Question for those that catfish

[leesumm]

I am a avid catfisherman so to speak and usually do fairly well using livers, dough bait and chicken guts. I live in Arkansas and been looking at something in the local Walmart but just skeptical of it. Its from Magic Bait and called chum. Its in a 2 lb. bag and looks like ground bone meal that one see from a slaughter house ( I drove a truck for many years and was a constant visitor to a lot of packing plants so I know what the stuff resembles. I looked it up on the web and said it moist and to throw in a circle to attract catfish and "mold" about 2 inch balls and cast them out . It would entice the cats to go on a eating frenzy. I looked in the Fish and Game book and could find nothing to "chum" catfish ,except it was illegal to chum for trout.
I was wondering if anyone used any thing similar , if not the stuff I am thinking of and does it work?

 

[colbyt]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Sounds like a great plan to sell more bait.

Seriously you could do the same thing with any of the other choice you mentioned. It is the amount of food at a single location that brings the fish. To support that I will offer from experience that one of the best darn places to fish in a local water reservoir in real close to the pump house that brings the river water to the lake. Lots of small and ground food coming in at one location.

 

[leesumm]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Ah, but these lakes I fish are fresh water lakes but not fed by rivers or ???? Nor any pump house bringing in any water , they are river fed yes , but from rain and run off. There are 3 of them close by that I fish one is the fresh water supply for the local city and rural water. The other are just Controlled by the AGFC. I know about putting sour corn out in buckets for an attractant but I don't want to attract fish on a continuous schedule for others to benefit. I can't find any regs about it except that chumming for trout is illegal in this state in running water. I was just more or less curious if others had used similar tactics to draw in some big fish. I know that there is 35 to 100 lb cats in theses waters and have lost a couple of them and continually catch fish 5 to 10 lbs. just that only one or two once in a great while.

 

[Seasonally.boating.jon]

Re: Question for those that catfish

I don't know of anyone who has used chum for catfish so I cann't say it wouldn't be a good idea. Most of the good cat baits are sort of a chum. Why is livers such a good bait? The cats smell the blood and juices. Same thing with cut bait and the rest of the stuff at the stores. They all stink.

I use a cast net to catch my cat bait. Shad, in my own opinion, is the best. They are not hard to find and they run in thick schools mainly in rivers. One cast with the net over a school and you'll have bait for many hours of fishing. They are a pretty slimmy fish and have a very distinctive smell. I cut them in half and just stick both halfs on a hook. Also the shad work when you hook them live but they won't live long. Simple, effective, and fun to throw the bait net because you'll never know what you might pull in.

If you don't have shad in the lake where you fish at, bluegill is a good alternative. Just throw the big ones back please. 3 or 4 inch will do just fine, same amount of blood and juices will disburse though the water. The bigger fish have the best opportunity to make more fish.

Any cut bait is good for cats, not just shad. I think its the blood.

A bait thats good for mud cats or what I like to call 'em, chub heads, is hambuger meat. Get a pound of ground chuck, put it in a ziplock bag, throw it on the roof for about 2 weeks, and there ya go. Good 'ol stink bait, home made even.
I've never tried it, but heard it was good. I don't know if I could handle it after I opened the bag.

Good luck on your next trip.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Question for those that catfish

We live on a major river/lake.

My father went into full time catfish angling upon his retirement, and he talked with other catfishermen up and down our river. They'd share info on what the fish were biting. Sometimes they'd bait with Ivory soap cut into little cubes. Sometimes they'd bait with little sponge cubes dipped in oil of anise (licorice.) The fish would always bite minnows and worms. They'd go below the dam where millions of shad minnows were, and they'd net'em and put the minnows on ice until they could bait the hooks. Some would use a cheesy dough ball or bloody dough product purchased commercially. They also like bait shrimp and spoiled chicken livers, both are which available in our grocery stores.

We often see commercial fishermen using a small shovel to place a dehydrated cheese byproduct into their fish traps.

But catfish mostly like any bait that really stinks.

