minutes. Remove and cool. 17

#:   Bring 1 pint whole mild to a boil over medium heat and add 1/2 tablespoon salt. Slowly add cornmeal until mixture is thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add more cornmeal until mixture is thick enough to stay on a hook. Let is age in a warm place till it smells sour (week or so).

#1819:  This is best done out of doors, as some people feel the odor is not only strong, but objectionable. In an old blender or food processor, liquefy the following: 30-50 rotten, slimy nightcrawlers; 1 # beef (or chicken) liver; 1/2 pint sour cream; 2 tablespoons garlic powder. Thaw out a loaf of frozen bread dough. Put on some rubber gloves, and mix the liquid from the blender with the bread dough, folding and kneading it just as you would any bread dough. Add extra flour as needed to make the dough as firm as you want. Store in one or more Ziploc bags at room temperature for a couple of days, but be sure to allow plenty of room for expansion. It's a good idea to keep an eye on the bags to let the air out when necessary. Use a single or treble hook with a spring on it, or use loofa to hold the dough.

#19:  Prepare 1 box of Jell-O (cherry, strawberry, or strawberry-banana) using the instructions on the box. Once it has come to a boil, add 1/4 cup molasses. Add cornmeal till it is as thick as you want. Store fist-sized chunks of the dough in Ziploc bags.

#20:  Mix 1 1/2 cup cornmeal, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 3 tablespoons honey, 3 tablespoons dark Kayro syrup, and 3 tablespoons of molasses. Continue to mix, adding flour till it is as firm as you want. Let it set in the fridge overnight, then store in a Ziploc bag.

#21:  Finely chop 1 hotdog and 2 slices of cheese, then add 3/4 cup of water (or put all three into blender or food processor). Put mix into bowl, and start adding flour (about 2 cups) until it is as stiff as you want. Store in Ziploc bag in fridge.

#22:  In a plastic bucket outside, mix the following: 2 cans of fishy cat food; a couple of pounds of ground chicken or turkey; a bottle of BBQ sauce; any other old meats left in the fridge (or leftover baitfish), ground up; add flour as needed to make a firm ball. If it gets too stiff, you can add a little water or fish oil.

#23:  Put 2 cans of tuna in oil (or sardines or jack mackerel) in a bowl and mash up very fine. Add flour until you have a firm ball. OPTIONAL: Add some garlic powder, cheese, and/or anise.

#24:  Take a 3# coffee can of cattle feed (or calf starter, hog feed, or some such) and add water to get it mushy. Then add 2 cans of fishy cat food, 3 tablespoons of molasses, and 3 tablespoons of garlic powder. Add flour as needed to make a firm ball.

#25:  Take a loaf of bread and add equal parts of Koolade (cherry, strawberry, or strawberry-banana) and vanilla flavoring. If necessary, you can add some flour to make a firm ball.

#26:  Mix equal parts of water and BBQ sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of garlic powder for every 4 ounces of mixture. Add flour till mixture is as stiff as you want.

#27:  Mix 2 cups cornmeal with 1 cup flour. Add 1/2 package koolade to 1 pint boiling water and stir till dissolved. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring. While stirring, slowly add the cornmeal/flour mix; when all has been added, continue stirring for another 3 or 4 minutes, then dump dough onto mixing board (or waxed paper, or foil). As soon as it is cool enough, knead the dough into a firm ball, adding a little flour or water as necessary. Store in Ziploc bag in fridge.

#28:  Mix 1 cup flour with 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons vanilla extract. Add 1/2 can creamed corn and a little apple cider and mix well. Add about 1 cup dog or cat food and mix well, adding flour as needed to make a firm ball.

#29:  Grind up about 1# of old meat, liver, or leftover baitfish. Add a bottle of soda (or equal amount of water, fish oil, or whatever). Mix with a loaf of bread, adding flour as needed to make a firm ball.

#30:  Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, and add 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon honey, and 4 tablespoons of sugar, stirring constantly. When sugar is dissolved, slowly add 1 cup of cornmeal, constantly stirring. Continue stirring for 3 or 4 minutes, till it becomes firm and doughy. Dump dough onto a mixing board or platter. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, knead the dough into a firm ball, adding a little flour if necessary. Store in Ziploc bag.

#31:  Mix 1 cup cornmeal with 1 cup flour, then add just enough water to make a firm ball.

