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The Fish Whisperer actually has a question

5K views 38 replies 8 participants last post by  The Fish Whisperer 
#1 · (Edited)
Be that as it may I am the Fish Whisperer, I have never used scents or artificial baits. Just good ol worms, liver, cut up fish. But this year I’m giving it a shot, for this question we’re talking about YumBrand Crawbugs, Catfish or other Nectar, and Magic Bait. Glad the YumBrand crawbugs were hollow for jigs and being The Fish Whisperer I stuffed these fake and “scented” crawbugs full of Chicken Blood/Shrimp Magic Bait and am currently bottom fishing. Keep in mind I’m fishing in the Arkansas River where there are multiple strong currents and they weren’t biting nightcrawlers (thus I actually gave this a shot). As a matter of fact, this morning I caught a line I snagged still loaded with the same nightcrawlers I scented with Catfish Nectar that I baited it with the day before. Will this trial (a) attract fish, b) will they actually bite, or c) should I just deploy my secret tactic of fish whispering (not an Indian or Christian prayer, it’s actually a trick I stumbled on by accident)
 
#2 · (Edited)
Hey, Brandon. Welcome to the site. Love the username. What state are you from? That might help get an answer to your question from folks near you. My husband and I both prefer to just use nightcrawlers or CBMIGP (chicken breast marinated in garlic powder). Good luck!
 
#4 ·
Update: I switched back to live nightcrawlers and I caught a brim. They’re not biting for two days, I bet they’re tired of worms so I gotta chop that bream up into a dozen little pieces—might as well scent it for a two day marinate. I’m gonna try garlic, too, I’ve seen it works but I just fished normal and caught some beastly beasts, then again I fish in the violent river so whatever you do probably doesn’t matter except on a calm day, but this year I’m giving all this other crap that didn’t make a difference a chance. (I bring my camera now, you wouldn’t believe the Mondos I get otherwise)
 
#5 ·
After switching back to nightcrawlers (four hours without actually catching a fish on artificial bait), and upon late nightfall, the Fish Whisperer caught his dinner. Smallish but keeper blue cat. But any input on the YumBrand Crawbug and Magic Bait dough combination for catfish is welcome. I’ll try it again if all else fails, seems like a cheap shot for an oxbow or CCC lake, but effective for still waters
 
#7 ·
I'm more of a live bait kind of guy but I use cut bait too. Nightcrawlers if I'm fishing on short notice or don't have bait stockpiled. Mostly I use crawlers to catch my bait. It sounds like your targeting blues and channels tho so I'd say keep doing what your doing. Maybe even try using chicken liver inside some of them.
 
#9 ·
Yeah, that’s the problem I’m having these past couple weeks, the temperatures keep rising and falling, they keep rejuvenating and rehibernating. And they do not want to be bothered over a piece of a nightcrawler, they’ll only bother with a giant wad if you’re lucky. Enter the catfish lure....I’m currently using two poles to compare results and my hypothesis best suited what you said. Things are different fishing the Arkansas River, it’s wide and strong, abundant for food so fish really don’t come knocking unless you seed the water (which I’m trying with Magic bait Yum Crawbugs). When they wake up they’ll be in more bliss than a kid in a ballpit while my “scientifically formulated crawbugs I scented with the secret recipe of Catfish Nectar” are flapping their arms in the current emitting ChickenBlood/Shrimp Magic Bait right next to a giant wad of Live Nightcrawlers and they’ll have no choice but to spawn right then and there
 
#13 ·
Don’t get me wrong, I, like you use the real deal, it’s just this year I wasn’t getting bites for four days and I went nuts in the WalMart Isle, now that have a ton of stuff I gotta know what’s gonna catch the big stuff, or at least what works where. It seems like you ain’t wrong, nor the other guy, but if this stuff is garbage I’m gonna expose it like MythBusters, I live beside the Arkansas River and like 10 lakes and hordes of streams, I’m in probably among the best positions to try it out, I got 3 in 1 Fish attractants going on, personally I still hate it but if it saves money or time or mess or doesn’t work I need to know it They probably tried it out on farm fed fish (they eat anything) or not at all and it’s nothing but snake oil
 
#14 ·
I’ve read “bass tips”, “catfish lure reviews”, etc galore. Many said “they soak their soft plastics in scent”. I’m calling foul on these Wal-Mart products, because this stuff isn’t porous enough to absorb and maybe this Nectar doesn’t work it unless it’s aged or something. •maybe• soaking cut bait will do it, which will be toward the end of the trial, but this is what I got. I’m going to use one bottle of this stuff before I switch stores. And I have cut bait ready but that comes next week
 

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#16 · (Edited)
Day 1 trial results: Inconclusive, the water was cold and I only left the catfish lures out for 4 hours and the Magic bait was gone, plus they might’ve been hooked wrong, but the only fish I caught was at 11:00 PM on live bait.

