Catfishing Article

14 year old Adam Stevenson of Lima, Ohio says he's been catching "tons of channel cats" on 2 to 3 inch frogs, he says leopard frogs are best but bullfrogs will also work. He has caught 4 channel catfish over 25 pounds using frogs. Adam just emailed me some more unusual baits on August 18, 2002:
(1.) Fresh eel cut into chunks works real nice(best on hot sunny days)
(2.) Creek Chubs cut or whole, live or dead(best when drifted)--You can just goto any local creek and catch them!
(3.) Pork brains if you can keep them on the hook,Keep them in the sun to dry them out!(Good fished anyway)
(4.) Salmon eggs(Bobber fishing clusters)
(5.) Sardines are excellent chum and flavor

Bryon from Columbus,Ohio emailed this to me: Ed... one of the best catfish bait's I have ever used here in Columbus,Ohio is Cube Steak you get from your grocery store.. a little expensive at times but the big cats love it.. there are 2 kinds beef and pork I find that beef works better more flavor than pork caught alot of channels on this... Also have a doughball Recipe for everyone to try.... NO certain amount of any one of these items but i mix Wheaties....peanut butter.. and pepsi.... and have also had alot of success here in the local river with that combo...thanks a lot Bryon from Columbus,Ohio

Eric Guess from Athens Ohio uses chunks of beef liver soaked in butter flavored crisco. He puts it in the microwave untill the shortening melts and then lets it soak overnight.

Greg age 15 from Lancaster Ohio caught a 10 pound blue on limburger cheese mixed with raw hamburger and flour. He says make a doughball out of it and you will use it every time after you see the results.

Here's a couple from Martin in Ohio: I've got 2 for ya, I use chicken breast with strawberry koolaid and a nice big shot of Jim Beam Whiskey. The second is chicken breast with Baitmate Real Craw Attractant, let them both soak overnight and get ready a feeding frenzy. I fish for cats at Taylorsville Lake, The Ohio River, and a few farm ponds. Both of these work great....Martin

James of Eastern Ohio writes:I have caught a nice 12 pound channel cat out of the creek close to my house on bbq rib shaped patties made out of pork. You can buy them at any local grocery store, in some stores they are called rib-quicks but may be called something else where ever you may be... Cut them into 1 inch by 1 inch chunks and cast them very gently. I have found they work best on creeks, ponds, and small fast flowing rivers..

Lee From Lancaster Ohio sent this: One night we were using our usual bait (chicken livers) and ran out, we went to the car looking for ANYTHING and low and behold we found a small block of Velveeta cheese.  In the chicken liver tub we mixed the cheese and the leftover liver "juice" and...well...cigarette butts (for texture and staying on the hook) and we caught a ton of small muds and channels on this, personally I think it was the cheese but we never have tried just plain cheese and the butts really, really helped keep them on the hook!