#32:  Mix 2 cups flour, one can Parmesan cheese, and 2 tablespoons garlic powder. Add water till you can form balls with the mix. Make bait-sized balls and cook in boiling water till firm.

#33:  Mix 2 cups cornmeal with 2 cups flour. Mix 4 tablespoons kayro dark syrup and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract with 2 cups water. Heat water to a boil and add flour/cornmeal mix, stirring constantly into a paste. Sprinkle in some cinnamon. Make a bait-sized ball and drop it. If it doesn't bounce an inch or so, continue cooking.

#34:  Mix 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup blue cheese (or cheddar), 3 tablespoons garlic powder and 1 cup of oil (preferably fish oil, but vegetable will work). Mix well, adding flour or oil as needed to make a firm ball. Store in a Ziploc bag.

#35:  Mix 1 cup flour, 1 package white gravy mix, and 1 package strawberry (or strawberry-banana) koolade. Add hot water to make a soft dough. Form into bait-sized balls, put in Ziploc bags, and store in freezer.

#36:  Mix 2 cups cornmeal and 1 cup flour. Bring 3 cups water to a boil and add 1 package strawberry (or strawberry-banana) koolade. Continue stirring till koolade is dissolved, then while continuing to stir, slowly add the flour/cornmeal mixture. Turn down the heat and continue to stir/cook for about 5 minutes. Dump the dough out onto a mixing board, and when cool enough, knead it a little before storing it in a Ziploc bag in the fridge.

#37:  Thoroughly melt 1/2 # of limburger cheese over medium heat, remove from heat, and mix in oatmeal till stiff enough to stay on hook. Store in freezer. OPTIONS: substitute liver meal, hog/dairy feed, or ground baitfish, chicken, or turkey.

#38:  Take equal parts (by weight) of hamburger meat, limburger cheese, and flour, and mix with just enough water to make a very firm ball.

#39:  Mix 1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1 cup cornmeal, and 1 cup flour with just enough Big Red soda to make a stiff dough. Make a dry mixture of equal parts sugar, salt, and garlic powder. Form some of the dough into a bait-sized ball, roll it in the dry mix, and place in in a Ziploc bag. Continue till all the dough has been made into balls.

#40:  Puree 4 ounces chicken livers (with juice) in blender, or mash up fine. Mix 1 1/2 cups water, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, and bring to a boil. While stirring, slowly add cornmeal and cook for about 3 minutes till it starts to form a ball. Dump the dough onto a mixing board, and as soon as it is cool enough to handle, mix in the chicken livers.

#41:  Mix 4 tablespoons of flour, 1 tablespoon cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cornmeal, 1 egg, and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract. If it feels slippery, add a little flour.

#42:  Mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup cornmeal, and 1 package strawberry jello (or 2 packs of strawberry koolade) and mix with enough water to form a firm ball that doesn't stick to your hands.

#43:  In a pan, put 1 cup cold water, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 heaping tablespoons of Quick Quaker oatmeal, and 1 cup of cornmeal. Heat on medium, stirring constantly, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, till it forms a stiff ball. Remove from heat and add another 1/2 cup of cornmeal, working it into the mixture. When it is cool enough to handle, place it on a mixing board and knead till well mixed. Form into ball and let cool to room temperature. Knead again to remove crust. Store in fridge in Ziploc bag.

#44:  Mix 1 can Spam, 1 cup lard, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, adding just enough water to make a firm ball.

#45:  Puree 4 ounces of chicken liver in a blender add 4-6 large eggs, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, and 3 tablespoons of honey. (You can also add any other flavors, scents, or attractants here.) Pour into large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix 10 ounces Semolina with 2 ounces soya flour, and slowly add to wet mix until you have a stiff paste. Add more egg or semolina till you have the stiffness you want. Roll the mix into bait-sized balls and boil for 2-6 minutes, till the balls are as hard as you want them to be. Lay the balls on paper towels or newspapers to dry for at least 6 hours.

#46:  Grind up rough fish (or baitfish) so that you have 1 quart of ground fish. Let it set in a loosely covered non-metallic container for a week. Add a couple of teaspoons of salt, and let it set for a couple of more days. Then add 1 small box of quick oatmeal 3 teaspoons of brown sugar, and 1 # of linseed oil meal (dry type). Store in ziploc bag.

#47:  Mix chopped hot dogs, chicken livers (or substitute), blood, dog food, and peanut butter in blender or food processor till pasty. Make bait-sized balls, put on cookie sheet, and bake in oven till slightly firm. (If you cook it too long, it will crumble when you try to put a hook in it.) If not cooked, it makes a good chum.