Day 2 trial results: Inconclusive
2 soaked lures with normal Magic Bait roughly 2 hours and two all-day nightcrawlers. Magic Bait lasted, but so did the nightcrawlers. 0 bites, snagged two lines, result inconclusive

Day 3 trial results: No Result Two Magic Bait Lures and 3 Nightcrawlers. All nightcrawler lines were snagged multiple times (drag was no help), Magic Bait reel line likewise severely tangled, stayed that way all day and night. Lost a few nightcrawlers, unsure if it was the snag that slipped em off, therefore no real result was determined because no fishing was done.

Day4 (today) : 2 MagicBait stuffed Yum Crawbugs soaked in Catfish Nectar and two leftover nightcrawlers (I was out), both cast in great areas. Thus far, my MagicYumNectar lasted all day, a glorious and cool day, and my nightcrawlers got snagged again. I bought two more, changed spots on both and gently squeezed a little Magic Bait & Nectar out of the tops. Not but a minute later it appears I had a bite. I checked my poles about 30 minutes later, and one night crawler and one MagicYum was depleted. I reloaded it, Magic Bait soaked in Nectar and nightcrawler, and reeled then back in at 9 PM. The other crawded was empty, and both nightcrawlers were gone. It is highly unlikely they were dragged off or slipped away in the current because it felt like I had a fish until it was close to the shore. I recast the crawded right beside the nightcrawler AND ...roughly 11:00 PM , the Fish Whisperer finally caught his dinner, a blue cat about a foot and a half long, same as the other day, by leaving the spincast up for drag and anti-regurgitation and by casting the catfish lure beside the worm.
This will probably generate a feeding response at least among smaller fish, probably tore their mouths. Hooked nothing on the MagicNectarYum, results too soon to be conclusive according to the scientific method, it IS cold, but it seems as though my hooking arrangements were wrong: the worm hook was too big and curved (catfish hook), and the crawded hook although slightly visible as the professional video demonstration dictated was in fact, too small to hook, and the baits too far apart from each other for this frigid weather. In my observational opinion after 4 24 hour periods, YumMagicNectar will, in fact, attract some fish in a cold and wide strong currented river even in paper mill pollution from at least some distance during their alleged dormant period right in light winter/cold spring, and due to quota limitation, visible evidence can be offered in my album that they did, in fact, prefer live nightcrawler because I caught them on it. Therefore in lakes and streams this abominable creation will in fact, probably be highly effective at least to bring them to shore for bobber fishing with worms among many species of fish and if properly arranged will probably bring in even the bass. I’m also certain had I left open my spin cast and let the fish swallow the YumMagicNectarHook earlier in the trial, I’d have a more positive result because it’d less likely regurgitate what’s easily regurgitated and had a longer greater chance to lodge. I believe this is how to properly use the YumMagicNectar combo in the Arkansas River, that and at least 30 lb test line (I use 50). However, more results will come as I test this in other waters. Furthermore the fish weren’t jumping like they were before I deployed YumMagicBait, but this could be the rash of pollution that washed through for two days and it could be the extreme fluctuating water temperature. Negative Result Inconclusive
First trial End (Live nightcrawler vs YumMagicBait in early colder Spring in the Arkansas River)
I Suggest trotline. If shorefishing you actually might try cutbait possibly even scented plus, or wounded minnows and shad/skipjack (please don’t abuse the trotline, I think my neighbors do) with/without boat, with cutbait, Live shad, worms, and YumMagicNectar isn’t entirely worthless or unnecessary, and I still have both crawded (it didn’t get snagged, a great advantage if all goes well). I’ve already started trying artificial skipjack soaked in Nectar, only negative results when it’s brand new, soak didn’t last, it just swims there like a stupid rubber fish

The Fish Whisperer does not trot line, it seems like cheating or overdoing it seeing how I don’t have children, but if ya trotline or net please be legal

Trial 1 results: Two over 1 foot blue catfish and 1 brim, all 3 on nightcrawlers
 
#17 · (Edited)
Trial 1 epilogue: Upon catching my last fish yet using my leftover bait from trial just two hours after I concluded trial 1, I left my poles out the rest of night with the drag on. Beginning trial 2 in the morning, I reeled in last nights bait to discover one nightcrawler disappeared and one YumNectarMagic had what resembled exactly a catfish biting pattern in the gooey mush. This research determined my Trial 1 results were in fact accurate (they will bite factory bait and it’s possible to catch if handled accurately) and further concluded that perhaps I need a smaller crawded lure and/or I actually found a use for a big treble hook, even for catfishing, for the first time ever. Furthermore, the nightcrawler that was bitten last night wasn’t even touched, leading to the results that a fish may have some sort of higher defense intellect. And finally, the size crawded I bought may be only useful in far bigger catfish specimens, meaning a less amount of greater fish less often, but the results will be gargantuan and a greater lb-test line will be vital (these crawded added significant weight and yielded a greater cast). Upon casting these crawbugs where I was snagged on nightcrawlers, I did not get snagged.

