Cutbait?

[mikeandronda]

I have read alot about useing cutbait for catfish and I was wondering on how you prepare it ....do you just open up the fish do the juices flow or is it more like a fillet type thing.I have heard of useing all kinds of species blugill,perch and even sheepshead(drum). any info on this would be great.<br /> Thanx,Mike

 

[NathanY]

Re: Cutbait?

I catch shad with a throw net. When I get to where I want to fish, I just take the shad and twist thier head so that they break just behind their gills. Throw them in the water.<br /><br />If I use bluegill, I take a fillet knife and make a slice almost like a fillet. Then throw it in the water.<br /><br />The fresher the better.

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: Cutbait?

All of the above and more. I have used everything from the remains of a 2#crappie that had been filleted to crappie minnows threaded onto a hook. Typically I fillet off one side of a hand sized or smaller baitfish (many types from white perch and bream to shad or herring) and hook it through one corner for one rod then I cut the head and tail off the other piece and hook it on through a corner for another giving me two baits per fish. For larger baitfish (same kind)fish I do the same job of filleting and removing head and tail then cut each piece in half and use it. I change baits ever 15min or so to keep it fresh and prefer to use bait so fresh it was still breathing when I filleted it. Sometimes on baits that are thinner or too small to fillet than (herring and shad) I cut off the head and tail and use the whole body section. Of course there is always using small shad or herring live but that is because we have blues here chanells prefer cut baits and blues will hit them as well. One thing to note here I have caught a good number of flatheads using cut baits as well the key to catching all three (or any) is to keep it fresh.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Cutbait?

Thanx Peterfishbuster and Nathan. I plan to try all your methods and hope to catch as I often call him " Big-Ole'-Nasty " (Flathead catfish) Been useing live bluegills and big shiners. I have heard alot about shad but I am pretty sure we dont have them here this far north. ( I may wrong )

 

[Fishbusters]

Re: Cutbait?

If you are after flatheads then you already were using the best possible bait (live fish). What you need to do is make 100% sure you get it in front of his nose if you are fishing daytime or on a good feeding flat if at night. At either time you may need to just stick it out and wait but this is especially true at night.