#48:  Mix flour and water to form a pasty dough, then add whatever you want for flavoring. Flavors, commercial catfish attractants, rotten fish, old cheese, or anything you can dream up. If necessary, you can add a little more flour after that to make the mix as stiff as you want. Roll into bait-sized balls and store in a sealed container or Ziploc bag.

#49:  Mix 1 jar concord grape jelly with 1 loaf whole wheat bread, then add cornmeal till you get the stiffness you want. Store in Ziploc bags.

#50:  Bring 2 cups water to a boil and add 2 tablespoons vanilla extract. Add 1 package of Jello (strawberry or strawberry-banana, or whatever kind you want to try), stirring constantly until it is dissolved. Reduce heat to a simmer and very gradually add cornmeal, letting it absorb the liquid. As you run out of liquid, shut off the heat. Be very careful not to overheat, or the mixture will burn! Keep stirring after removing from heat till it is as stiff as you want. If necessary, you can add a little more cornmeal to make it stiffer.

#51:  Mix 1 # of soybean meal, 1 can of cream style corn, 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of hot sauce with just enough liquid flavoring to make a firm ball. The flavorings can be vanilla, anise, banana, strawberry, or whatever you want. If you get too much liquid in it, you can add a little more soybean meal or flour to stiffen it up. Use on a hook with a spring on it, or use loofa to hold the bait.

#52:  Mix 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup flour, 1 cup instant oatmeal, and 3/4 cup sugar. Mix 1/2 to 1 cup maple syrup with 1 cup water, and mix with dry mixture. Add more water till you get the stiffness you want. Use on a hook with a spring, or use loofa to hold the bait.

#53:  Dump 1 tub (about 1#) of chicken livers into a blender, add 1 tablespoon of anise, and liquefy. Pour into a bowl. Add instant grits till mixture is as stiff as you want. (Will probably take about 1#.) Use on a hook with a spring, or use loofa to hold the bait. OPTION: Use instant grits with cheese, bacon, or whatever.

#54:  Mix instant oatmeal with whatever dry flavorings you want to use, such as jello, koolade, garlic powder, or whatever. Mix any liquid flavorings with 1/2 cup water, and begin mixing the water mix into the dry mix. Then, you can add more instant oatmeal or water to make the mixture as stiff as you want.

#55:  Mix 1 large bag of instant grits, 1 small bag of quick grits, 4 boxes of jello (your favorite flavor), and 1 can of whole kernal corn, well drained (reserving the juice). Begin mixing with 1 can cream style corn, gradually adding the corn till you get the stiffness you want. You may not use the whole can, but if you do, and the mixture is still too stiff, you can add some of the juice you drained off the whole kernel corn.

#56:  Mix 1 can fishy cat food, 1 cup old crab guts (or shad guts, or ground baitfish), with flour or cornmeal till you get the mixture as stiff as you want. Form into bait-sized balls, put them in a Ziploc bag and leave them outside overnight (or longer), then put them in the fridge. A separate fridge for bait is a real plus for this one! If you're planning to use them within a few days, and don't have a bait fridge, you may just want to keep them on ice in a cooler outside. If you plan to freeze them, don't use cornmeal, use flour.

#67:  Mix bread, flour, and melted velveeta cheese, adding water as necessary to get the mixture as stiff as you want. It should be a little sticky, but if it's extremely sticky, add some bread. Put in Ziploc bag in the fridge overnight before rolling into bait-sized balls.

#58:  Put 1 can fishy cat food, 3 tablespoons molasses, 1# of melted velveeta cheese, and 4 cups of cattle feed (or calf starter, hog feed, dry dog/cat food, or fish food pellets) into large bowl and add enough hot water to turn it into a mush. Add flour and/or oatmeal till it gets as stiff as you want it. Take some of the dry cattle feed (or whatever you used) along on the fishing trip to use for chum.

#59:  Mix 1 cup flour, 1 whole bag of cornmeal, 2 whole bags of wheat germ, and 1/2 gallon of feed corn that has been ground or crushed in a food processor. Add whatever flavorings you want, such as strawberry, banana, grape, cinnamon, garlic, vanilla, anise. Mix well, adding water as needed to make the mixture as stiff as you want.

#60:  Mix sardines packed in oil with oatmeal, adding enough water to make the mixture as stiff as you want.