Trial 2: Yum Magic Nectar bigger treble hook and bigger single hook vs. unscented cut bream, temperature 55 degrees
Snagged treble hook on a big turtle, broke my line. I know the terrain, it was a turtle, bubbling like a maniac. Lost my weight and line, saved a hook and crawded. This time I used a bigger catfish hook, soaked Magic Bait only in the Nectar, of course stuffed the Yum Crawbug, this time I poked a lot of holes in one and a few in the other in hopes of a better emission action while bottom fishing and also smeared the outside of this 3-in-1 lure device with MagicBaitNectar. This is because the MagicNectar mix was usually relatively still full even over 24 hours later, possibly creating less of a reaction. I cast in a different spot to study the response, where I was previously snagged other than the turtle.
Earlier in the day, something tore up the cut bait but was not hooked, looked like minnows or small bass. Toward the later part of the day, nothing even touched it. As for the MagicNectarYum, something did bite, the tearing action I did in the exoskeleton actually didn’t really help much. But the water was still and cool, the temperature rose to close to 70, and the bass were hitting all around me all day (which actually irritated me because I rigged up catfish poles. I removed MagicYumNectar and they hit more fiercely. Toward the evening I rigged a bass pole also, and caught one on a bobber after leaving it alone and unattended for an hour. Yes, I cheated and have poles rigged with nightcrawlers, but it appears MagicYumNectar actually did attract more bass than ever before in this property’s history, both giant and small, and they actually did spawn, right then and there like I said. And that artificial shad? Thus was the result, I caught a snagged line. Nonetheless I find ultimately found it useless after two days, even unable to hold scent (washed off immediately)
Trial 2 Day 1: Results astronomical in heavy favor of my 3-in-1 combo, yet useless for catfishing in the Arkansas River except at night when they come closer to shore to feed but the bass may have nibbled my catfish worm to pieces, zero Catfish were caught. MagicYumNectar indeed may not be useful for hooking a catfish, just bringing them around. I’d like to bring cut bait to a close, it was a bream, but man I have to take advantage of that bassing
I have like 10 fishing poles. I can do what I want. (Haha)
—caught a small spotted catfish the next day. Of course I let it go. Maybe my neighbors net or trotline. Idk I was working but someone does trotline all around me. Cheaters or hard workers with huge families, idk. Hardly a response today, except snags. I’m resigning poles left and right, as the river recedes I get snagged a lot more.
 
#18 ·
Welcome Brandon, this is what I have learned about natural baits Catfish seem to hit them better during the time of year that they start showing up.For native night crawlers here it's about the middle of May. And Catalpa Worms the same way. Not saying they will not catch year round,but for me the best bite comes as they start showing up.
 
#20 ·
The river has receded greatly, so I have found the more intelligent way to fish in the Arkansas River to cast a big deep pole full of Magic Nectar Yum that will, in fact, likewise be snagged (just much lesser likely depending on the weights or lines like the ones I keep recatching). As the evening closes when they’re hitting hard and spawning, use a bobber pole or two setting them shallow while casting really far out, and/or a lighter bottom fishing pole, it is most intelligent. You may even leave them unattended if terrain conditions are right. I’ve been tearing up on brim, bass, perch, if intelligently placed such as on my staggering and redistancing on my personal dock you will TEAR IT UP. but deep water catfishing has proven far too costly at the moment where I am as the water recedes mainly due to resnagging lines (but I have several man-made objects to look out for too, and I have to save on big weights.) I only lost so many to prove or disprove it was less likely to get snagged by casting Nectar Magic Yum in the same spot, but I keep catching decently weighted 50 lb line on whatever the hell that was I kept getting snagged on, it literally made a netted webbing of monofilament among the catfish poles I baited with nightcrawlers earlier in the experiment. But Magic Nectar Yum was in fact, a riot among fish during spawning and rejuvenating, it actually created a peak ideal and I’m certain it brought it all home all year and doesn’t really get snagged on logs if there are no small vines or monofilament. I also recommend buying the smallest Yum Crawbug and using a decent sized hook, small enough to catch a normal catfish and big enough to stick out above it’s head or below the abdomen only a little ways, and it isn’t necessary to follow the scent directions when marinating the Magic Bait in the Catfish Nectar, just mix it well and stuff it in the Crawbug while it actually self marinates underwater all day, they go more nuts as you go. Smearing it on the outside and line GREATLY seemed to drive the fish more nuts on whatever else you throw out there (thus far) for quite some distance.
 
