What is the most effective bait for catfish? Here are some great catfish bait recipes

A. WHAT BAIT SHOULD YOU USE FOR CATFISH?

Catfish are omnivorous, so we can use a wide variety of foods as bait.

1. Fresh bait – the most effective bait for catfish

Live fish is the most effective bait for catfish. You can use small fish as bait. If the fish are large, you should chop them into small pieces so that the catfish can bite them more easily and are more likely to get hooked.

If fresh fish isn’t available, other options such as crickets, frogs, larvae or ant eggs – provided they are fresh – are also the most effective catfish bait.

Furthermore, fresh fish guts are also considered among the most effective catfish baits. Alternatively, you can use chicken gizzards as well.

2. Fishing for catfish with dead bait

If you are unable to use the most effective catfish baits mentioned above, you can substitute them with dead fish. With this method, do not simply drop the bait directly into the water; you must first prepare it as follows:

• Gently press down on the fish with a knife
• Scrape off the scales and skin to release the fish’s distinctive odour and the natural oils it contains.
• This scent will attract catfish immediately. This type of bait is best used for catfish fishing in winter.

A massive catfish hauled ashore

3. Tips for attracting catfish

‘Sensitive bait’ is actually the name given to the method of applying a little fish sauce or shrimp paste to a hot brick. The aroma of the fish sauce, combined with the heat of the brick, causes it to spread even further and will immediately attract the catfish’s attention.

So now you know what bait to use for catfish, don’t you? Next, I’ll guide you through how to make specific catfish bait for each species.

B. HOW TO MAKE BAIT FOR RIVER CATFISH

1. Making river catfish bait from catfish

Catfish are highly attracted to eel because it has a very fragrant smell and a high fat content. This bait is particularly effective for river catfish during the summer months.

You can prepare river catfish bait from catfish as follows:

• Rinse the catfish you have bought
• Mince the fish and shape it into small balls measuring 35 to 40mm in diameter.
• You can store the bait in the fridge and use it as and when needed. However, you should only prepare enough for one or two fishing sessions to prevent the catfish from losing its natural aroma due to being kept in the fridge for too long

When using catfish bait made from catfish in warm waters or during the summer, the balls will gradually dissolve. The oils and aroma within the balls will spread across the water’s surface, attracting the catfish.

However, this method is not very effective for catching river catfish in winter, as the catfish balls will hardly dissolve at all, and therefore fail to attract the catfish.

2. Making bait from bread and fermented pork rolls

To make river catfish bait using this method, you will need the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• Bread: 2 loaves
• Fermented pork rolls: 100g
• Fermented pork rolls: 5

Method:

• Crumble the bread, then add the fermented rice paste and mix thoroughly. Note: add the paste gradually and keep stirring until the mixture becomes pliable. Do not add all the paste at once to prevent the mixture from becoming too runny.
• Remove the banana leaves from the fermented pork rolls, wrap them in cling film and place them on a tray. Leave the rolls in the shade for one day. At this stage, they will have developed a meat-based fermented aroma but will not have gone off.
• Add the fermented pork rolls to the bread mixture and mix thoroughly.
  When you go fishing, simply shape the mixture into small balls.

C. BAIT FOR CATFISH IN SERVICE LAKES

1. Making catfish bait for service lakes from stork feed

To make catfish bait for service lakes using stork feed, you will need to prepare the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• Stork feed: 1 kg
• Rice bran: 1 kg
• Duck eggs: 5
• Boiled sweet potato: 300g
• Fresh rice vermicelli: 500g
• Sweetened yoghurt: 1 pot
• Minced prawns: 300g
• Minced pork liver: 200g
• Fresh raw pork spleen: 200g
• Table salt: 1 teaspoon

How to make catfish bait for service lakes using stork feed:

• Slice the pork spleen into pieces of the following dimensions: 5mm thick, 5mm wide and 2cm long.
• Place the sliced pork spleen in a container along with 1 duck’s egg, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of rice bran. Mix everything together thoroughly, then seal the lid tightly.
• Leave the mixture to ferment for 3 days.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. Be careful not to add everything at once; add a little at a time, kneading as you go, until the mixture becomes pliable enough to form a ball.
• Place this mixture in a container, seal the lid tightly, and leave to ferment for 2 to 4 days to produce the bait.

Here’s how to use this bait for catfish in lakes:

• If you are hand-fishing, use the bait mixture described above to attract the catfish to the surface. Attach a piece of pork liver to the hook as the actual bait.
• When using a float rig, simply use the fermented bait to lure the fish.

2. Catfish bait made from crab shells and worms

This catfish bait made from crab shells and maggots can be used for fishing in both winter and summer. The ingredients you’ll need to prepare are as follows:

• Crab shells: 0.5 kg
• Worms: 0.2 kg

How to make catfish bait for service lakes using crab shells and maggots:

• Grind the crab shells into a fine powder, then place them in a plastic container and seal it tightly.
• Leave the crab shells to ferment until they rot and release liquid.
• Strain the fermented crab shells and retain only the liquid.
• When fishing, dip the maggots into the crab shell liquid and attach them to the hook. The scent of the crab shells will attract the catfish immediately.

D. BAIT FOR FARMED CATFISH AND POND-RAISED CATFISH

How can you make bait for farmed catfish that is truly enticing?