 

[leesumm]

Re: Question for those that catfish

All of you missed the meaning of the post." avid catfisherman so to speak and usually do fairly well using chicken guts, dough bait , cut bait etc. I live in Arkansas and been looking at something in the local Walmart but just skeptical of it. Its from Magic Bait and called chum. Its in a 2 lb. bag and looks like ground bone meal that one see from a slaughter house ( I drove a truck for many years and was a constant visitor to a lot of packing plants so I know what the stuff resembles. I looked it up on the web and said it moist and to throw in a circle to attract catfish and "mold" about 2 inch balls and cast them out . It would entice the cats to go on a eating frenzy." I know what to use to catch fish and how to use it. I wanted to know if anyone used any of this stuff or chummed catfish and if so , did it improve the catch ? Seems everytime I go out I can't find the fish or catch only one or two at a time.

 

[Seasonally.boating.jon]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Naaa, didn't miss your point. My point was most all of the bait we use for catfish is chum. I just threw in what I use for bait. People will put anything on a label to sell it. I don't buy it cause the bait I use works for me in my area. Surely it doesn't cost that much...so buy it and let us know how it does. If works, I'll give it a try.

 

[888]

Re: Question for those that catfish

I catch 30lb average cattys all day long on 2"-3" Bluegills caught in a local farm pond then taken to river. Next best bait for hawg seeking is chicken livers sat in sun all day and put on a treble hook. Never did chum for cats,might try it next time out tho.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: Question for those that catfish

That chum will probably work, but don't expect them to come zooming right in on it. I'll work best if you chum an area for a couple of days or even a week before you fish it.

You can also do the same exact thing with the cheapest canned cat food and dog food you can find, and it doesn't really matter what flavor it is.

 

[coastalrichard]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Yup...can on a string...right Jig?

 

[lncoop]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Ahoy there fellow Arkie! What lakes are we talking about if you don't mind my asking?

 

[leesumm]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Ahoy there fellow Arkie! What lakes are we talking about if you don't mind my asking?

Lake Wilhemena,Irons Fork lake and sometimes North Fork lake. Thats about the only lakes within a short distance from me.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Question for those that catfish

I see. You're north of me then, but I grew up going to Norfork. Beautiful lake. You might want to ask your question on crappie.com. Some of those guys are avid catfish anglers and might have tried that stuff or have more specific thoughts about it.

 

[leesumm]

Re: Question for those that catfish

I see. You're north of me then, but I grew up going to Norfork. Beautiful lake. You might want to ask your question on crappie.com. Some of those guys are avid catfish anglers and might have tried that stuff or have more specific thoughts about it.

Yeh, I live in Polk co. not NORFOLK but North Fork Lake. Its a small AGFC lake I think, lots of standing timber there still I don't know how old the lake is. I just found it about a month ago. Its only about 70 acres when full but its so low the deepest part is only about 25 foot now. The other two lakes are about 100 to 200 acres when up but the are very low too. They are all full of big cats.

 

[lncoop]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Yeh, I live in Polk co. not NORFOLK but North Fork Lake. Its a small AGFC lake I think, lots of standing timber there still I don't know how old the lake is. I just found it about a month ago. Its only about 70 acres when full but its so low the deepest part is only about 25 foot now. The other two lakes are about 100 to 200 acres when up but the are very low too. They are all full of big cats.

Oh. Well in that case my geography was way off. I know the North Fork river and lake Norfork (not Norfolk) but I had never heard of lake North Fork until now, and you're nowhere near where I thought you were. I must admit I was confuzzed when you mentioned Wilhelmina. Do you not ever get over to Ouachita or the Ouachita river? How about Dierks? Isn't it over that way as well?

 

[leesumm]

Re: Question for those that catfish

I live about 10 miles from the Okla line, 80 miles south of Ft Smith, and about 45 miles north of DeQueen. Quachita is 80 miles east. Dierks is about 80 miles south east

 

[lncoop]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Eighty miles is nothing for a lake like Ouachita IMO, but I know gas will eat you alive these days. You should head over there some time (if you haven't already) and if you have the boat for it. This is a great time to island camp if you're into that.

 

[captain gabby]

Re: Question for those that catfish

Down here in the woods we puncture small holes in canned dog food to bait catfish. It seems if cat are biting good a chunk of cut bait works fine.

 

[catfishcarl99]

Re: Question for those that catfish

the stuff on the lower right i presume?

i got a bunch of magic bait stuff at a gathering we had last year through a fishing forum im on. promo thing. i wouldnt buy it to toss out when you fish. but rather chum the area a few times during the week before you go. it will get them tuned to a spot knowing that food and food scents is in the area. as far as using it when your fishing. i never had any better luck when fishing over it fresh out.