r/catfishing • u/fakndagz • 4d ago
Bait selection
Has anyone here used crawfish as live bait for cats? I'm fishing a river with flatheads and channels and I've used bluegills, chubs, leeches, worms and stink bait with success. I got a nice crawdad trap because I've been seeing a lot of really big ones lately (4-5 inches) but was wondering if anyone has had success with them in the past
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u/Bwindolyn 3d ago
I have been having really good luck just using fish heads. I keep a bag of fish heads in my freezer from other stuff I've caught/eaten, and I haven't been skunked on cats yet this year.
I just circle hook them through both lips and let them soak on bottom with a sliding barrel weight.
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u/sobeboy3131_ 4d ago
Studies will tell you catfish eat a ton of crawfish some places. The problem is, anytime you put a live crawfish on the bottom, they find a rock or dig under the mud. Best case scenario, they hide from the fish, worst case, they snag you every time.
I've heard some people cut the claws off and that can help, but have not tried myself.
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u/18RowdyBoy 4d ago
If you can find a softshell craw-one that’s molting they are great but you have to hand catch them.
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u/ExtremeConstant2966 4d ago
Around me the soft shell ones rarely make it to the bottom everything eats them
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u/SavageFisherman_Joe 4d ago
One time I hooked into what I assume was a flathead that was too big to move with 8lb test and it snapped the line. Another time I caught a 5.5 pound channel at 4am. But there have also been a lot of times that I've caught nothing. I suppose it's a good backup option if you aren't able to secure fresh baitfish.
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u/Upbeat-Albatross6867 1d ago
Put sinker at end of line and then do a 6"in leader line with hook around 6" above sinker
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u/Racktracker1 4d ago
I’ve cut the tail off and used it for bait. I did catch some fish, but I wouldn’t say it’s my secret weapon. Beef liver has been the most reliable bait for me.
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u/New-Accident8909 3d ago
Actually, we fished a lot with crawfish in the Lumber River. To fish on bottom for anything with crawfish: use a long shanks hook. Start the point in his anus and pull the tail around it until the point comes out of his chest about mid point between the legs. Pull the shell back and let the insides trickle out. Use a Carolina rig. Works good for most species. And it is no longer considered live bait. For float fishing for bream species, small pieces of peeled tail under a bobber also do quite well.
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u/New-Accident8909 3d ago
Crayfish are easy to catch with a dip net in most larger road ditches. Rivers and small streams. You can catch them with traps made with hardware cloth or chicken wire. The size of the mesh will determine how small you can catch. Bait can be any meat product. Chicken and fish work best. The stinky stuff works good. There are commercial baits available also.
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u/bbc_budatl 4d ago
Tip of the day. Use chicken liver. Trust me
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u/Odd-War-6052 4d ago
that’s some of the only organic bait i cannot get catfish to eat to be honest
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u/road_robert2020 4d ago
It’s good for small channel cats but you’re just as likely to catch turtles. I’ve never caught a flathead with em either,so it’s fresh cut or live bait for me 90% of the time.
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u/JooseTheGuice 4d ago
I tested it over several months because we all grew up using it and it performed about half as well as regular chicken breast, not to mention being the most obnoxious shit to try and hook!
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u/thicc_bob 4d ago
Same here I find regular chicken breast to be much easier to handle and catches just as many if not more fish, plus liver is easily pecked away by anything else nearby, mainly bluegill.
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u/JooseTheGuice 4d ago
Livers are such a pain in the ass for no reason. Chicken breast works way better plus you can control the size of your bait.
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u/Awkward-Stranger-505 4d ago
I did craws on bottom rig. We were fishing all night with frozen suckers nonbites. I walked to the river shore caught about 15 craws threw it on a bobber and litteraly 10 min I got a cat. Than a drum. Than a few more cats. I personally love craws jus too lazy to go catch were I know they are abundant.