1. The No. 1 Shrimp Paste Catfish Bait Recipe

For this method of making bait for farmed catfish, you will need to prepare the following ingredients:

Ingredients:

• Crumbled bread: 0.5 kg
• Rice bran: 1 kg
• Duck eggs: 5
• Shrimp paste: 5 teaspoons
• Ground prawns: 100g
• Sweetened yoghurt: 1 pot

How to make bait for farmed catfish using shrimp paste

• Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Be sure to knead continuously, adding tap water as you go. Add the water a little at a time; if you add too much, the bait will become too runny. Continue until the bait is pliable.
• Place the mixture in an airtight plastic container and leave to ferment for 2 to 3 days before using it for fishing.

However, this recipe for farmed catfish bait is only suitable for still-water fishing spots; for spots with a gentle current, please use Recipe No. 2 instead.

2. Shrimp Paste Bait Recipe No. 2 for Catfish

The ingredients required to make this bait for farmed catfish include

• Crumbled bread: 0.5kg
• Rice bran: 1 kg
• Duck eggs: 5
• Shrimp paste: 5 teaspoons
• Ground prawns: 100g
• Sweetened yoghurt: 1 pot
• Cornflour: 5 teaspoons.

How to make bait for farmed catfish using shrimp paste

• Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Be sure to knead continuously, adding cold water as you go. Add the water a little at a time; if you add too much, the bait will become mushy. Continue until the bait is pliable.
• Place the mixture in an airtight plastic container and leave to ferment for 4 to 5 days before using it for fishing.
  This bait needs to be left to ferment for longer to develop a sour smell and a richer flavour

Although the method for making bait for farmed catfish described above is a little labour-intensive, the results it delivers are sure to surprise you. If you don’t want to come home empty-handed from your fishing trip, do take the time to prepare the bait according to the recipe we’ve provided.

E. HOW TO MAKE BAIT FOR HYBRID CATFISH

1. Making bait for hybrid catfish from dried squid tentacles

To make bait for hybrid catfish, all you need is some dried squid tentacles. The method is as follows:

• Soak the squid tentacles in warm water (70°C) for 3 to 5 minutes until they soften.
• Tear the tentacles into short pieces.
• When you go fishing, simply hook them onto the hook and you’re done.

2. Making bait for hybrid catfish: worms mixed with garlic

The method for making hybrid catfish bait using worms mixed with garlic is just as easy.

• First, you need to catch live worms; if you don’t have a garden, you can buy them. Then place the worms in a container. Crush a few cloves of garlic and add them to the container with the worms. Leave it like this for 1 to 2 hours, then take the bait fishing.
• The garlic will make the worms uncomfortable and cause them to wriggle, which in turn causes them to release more of their natural odour. The more odour released, the more it will attract catfish to bite the bait.

With these two methods for making bait for hybrid catfish that we’ve shown you, all you need is a bit more knowledge of fishing techniques and you’ll be reeling them in non-stop when you go fishing!

F. ULTRA-SENSITIVE CATFISH BAIT

1. Making catfish bait from coffee

Making catfish bait using this method is a secret I learnt from a seasoned veteran of the fishing trade.

Please prepare the following ingredients:

• Rice bran: 2 kg
• Powdered milk: 3 tablespoons
• Coffee beans: 100g
• Fennel seeds: 5 fen

Here’s how to make catfish bait using coffee:

• Sift the rice bran thoroughly through a sieve until it is finely ground. Roast the bran over a low heat, stirring constantly. Roast until the bran gives off a fragrant aroma. Be careful not to let it burn.
• Add the powdered milk to the pan of freshly roasted bran and mix thoroughly.
• Roast the coffee beans thoroughly. The method for roasting coffee is similar to roasting rice. Roast until you can smell the aroma, then continue roasting for a further 5 minutes. Once the coffee is fully roasted, grind it into a fine powder.
• Mix the coffee into the milk mixture prepared earlier.
• Roast the fennel seeds until fragrant. Once ready, grind them to a fine powder.
• Add the fennel to the milk and coffee mixture and mix thoroughly. Remember to mix as thoroughly as possible.

This catfish bait has the sweetness of milk, a hint of bitterness from the coffee and an unbeatable aroma – the catfish are sure to take the bait.

2. Here’s how to make catfish bait from boiled sweet potato

If you make catfish bait this way, you’re guaranteed to be reeling in so many fish your arms will ache, comrades.

The ingredients needed to make catfish bait from boiled sweet potatoes are:

• Boiled sweet potato, peeled: 500g
• Cornflour: 500g
• Fish feed: 300g

Here’s how to make this bait:

• Blanch the cornflour in boiling water
• Mash the sweet potatoes and sieve them until smooth.
• Then mix everything together thoroughly
• When fishing, use this bait in combination with rotten prawns.

These two methods for making bait for catfish have been widely used by anglers. If you follow the recipes above correctly, the catfish are sure to be biting non-stop.

G. DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CHEMICAL BAIT FOR CATFISH?

Catfish bait is a type of commercially produced bait available on the market. There are many varieties of catfish bait, with a wide range of prices. You can buy catfish bait at fishing tackle shops. If you don’t have time to go to a shop, order online. With just a single click, you can have a whole host of catfish bait delivered straight to your door.

For anglers, making catfish bait is just as important as the fishing technique itself. Even if you have excellent technique but don’t know how to make tasty catfish bait, you won’t succeed.

Although there are many ways to make catfish bait, it’s not at all difficult; you just need to put in a little effort and you’ll be able to make it straight away.
A batch of delicious catfish bait promises to deliver results beyond your wildest expectations.

Wishing you all a successful and glorious fishing trip – and don’t forget to prepare some truly enticing catfish bait.

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