They’re the wily fish of the channel. Anglers give them a lot of credit for being sneaky; they lurk in the darkness of dirty water cover. They’ll inhale nearly any bait that doesn’t move and has a familiar scent.
Don’t want to just hook a cat. Want to get a big’un on the end of the line. It is one that makes your rod bow and pulls like a freight train.
You want something to engage their senses. Bait selection by many fisherman is random. They just throw anything out there that they have.
Best Bait Options To Catch Big Channel Catfish
The Power of Scent in Channel Catfish
While that may work with small fish, it won’t often do much when it comes to big channel cats. Channel cats is very reliant on smell. The barbels on their faces are chemical detectors.
The water does not need to be crystal clear for a cat to find dinner. It simply needs to have a strong scent signal. And that signal has to be strong enough to penetrate the smell of rotting vegetation.
Using Fresh Cut Bait
Knowing this will make your bait selection easierer. Fresh cut bait is as good as it gets, and there is a reason it is the norm. When you freshly cut mackerel or menhaden on the spot, it will drip juice and oil in the water.
That chemical trail attract cats from a distance. The key here is timing. You want to cut your bait just prior to casting.
If you pre-cut, the bait will lose its potency in short order. The scent will fade and the oils will oxidize. Essentialy you’re flinging dead weight in the water.
Cut a small chunk about as big as your thumb. Securely tie it to a circle hook. Allow the current to pull the bait along.
The action looks like a dying fish and that triggers strike instinct. If you don’t have access to fresh fish, there’s always freeze-dried bait. Products like Dynamite Baits or Berkley Gulp!
Freeze-Dried Bait Alternatives
offers a good alternative. When it comes to texture, channel cats are finicky. They have sensitive lips, and they know the difference between fresh meat and processed fish.
Seek out baits with a soft flexible texture. Dry hard chunks will be rejected. These products also last a long time with their scent.
That’s important when you’re either holding a drift for an extended period of time or fishing slow water. You won’t have to change it as frequently than you would fresh bait. Fresh cuts will initially attract fish stronger then freeze-dried bait, but the latter holds up longer.
Bundling Nightcrawlers
Nightcrawlers are popular worms, but you must use them right. Often a single worm dissapears to smaller fish before a channel cat ever sees it. Volume is critical.
Take several night crawlers and form a big ball of them. Both the scent and vibration in the water are key. Channel cats can feels what’s going on via their lateral lines.
That big ball of worms disturbs the water and tells the cat there is a big meal nearby. Leave the worms in the bait holder so they stay alive. Dead worms have a distinct odor.
Live ones wriggle around. That movement attract interest. This is effective in areas where current is moderate such as rivers.
The bait remains close to the bottom where the cats roam. For example, steaks are another deal. Classic offerings include chicken livers and salted shad stomachs.
Durable Baits Like Chicken Livers
Those are durable baits. They hold up in the current, resist smaller fish and last longer than softer filets. And those chicken livers has a powerful smell (think sulfur) that holds up in cooler water.
That’s why this is sometimes the ticket when the channel cats turn off in the winter. They become less active and require more of a signature to probe around. The big plus is its durability.
Let that sucker rest on the bottom for hours before changing baits. This is huge when you’re fishing from the bank with a pole or slip bobber. You’re not actively working the bait, you’re setting a trap.
Stink Bait for Murky Water
There’s stink bait. Stink bait smells awful to us but by gosh that’s the idea. Strong lures with fermented ingredients make up commercial stink baits.
These are made for crappy water. Not only does muddy water block your vision it also thins out scents. That’s where stink bait comes into play.
It penetrates that barrier. The viscosity assists as well. It doesn’t get washed off in heavy current and it will stay on the hook longer.
This is strong chemistry stuff. It ain’t subtle. This can be a first choice in low visibility scenarios, like when the fish aren’t cooperating or the water is dirty.
Presentation and Rigging Tips
Last but certainly not least is presentation. If you have the wrong bait, it won’t matter how well you present it. Because channel cats are a bottom feeding fish, your bait needs to be on the bottom.
Keep it simple with a slip sinker or better yet a Carolina rig. Give your line some slack. This allows the cat to grab hold of it without feeling resistance immediately.
They are wary creatures. Any amount of pressure and they spook and are off to the races. Just let them eat and set the hook when you feel anything.
The bait disappears and that’s when the battle starts. The other ingredient here is patience. Don’t move around, just wait for the bite.
If the aroma is appealing enough the cat will find his way to you. You should of used more bait if they arent biting.
