| Have you ever been fishing and witnessed someone | | | | pennies a pound. You may store the batches in |
| catching all the fish? I have many times. When I | | | | zipper plastic bags in the freezer. |
| see someone hauling in stringers full of fish I get very | | | | Since these ingredients are for developing catfish |
| curious. On occasion, I have asked about their | | | | bait, I will warn you ahead of time to do your |
| secret techniques pertaining to equipment and bait. | | | | experimenting in the garage or outdoors because |
| A lot of times I will get the polite smile and response | | | | some of the ingredients have a pungent smell and |
| such as "just lucky today" or "you know...same ol' | | | | some create a mess. |
| stuff." I'll ask what type of bait and that is usually | | | | 1) Uncooked oatmeal - popular as a base (keeps all |
| when I will get the silent treatment. The typical | | | | the ingredients together in a doughy mixture) |
| response, "sorry, secret family recipe" or "if I tell you, | | | | 2) Baking flour - another popular base |
| I'll have to kill you." | | | | 3) Corn and wheat flakes or similar types of cereals - |
| Through the years, I have collected some very | | | | base to keep bait on hook |
| useful information concerning fishing baits. The most | | | | 4) Water - required in most cases to help make the |
| important realization was that the people who were | | | | mixture workable |
| catching the most fish were not using store bought | | | | 5) Garlic salt - found in most store bought baits |
| baits. It seems that they made their own baits. | | | | (probably a good idea if you used it also) |
| Some anglers in the past divulged some secrets | | | | 6) Garlic powder - similar to salt but may alter the |
| pertaining to their baits. I thank them for it. I have | | | | fish attractant properties |
| developed my own formulas but this is not the time | | | | 7) Can of tuna - found in many homemade bait |
| or place to reveal them. However, I have compiled | | | | recipes. Maybe the old timers know something. |
| the main ingredients found in the most potent catfish | | | | 8) Anise oil extract - almost a requirement for all |
| bait formulas. | | | | types of fishing bait |
| I want to encourage you to develop your own | | | | 9) meats from the meat counter (raw livers, brains, |
| formulas based on these ingredients found below. | | | | fish parts) - the more blood, the better |
| You will notice that these ingredients are easy to | | | | 10) canned or packaged meats such as cat food, dog |
| find. You can find the majority of the supplies at a | | | | food, spam, sandwich meats, hot dogs - an |
| well stocked grocer. | | | | alternative to the raw meats |
| When developing your own formulas, do not use all | | | | 11) cheeses - smellier the better - think limburger or |
| the ingredients listed. Just take three or four items | | | | rotten cheddar |
| and see what happens. You are not bound to the | | | | 12) miscellaneous - fish food pellets, cattle feed |
| items listed below. Feel free to test others. | | | | pellets, molasses, gelatin mixes, can of corn, |
| I have found the most important aspect of making | | | | strawberry soda, bbq sauce |
| your own bait is testing. You will need to test your | | | | 13) Zipper storage bags - great for mixing your |
| homemade bait several times because maybe a | | | | ingredients, storage, and taking to fishing hole. |
| certain day, the fish aren't biting, or there are no fish, | | | | Remember, if it smells, is bloody, or rotted, it might |
| or some other variable that has nothing to do with | | | | be a great addition to your catfish bait formula. I |
| the potency of the bait. Bring several batches of | | | | hope this will information will get you started in |
| your baits on your fishing outing and test several to | | | | developing your own secret catfish bait. |
| increase your chances of success. | | | | The most important tip of all is to remember to have |
| Another tip is to write everything down. You don't | | | | fun. Share the experience with your family and |
| want to develop bait and find that it is successful | | | | friends. Have contests on who catches the most |
| only to realize that you forgot how to make it. | | | | fish with his or her bait. I guarantee you will |
| Also, you can make batches of bait for literally | | | | remember the fishing stories for the rest of your life. |