I used to throw on the columns and up in the creek for bait but got tired of loosing nets. I would have to throw 5-15 times to get enough bait to fish for the morning. It's exhausting and time consuming. Spent some time learning how to pattern and catch gizzards out in deeper water and it was one of the best things I ever did. Not only has it made getting bait much easier but it has also helped me to locate cats 10x faster than before ..if you are having trouble finding bait you will certainly have trouble finding cats.