How to Make Catfish Bait

When it comes to catfish bait, the worse it smells, the better fishermen believe it is. Catfish have an unbelievable sense of smell, so the 'smellier' the bait the more it drives the catfish crazy. Catfish bait is available in sporting stores, but it is also cheap to make at home. Whether the catfish bait is dough ball or soap based, once a catfish fisherman finds 'his' perfect bait, it will be the 'stinky' stuff of which legends are made.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup of any selected base ingredient
• Water
• 5-gallon plastic bucket
• Hair dryer
• Zipper storage bags
• At least 1 to 2 'scented' additions
• 12 ozs. of 100% lye (sodium hydroxide)
• 3 cups of water
• 6 pounds of animal fat/lard
• Plastic container/bucket
• Wooden spoon
• Soap molds or small glass bowls

Instructions

Make Dough Ball Bait

1. Choose a base that will hold its shape and stick to the hook for a dough ball bait base. Common base choices include uncooked oatmeal, baking flour, corn flakes, wheat flakes, white bread, pre-made dough, peanut butter or cookie dough.

2. Mix the dough base with 'scented' additions in a bucket to increase its appeal to catfish. Some common 'scent' additions are ground meat (beef, sausage, chicken liver, bologna, potted meat or cheap dog or cat food), naturally smelly cheese like Limburger or rotten cheese, garlic salt, garlic powder, anise oil extract, bacon bits or fish pellets. Add water as needed.

3. Experiment with a few ingredients at a time to determine what ingredient combinations work best.

4. Form the mixture into 1-inch round balls.

5. Place the dough balls into a sealable container or zipper storage bags. To add more appeal, pour juice from tuna or canned corn over the formed dough balls.

6. Dry ball bait in sun until they are tough enough to stay on the hook. Use a hair dryer to dry out the balls when time is limited. To use as bait, mold the catfish bait ball around the hook and cast it into the water.

Make Lye-Soap Bait

1. Pour lye into water in plastic bucket or container. Stir to dissolve while adding lye to water.

2. Let the lye water sit until it's room temperature.

3. Melt the animal fat in a glass container on the stove. Once melted, let it cool until it reaches 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit.

4. Dispense the lye water slowly into the melted fat with a wooden spoon. Stir the mixture until it thickens to the consistency of pudding. Continue mixing for up to an hour.

5. Add anise extract, garlic salt, garlic powder or other additives for increased "stink appeal."

6. Transfer the mixture into glass bowls or soap molds.

7. Leave the catfish bait soap to dry for about 3 to 4 days until it hardens.

Tips & Warnings

• There is no magic formula for catfish bait, so experiment and field test different ingredient combinations as bait at different times of the day.

• Write down every combination so can remember the 'perfect' bait once you discover what bait is most successful for you.

• Lye reacts with metals, so do not mix in a metal container.

• Modern soaps contain perfumes and additives that may be a catfish repellent rather than catfish bait. Use 100 percent lye.

• Mix the catfish bait in a well-ventilated area outdoors or in a garage because the odor can be pungent and mixing can be messy.

• Read all handling labels and warnings for lye.

• Do not pour water onto the lye; pour the lye into the water.