#21 ·
Again, I haven’t studied the effects of MagicNectarYum on in ponds or small lakes or creeks, it may make various fish habitats flourish or putrid, even kill them if the water is already stagnated or leaves ethylating, it may be so strong the fish go into a coma or flee.
However I can say after further studying finer dynamics of bobber fishing, it seems like fish can tell for some time whether or not something is regurgitated or of consequence after attempting to eat, maybe higher predator-prey concept memory, because after a natural-wildborne one eats a worm and is caught, they seem to not want it for quite some time. Some don’t care if it’s been regurgitated but some seem to
That is all for now, I can’t study for some time because I’m changing out my air suspension.in my car and working, plus I don’t get paid for two weeks so I can’t get much more tackle
 
#23 · (Edited)
This is also what was happening to the magicNectarYum. You would think the fish just spawned and that’s all that happened, but they were actually in greater numbers than normal for a good while.
Sky Water Kite sports Calm Kitesurfing
Sky Water Kite sports Calm Kitesurfing
This could mean the MagicBait chum is also effective, I can’t say because I used a 3 in 1, and isolates seem useless here, and it dissipates more quickly when the idea was to not buy much tackle or use bait. It is still too early to tell, and there weren’t enough control environments. My first week of research analysis did adequately conclude that
(a) some catfish will bite it
(b) It did save on tackle and bait, (c) it certainly didn’t hurt anything in a river
(d) it may be powerful enough to bring fish in when they’re not biting
PS, that isn’t MagicNectarYum. That’s just my stupid rubber fish that likewise snagged
 
#24 ·
Hey fish whisperer. Next time it rains go outside at night with a dimmed flashlight, I use a headlamp with the red light setting. You should see hundreds of nightcrawlers all over. They spook easily so tread lightly and try getting ahold of them closest to where they come out of the ground. Don't pull too hard just maintain some pressure on them. Eventually they will loosen their grip and come out just fine. If you take a little dirt and fill about an inch of the coffee can with it then the rest with some leaves and little dead vegetation they will stay healthy for as long as you keep them. Also keep them somewhere cool. I use a fridge. And sometimes check to see if it needs dampening. Once you have plenty of worms you can start catching small baitfish and use them for catfishing. Also if academy sports sells them look into a castnet and learn to throw one. A small investment will save you hundreds.
 
#26 · (Edited)
Proper application instructions for MagicNectarYum MultiFish Attractor
Materials: small container such as for weights, Magic Bait, Catfish Nectar, Yum Crawbug (smallest or largest, the rest are unnecessary), minimum 30 or 50-100 lb test line, outdoor sunlight, twig, regular or bigger catfish hook, bottom fish weights and/or bullet weights depending on desired depth.
Instructions on build (in this order):
1: Marinate Magic Bait with Catfish Nectar or alternative attraction compound in the small container (mix well into a creme-paste, it does not emit well as an unmixed gummy mixture, and the more time the marinate, the better for best slow-dissolve, but you can use it right away and let it marinate in the crawbug, just be sure there are clumps relatively the size of the Yum Crawbug head hole). Marinate crawbug also if you prefer
2: Tie two catfish hooks onto your pole in different spots, leave some slack on each line (you can double up and knot the line to achieve this, make sure it is all above the bottom weights.)
3. Insert Catfish hook through rear end of the tail, maneuver until hook is protruding through the opening of the crawbug. Don’t worry about making other holes on accident, they self close and slightly help with the MagicNectar emission. It does not matter which way the hook faces, so long as not much room is left between the hook curve and lure to get snagged. Optional: Place bullet weights on main line to keep lure and line from twirling, maximum slack is best for bites
4. Take twig or finger and smoosh Magic Yum paste clumps all the way to the bottom. Fill up lures. Smear what is in your hands and/or twigs on the outside of lures, covering generously. Smear line also.
5. Cast where desired. Leave set until bite, check every day or whenever, gently squeeze head or body here and there to make the mush slightly come out. This helps emit ooze more strongly and makes it appear wounded. Refill with Magic Nectar as needed, feel free to smear the outside again

Alternative method of filling MagicNectarYum: Fill bottom of crawbug with Nectar. Knead Magic Bait into something big enough to smoosh into the head/mid body. Fill again with Nectar on top or put more bait on top of Nectar.

Note: this process also can be substituted for chicken liver. I have not tested it with liver. The size of the lures solely depends on if you want to catch a fish (smaller lure) or attract a school or two (bigger lure). Attracting lots will take time. Multiple poles recommended, one for MagicNectarYum and the rest for whatever you choose v
 
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