Home Forums Fishing Freshwater Do you chum for catfish?

Might fish a private pond and was wondering if you guys chummed for catfish. I've used soured corn and maize in the past but have heard that 20% range cubes work too. I've also heard that dogfood will bring the channels in.

Any thoughts? It's that time of year

I've had mixed success, and only from a boat where the current can carry scent down river. In a pond I'm not sure how it would disperse.

I will suggest something that is working 100% and has become our #1 bait that has never failed to work under any conditions.

Oscar Meyer cheese filled hot dogs cut into 3/4" chunks. Put into a jar or little rubbermaid bowl. Then spray them with Crayfish scent. This oily scent will create a slick that will get the cats to find them quick.

I use a 2/0 circle hook and this system has been the "go to" arrangement for several years now. We don't even set the hooks. When the rod bends over they are hooked in the corner of the mouth nearly 100% of the time. Easy to unhook and release the big ones unharmed too.

Second choice is inflated night crawlers with just enough weight to get the sinker to hold them close to the bottom. we fish them 12"-15" from the bottom. This is especially good with a boulder bottom or rocky bottom where the bait would otherwise fall between the rocks.

Third option is small filets of any other bait fish. Leave the skin on so the hook will not come out when casting. We use Pike minnows here. To this I also keep them in a jar with crayfish scented spay like uncle mikes or what ever brand you have locally. The crayfish scent or shrimp scent has been a very important part of the set-up. My son was skeptical of this so he did not use any for a few nights. I was catching 10 cats to his one while fishing in the same location from my boat. Needless to say, we all use this crayfish scent on our baits now.

Awesome! Thank you sir!

Here's another mini-tip for using hot dog chunks: microwave them for 30 seconds or so. This toughens them up considerably so they stay on the hook better.

Huntsonara;

Look at the the avitars here and ask yourself if there is some coincidence to the knowledge and suggestions given.

We're air heads? LOL!

Great minds think alike! I need one of those...

I picked up the crawdad oil and oscar meyer cheese hot dogs today.

I also took a 2 1/2 foot piece of PVC pipe and capped it on one end and put a screw cab on the other and drilled a bunch of holes in it, filled it with dog food and sweet corn and sunk it where I plan to fish tonight so we'll see how it goes

Inflated night crawlers? When in north Arkansas 30 years ago I saw a rubber bulb with a needle in it for that. Have never seen them for sale around here.

Around here the three finger size bream would probably get the worm before it got down to the cats.

Coon in a sack

I would rather use the bream for bait anyway.

^^^This^^^

When I was a kid, Granddad alway chummed for Crappie & Channel Cats using Cotton Seed Cake (Range Cubes) in a tow sack by sinking it in his favorite fishing spot at the lake.
Basically, it works on the principle of attracting the minnows and perch which attracted the Fish.

You can buy catfish food at the local farm supply stores here. The guys who feed it regularly have quite a show put on and it starts when they hear the pickup coming. They race in schools to try and be first to the feed and then gather up on the surface in a feeding frenzy when the feed hits the water. Some brands float and some sinks so try both depending on your intentions. A dog food size sack was about 20 bucks.