Most Popular Retail Catfish Baits

[troutrageous1]

So my day job gives me access to sporting goods retailer reporting...anyway, just thought I'd share with you Catfish guys what the Year-to-Date best selling catfish baits nationally are for 2008. At least for the folks who don't go out and catch their own bait. This info is listed by YTD units sold.
PURE FISHING CATFISH BAIT CHUNKS LIVER 1,576
CATFISH CHARLIE BAIT CATFSH WILDCAT BLOOD DOUGH BAL 1,420
LIGHTNING BAIT L.L.C CATFISH BAIT 1,371
RUSTYS CHANNEL BAITS WHOLE BABY 1,343
LIGHTNING BAIT L.L.C CATFISH BAIT 922
PURE FISHING CATFISH BAIT CHUNKS BLOOD 882
LIGHTNING BAIT L.L.C CRAVE GRAVY CORN CATFISH ATTRACTANT 823
LIGHTNING BAIT L.L.C CATFISH BAIT 803
CATFISH CHARLIE BAIT CATFSH BLOOD BAIT B 680
CATFISH CHARLIE BAIT CATFSH WILDCAT CHEES DOUGH BAL 663
CATFISH CHARLIE BAIT CSI CATFSH CHARLIE DO BLS CHS 661
CATFISH CHARLIE BAITCSI CATFSH CHARLIE BAIT-CHEESE 552
RUSTYS CHANNEL BAITS CHICKEN LIVERS 523
LIGHTNING BAIT L.L.C CRAVE GRAVY GARLIC 411
MAURICE/SOUTH BEND CATFISH HK ASSORT 400
PURE FISHING GULP CHICKEN LIVERS 318
RUSTYS CHANNEL BAITS SHAD SIDES 296
BEE-JAY BAIT CO BEE JAYS CATFISH BAIT 250
CATFISH CHARLIE BAIT CSI CATFSH CHARLIE DIP BT-BLD 213
LIGHTNING BAIT L.L.C CATFISH BAIT 206

[Rainman4u2]

None of which I would ever use. Not that they are not good baits, but the "big" company baits just never seem to work much around here.

Ray

[goofy]

I agree with Ray. I use a local stink bait for eaters. G&S has always outfished similar purchased baits that I have fished side by side.

[blackhorse]

I was introduced to some stuff called Danny King Punch bait, by far the best I have used for Cats to date. Twice in the last yeat while fishing tournaments, it has gotten us in the weigh in, not that it put us in the money, just that we had fish to weigh.

[dipper69_2000]

I was introduced to some stuff called Danny King Punch bait, by far the best I have used for Cats to date. Twice in the last yeat while fishing tournaments, it has gotten us in the weigh in, not that it put us in the money, just that we had fish to weigh.
if ya wanna weigh in the money use cut baits or live baits..... if ya wanna catch fish use market baits:confused0024: just my opinion. not that i have place in the money very often lol:icon_razz:

[Schoe]

I'll have to put in my 2 cents here just now learning how to catch bigger than eater sized Cats.

Learning this is due to fishing with and listening to several of our WIF members over the last couple of years.

Yes, I did catch my share of 1-3 lb Channels for the table using a variety of dip and prepared baits along with Chicken Livers.

However, since fishing with some of our knowledgeable people I have found if you want the 3-10 pound fish it takes meat, by meat I mean cut Bluegill, Shad, live or smashed Chubs, and where legal, Clam strips.

This by no means is meant to downplay any one's personal preference for baits but by my personal observation and first hand use of "meat" it has proven itself several times over.

Schoe

[blackhorse]

I think you guys misunderstood what I was getting at. When we was fishing those tournaments, we was below and above the damns on the Mississippi river and was using Skippys and cut and whole shad, but when it got down to the end of the day and still no fish, we headed for the rocks and drug out the dip bit to get some channels in rhe boat. last fall those 5 small channels placed u 13th out of 107 in a tournament where we had nothing before we headed to the rocks. I fish a lot of tournaments and I don't leave with out slippys and shad.

