Good bait for cold water?

[JakeW]

just wanted to know what everybody is having okay luck on with this cold water? thanks a bunch. Jake

[kscatman]

To be honest the first cats that I catch every year come on nightcrawlers. I sont know why but they like nightcrawlers when the water is cold. Fresh shad is also a good bet.

[jdstraka]

Hi Jake, Well in the spring of the year after Ice out, I have always had Good luck with the sour baits,like sour shad sides or strips,for channel cats. also if you are fishing moving water like a river or large stream dip baits work good. hope this helps. it's just a little early for the Flat,s and blues but they should start turning on when the water temp. gets up between 55/60 degrees in our neck of the woods,then it's fresh cut or live skips,bluegill,goldfish or large creek chubs to name a fue.Good Luck J.D.

[kyredneck]

To be honest the first cats that I catch every year come on nightcrawlers. I sont know why but they like nightcrawlers when the water is cold. Fresh shad is also a good bet.


Funny you should say nightcrawlers, the ole timers tear the river banks up this time of year around here to get the green worms. My ole timer buddy, Ralph, caught some really nice bass, channels, and striped bass at the dock this weekend w/green worms. He got the green worms there too.

[catfishjohn]

Funny you should say nightcrawlers, the ole timers tear the river banks up this time of year around here to get the green worms. My ole timer buddy, Ralph, caught some really nice bass, channels, and striped bass at the dock this weekend w/green worms. He got the green worms there too.


Green worms are excellent bait anytime you can get them.I love using them!!!

[splitshot]

Okay---somebody has got to ask, might as well be me, --what the heck is a green worm???:ooooh:

[JakeW]

i was thinking the same thing. must be a kentucky thing.

[catfishjohn]

Okay---somebody has got to ask, might as well be me, --what the heck is a green worm???:ooooh:

i was thinking the same thing. must be a kentucky thing.


You dig them in sandy areas by river banks.They look like a red worm but are dark green,curl up in a spiral ball and smell like poo! On river banks is the only place i've ever seen them dug from. If I was able,I'd go try to get a bunch of them.I saw a buddy of mine's Dad pull a 60+ pounder out of a pay pond with one of them several years ago.Ya just gotta try to keep the gills away from them because they love them also. When and if I can get out to dig some,I'll post a pic. Most of the places I used to dig them people have pretty much wiped them out. I also haven't found them just anywhere(any part of the river bank) either.Once you find a couple there are probably quite a few.
Hope this helps!!!

[splitshot]

Thanks John, i cant say i ever seen one like that, which would explain why I've never heard of them, but i will look for them on the river bank once the ground thaws.

[JakeW]

when i was growing up, i used to kind of follow a rule of thumb. it was like stink baits for cold and live baits for warm water. or vise-versa, probably bassakwards, or just a folk tail, but does anybody have any little dittys they go by as far as baits go? will take all the help i can get.

[dano40]

In the cold water just after ice out cut shad, cut chubs or cut carp work very well. The catfish go around after ice out and clean up anything that has died and got trapped in the ice. The windy side of the lake is usually the best bet especially if the wind has been out of the same direction for a few days.

[JakeW]

that makes sense. i was thinking that since the cat is a scavenger of sorts.