Comments on: How to Catch Catfish

on 9/26/2008 Good tips. I used squid a lot. Never heard of using ivory soap, but I'll try anything once. Liver sacks definitely work.

on 6/16/2007 Using Ivory Soap-Go to your local store and get a bar or 2 os Ivory Soap and let it sit out for two or three days til' you go fish and trust me I caught 10-40 pounders on that.Also, Try it on trotlines I once caught a 55-pound shovelhead on that stuff! No Lie

on 8/8/2006 Get some stockings, like your mom or grandmother wears, and cut it into squares and put the liver into it. Tie it off, so the liver is in the stocking, and then put your hook through the knot on the stocking. Cast it out and it should not fall off.

on 4/16/2007 I've fished for catfish in 12 different states and have found that chicken liver on a basic cat hook with a night crawler for a trailer will get you any size cat you want. Next time you go out, juts add the night crawler; it makes a difference. I fish the Snake River in Washington and have had many catfish break my line with this set-up.

on 8/8/2006 For the best bait:
Soak cut up hot dogs in onion powder, apple cider vineger, balsamic vineger, A1 steak sauce, pepperchini juice and ranch dressing overnight.

on 8/8/2006 I have caught 3, 4 even 5 catfish off of the same piece of chicken liver. Take a good chunk of liver and get it on the hook. The hook should pass through the liver as much as possible. Then take (depending on the size of the piece and hook) a 2-3 foot piece of sewing thread and start wrapping it around the liver. Don't wrap too tight or it will cut through the liver. The liver will now stay on the hook through multiple fish. When the liver finally comes off, just take some scissors and cut the string from the hook and begin again. I keep a spool of thread in my tackle box.

on 8/8/2006 Take a bucket with lots of holes in it fill it up with dog food. Then tie a rope to it and drop it down right in front were you are fishing. The smell will attract them right across your hook. This works well when flooding or in running water. I caught countless 10-20 pounders.

on 8/4/2006 I found a lot of different baits work on catfish, but that's only if you want to catch up to a 5 or 6 pound blue. If you want to get the big daddy, take a night crawler or a casting net, and catch the hand sized bait fish, like gizzard shad, or even some bluegill. Either cut it up into 2 or 3 pieces or leave it whole (if you leave it whole cut it open so it will bleed). Place the fish on a #6 or #7 octopus circle hook. If you do this in the Dutch Gap area of the James river in VA. I hope you've got at least 50 lb line.

on 6/11/2007 Place Spam in the microwave for about 3 minutes, this will toughen it up. Cut into chunks and put on hook. This was a tip from a cousin who worked the barges up and down the rivers from New Orleans and north in the Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and Mississippi. It catches the big ones.

on 11/22/2005 Take 4 or 5 different baits to change it up a bit. There is nothing wrong with trying one bait for 10 minutes and switching. It helps the catfish know that you're going to keep coming back for him. If you land your bait in a catfish nest, beware of a big catfish!

on 11/22/2005 To catch a nice ten pound bass or more, here is what you need to do.
Use a medium size jig that's icy blue and chartreuse. Put a half of a worm on there and cast out about 25 yards and reel in slowly. Catch really good bass with this tip, it works.

on 11/22/2005 It is not a good idea to let your bait rot for several days, because you can attract the salmonella bacteria which can contaminate your fish and possibly kill you. If you want the same effect as rotting bait without the dangerous bacteria, then dip your bait in cold buttermilk before tossing it out. Buttermilk smells rotten. If you want your fresh buttermilk to smell even more rotten without putting your life in danger, then mix your cold buttermilk in a blender with some Limburger cheese and take that as a bait dip. Letting your bait soak in this mixture in your refrigerator over night is also safe, but remember to take it to the lake in a cooler with ice to keep it safe.

on 11/22/2005 If you fish with a bobber and 1 or 2 split shot sinkers, try moving the bobber up so you have about 2 and a half feet from the bobber to the hook. Do this because catfish mostly stay at the bottom, so this really get it down there for good keeper cats.

on 11/22/2005 Try putting the hook in the middle of the line instead of the bottom. Then put a weight of 1-2 pounds at the bottom. By doing this the hook is just perfect above the bottom and the hook is always pointing up, so hooking the fish is at about 95%.

on 11/22/2005 I have found that catfish love chicken breast, you have to cut it up in squares, then get a package of cherry cool-aid and let it soak overnight in the fridge. Then you will start to catch many catfish. (wv)