[Screen]

I agree with Schoe, Ray and the others but if you want pan sizes I use G&S and TJ's.
I also find J & N dip worms great to use the bait with. Nothing beats shad for the big boys!

A note - With dip baits? I find if one type is used more often in one area that a change of types starts them going again. Like others have said the big Mfg. of baits are for all over use and the small area suppliers test it in there waters and improve theirs for better success.

[Timotha7]

Fishing tourney would definitely want to have variety of baits available, where at the end of the day you want to make sure you have fish in the boat. Have heard very good things about King's Punch bait, though around here, in lakes, fresh chicken liver is hard to beat for catching channels up to round 4 lbs

I also think that there is big difference in what you are going to use in lakes as opposed to moving water. in the lakes round here, a large variety of "lay it out an let the cats come to it"
baits will work, much narrower range in moving water.

My experience it is hard to beat nice fresh (frozen enough to work with) chicken liver for channels up to bout 4 lbs, though bigger will jump on it, though my personal
favorite is big leeches, and in fact, my biggest channel came on big ribbon leech.

For larger cats, 3 to 4 inch chubs, quick strike rigged

I like lighted slip bobbers, I fish them without a stop knot, 1/8 slip weight, sometimes up to 1/4 if
I want to really get it out there, then swivel and 20 inch or so of snell with a bead about 4 inches above the hook, and float behind that to get bait about
4 inches off bottom.

Either big leech with small hook, or 3 or 4 inch chub with couple smaller hooks rigged quick strike on him.

cast to spot, let bait drop straight down to where you want it, then take up enough slack to stand the bobber up.

What I like about this is the ability to put bait right on a spot where I know there is structure and the nice thing about leeches
is it isn't only channel cats that will hammer them, have had some very nice walleye nites as well.

Tim

[Dave]

Like Gofish I have won my share of tourey's also, but using dipbait.
It appears that most fishermen do'nt think that dipbait catches big fish.
I have found out if you fish where the big fish are your going to catch those fish.
I myself like to fish shallow for those 2-4 lbers.
Never fished with shad but have fished with with guys that used it and have outfished them both on quantity and size.
Just my 2 cents.

Dave

[Timotha7]

I have found out if you fish where the big fish are your going to catch those fish.^Pretty much says it all, you find them, you likely gonna catch them.

I also fished tourneys, walleye not cat) wish I could say I won my share of them, but we never stood up in winners circle, though we did manage to place a few times which covered our expenses.

There is no "magic bullet" bait that replaces knowledge of the water you are on, and little things like understanding how to place bait in relation to structure, like how bigger fish relate to structure far as how they feed, boat control if you are trolling or
drift fishing etc etc.

Perhaps the one thing I have seen that sets a pro apart from a really successful local fishermen is versatility in understanding how to fish in many different styles.

Tourney fishing is about ALWAYS putting fish in the boat
Being willing to go home without fish, telling yourself there is still some fillets in the freezer isn't really a viable option :icon_biggrin:

Majority of fishermen tend to get locked into one "style" of fishing, their local knowlege puts them on fish more often than not, but there big difference between meat fishing and fishing for weight.

Schoe is working on this years Mighty Muddy tourney every day, might be good time for everyone to start looking to September, bring your favorite baits an lets see how they work .. more on that will be coming, it is going to be a first rate tourney.

[ripackrat1]

I like useing sonnys blood it works great

[dipper69_2000]

not trying ta switch yer brand but have been beat more than once by those G&S dip cheese guys :confused0082:.....

[jdisci]

As far as prepared baits, I've always had my best luck with Sonny's also(11&13# channels out of the Kankakee R. in IL.) Haven't come across it down here yet. But I never go chasin' cats without fresh livers.

[dipper69_2000]

hard ta beat fresh livers

[dipper69_2000]

yup them g&s boys up here have their stuff figured out fer sure. just wish i could figure it out would make making a mess of ones boat worth useing it.