[neocats]

Put plainly, there is not such thing as catfish bait for beginners. There is no bait that should be used by beginners just because they are new to the sport. It sounds like as you get more experience, you will be entitled to use better baits.

 

[catfishcrazy256]

just go for the biggun right from the start !!!:wink:

 

[tncatfishing]

Alot of baits , a beginner at catfishing may already be using. For instance skipjack and bluegill for striper , good bait for catfish alive and cut up. Also minnows for bass, will work for catfish, as I have seen times when they would only hit on small minnows, a couple on a hook fished on the bottom.

 

[s_man]

I say Hot Dogs, or Green jello, or hot dogs soaked in green jello then sprayed with WD-40. That will catch them every time lol.

 

[jsharper]

S man may have caused 3 or 4 heart attacks with the wd-40 comment.:big_smile:

Jim

 

[s_man]

Jim, I was just trying to lighten the mood lol.
I think the best allround bait for blues and channels is cut shad, suckers, skipjack, or other baitfish. For Flatheads you can use those same baits, but you should also use some live baits as well.

The best beginner bait is cut-bait. It will catch fish most times. Thats not to say you can't catch them on shrimp, or soap, or WD-40, or french fries, or hot dogs, livers, worms etc... But day in and day out you'll catch more catfish on some form of cut bait fish, or live bait fish.

 

[whodaman]

i stick to bulegill and chubs. There is a good thing to remember when using live bait after you have the hook through your bait take your knife out and scrape off the scales on the side of the fish this releases the natural oils that are in the fishes skin. i have also seen people bend their fish to break the spinal cord to let the spinal juices come out im not to sure about that one i dont think there is enough spinal juice in the fish. Also when fishing new a new lake you should use the bluegills out of that lake seeing as how thats the scent the catfish as been eatiing its whole life.

 

[neocats]

I say Hot Dogs, or Green jello, or hot dogs soaked in green jello then sprayed with WD-40. That will catch them every time lol.

I heard cherry jello works too. Gives off a blood trail.

 

[Kowegi]

Here is a link to some basic homemade bait:
http://www.catfish1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=71542

 

[Netmanjack]

Put plainly, there is not such thing as catfish bait for beginners. There is no bait that should be used by beginners just because they are new to the sport. It sounds like as you get more experience, you will be entitled to use better baits.

Well I'll have to disagree on this one Jeff. Night crawlers are the perfect bait for beginners. They are slimy, you have to poke a hook into them, you also kill them, They work good for smaller cats that a beginner should be targeting. If you throw off a crawler your not loosing much, but wing a nice gill off and frustration sets in. You don't have to have heavy gear to cast a crawler either. Yes I believe night crawlers are the perfect bait for the beginner. Learn with them then gradually move up to bigger and better gear and bigger baits, I don't think any thing could be more frustrating for a beginner than trying to handle big baits and learning how to get some distance or place a cast with long heavy rods and reel. Give them the chance to practice awhile first. :big_smile:

 

[ryang]

Well I'll have to disagree on this one Jeff. Night crawlers are the perfect bait for beginners. They are slimy, you have to poke a hook into them, you also kill them, They work good for smaller cats that a beginner should be targeting. If you throw off a crawler your not loosing much, but wing a nice gill off and frustration sets in. You don't have to have heavy gear to cast a crawler either. Yes I believe night crawlers are the perfect bait for the beginner. Learn with them then gradually move up to bigger and better gear and bigger baits, I don't think any thing could be more frustrating for a beginner than trying to handle big baits and learning how to get some distance or place a cast with long heavy rods and reel. Give them the chance to practice awhile first. :big_smile:

I agree Jack they would be good for beginners but even tho S-man was joking hotdogs work well in most ponds (Private) not paypnds.

 

[katkiller77]

nightcrawlers or any kind of red worm would be best for the beginner catfisher they are reliable traditional and proven not only to get channels, bullhead but if place in a big ball on a big treble hook will get shovelheads. best bait for beginner and still great bait for vets as well rick:big_smile:

 

[brother hilljack]

Why do we category our fisherman as beginners? I sure have not walked into a bait shop and read a sign that said beginners can only use this bait. I feel that this is more of an experience conversation, as a less experienced catfisherman may use something that we has discarded or discounted as not as good as others.

 

[Netmanjack]

There is nothing wrong with the word beginner. Here is the definition.

Main Entry: beginner
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: unskilled
Synonyms: abecedarian, amateur, apprentice, buckwheater*, catechumen, colt, fish*, fledgling, freshman, green, greenhorn, gremlin, initiate, learner, neophyte, new boy, new kid, newcomer, novice, novitiate, probationer, recruit, starter, student, tenderfoot*, trainee, tyro
Antonyms: expert, master, veteran

 

[shania]

Why do we category our fisherman as beginners? I sure have not walked into a bait shop and read a sign that said beginners can only use this bait. I feel that this is more of an experience conversation, as a less experienced catfisherman may use something that we has discarded or discounted as not as good as others.

:0a27: with the post above, but if I were taking someone out for there first time cattin', I would want them to get something :0a14:, so I would tell them to use "Nightcrawlers", "Liver" or "Clams" (Clams work great out here for cats) on they the first time out, and go from there.
:0a36:
:surrender:

If the Cats are really on the bite they would use the same bait that I was using.
(Why Not?)
:wink:

Take it easy,
Bert:cool2: & Shania:0010:

:worship::0a23:
Bert & "Deltalover"

 

[noodlin Will]

worms are the way to go for beginners they will catch a wide variety of fish including all the cats albeit smaller ones for the most part.

 

[ersel]

I think a newbie should try a variety of baits the we all have one or two go to baits that we have confidence in. Mine are cut shad and chicken hearts seasoned with garlic salt. Would other baits work work sure but I give these baits a better chance before I switch because I have caught alot of fish in these. A newbie will hear a lot of great ideas that are guaranteed to work because someone has a "friend" that killed them on twinkees soaked in grape jelly last weekend. LOL

 

[Netmanjack]

I believe that they should have a beginner section at the bait and tackle shops. I have seen many times people starting out fishing, no matter what their choice of quarry, only to buy alot of stuff they don't need and will never use. This goes for equipment too. It's not practical to start someone off with a baitcaster. They may just get so mad they give up because of all the birds nest and short casts. Hey do you think that all sales people at these places are ethical? They are just selling and they don't care what. I would place bait in this category too.

 

[Katatonik]

Prepared dough baits are easy. They have a nice zip top bag and won't
make your wife leave the room gagging, generally speaking. You don't
have to be a committable cat fanatic to use them successfully. It is a
bait for those anglers interested in a little action from Mr. Whisker's
little brothers and sisters on an easily affordable rod and reel. Sometimes
even folks like us who view pictures of outsized catfish with the enthusiasm
of a young man drooling over porn use the easy way if the fish tell us so.
Play nice. Talk careful. Don't trip over your tongue if it can be avoided.
Hide the bodies. Use quicklime.

 

[neocats]

I guess I should clarify this before it get any worse.
I was initially talking about new anglers to catfishing, not new anglers to fishing. Assuming that a person knows how to cast, etc., why not teach a new catfisherman on the proper techniques of using the same baits that I use. I have never used a hotdog, so I would tell someone else to use one. Unless I didn't want them to catch anything. When I take someone new catfishing, I get a thrill out of them catching more and especially bigger fish than me. I could imagine taking a new recruit fishing and saying "Here, you use this jello garlic flavors hotdog and I'll use some fresh shad I caught".
If that person doesn't have adequate gear, they can use mine. Better than a snoopy pole. Why put them through the torture?

I am sorry if I did not explain the post better in the beginning.