Seems like a never ending debate|push|pull, and unlimited supplies of posts here,... So here's one more post for ya, go ahead explain the ins secret of your favorite catfish baits why it works better than others. ..

For examples,
1. If you didn't chum or prebaited your hole, would your bail attract fish to your boat?

2. Let's say u r sitting on a school of catfish and using the same pole and technic, drop bait A caught a cat, but in the spot with bait B, them catfish would not bite? Can anyone explain catfish aficionados scavenging the bottom of the lake for rotten food would prefer a certain smell to the others. Lol

All jokes aside, those of you who post multiple posts on baits, please keep it in pespective, you are talking about fish scavenging for decayed food... I'm not talking about the vendors, they are trying to sell their goods, you're the consumers of their goods, you like the goods buy em, use em, don't like em, don't buy em... Personally, I never have a need for ready made catfish baits, and never will, just saying, and I seem to be catching catfish just fine... just saying.

Off the soapbox.

It is odd how the this IS better than THAT gets going on prepared baits with catfish folks, or any bait for catfish really. You don't see a lot of crappie guys arguing about the best jigs, or bass guys on crank baits.

There is a lot more, this worked today or switched to this or changed that and it helped...with those guys. I think that's most of the issue anyway, Sometimes changing something is the ticket that day. Catfish guys miss that sometimes. Different baits and presentation work on different days.

You don't try to attract fish to your boat. You find the fish. Then catch them. Bottom line is, you find feeding fish, you put legit/fresh bait in front of them and they will eat it. Least its always worked for me that way. I don't understand where all this bait argument came from. I must have missed something in my absence.

I've been using a Cheese bait punchbait that I've been using for over 35 years. I've tried some others when the original owner who made the bait passed away and his wife stopped making it for a couple years after a fire destroyed the barn where it was made. I then tried a variety of baits and found some suitable replacements but nothing came quite as close to the original.
Then a friend of the man who died took over the manufacture and used the same ingredients and I was a happy camper once again.
So is one bait better than the other? Maybe, maybe not, and as mentioned you have to find the fish for any bait to work.
You've heard the expression it's the Indian and not the arrow before. Well I've sat fishing over a hole with a partner and I would be in the rear of the boat catching them right and left. My partner would be in the front seat and couldn't get a bite using my same bait.
He even moved his bait and placed it 6" from my line and I'd still catch the cats.
It was the way the cats were taking the bait and I had their number.
I finally told my partner what I was doing and then he started to get the hang of it.
I'll stick with what works and I'm a little hard headed and not willing to try something new as long as it keeps working for me.

Sounds to me Jimbo is talking about Bobs Finchers cheese bait.He made one super good punch bait.

WELL PUT BANKFISHER AMEN

My homemade doughbait has been better than any other bait I've tried...I.E. Punchbait and dip baits, but for the sake of those that make and sale those baits I cannot share my recipe.

I wish I knew the answer to #2 I have been fishing a simple homemade punch bait for years and this is a mistery to me,two people fishing the same bait,same depth, even in the same spot and one pole will or person will catch and the other will not.

You mean, kinda like you made a SEPARATE post about the exact same thing ?

Even if I chum or bait a spot I don't always catch fish there. Sometimes they are just not there so I move until I find them. I have fished 6 to 10 spots before I get bit and once I do I catch without chum.
Lately all I do is bait my hook and fish. This year as been strange and I can never tell exactly where the fish will be. I have to go find them. This year for me it's been shallow all year fishing the flooded weeds. I use my homemade dough bait mostly for channels and bluegill for blues. If you find the fish and they are hungry they will bite about anything organic. Smell just helps them find it faster.
I wish I knew how to make earthworm scent. Thought about giving this a try http://www.demeterfragrance.com/58083/704078/All-Classic-Scents/Earthworm.html

I second most of what MB said, except earthworm scent, that's because it's easier just to go buy a box of nightcrawlers, lol



I can relate to this... on my own I rule out the lucky person or pole theory. My tests were simple, same rigs baits etc, but multiple poles, 2 or three, choose a spot and cast rig out... have another person reel in the first fish, while he's reeling in, bait another pole and cast out to the same spot, then have another person reel in the next bite. Poles and anglers made no difference.

I've suspected all along that for some fish the sound and commotion of a hooked fish resemble a feeding frenzy that attracts other catfish to the spot where fish was hooked and made the initial struggling.. I've seen under water video that show flounders behaved as I described...

I think some folks just don't feel the bite Heavy Tackle and they set the hook too lightly or too late . The only Tips I can give is . 1. Find Fish First waiting on them to come to you is a [censored] Shoot 2. Chum if you Must . 3. What worked yesterday may not work today. Mix up baits (Flavors as well as Live -dead bait ). Good Electronics are a Must , learn them well and use them often . You don't always have to Run all the way across the Lake to find fish . As soon as I hit the water I turn on my FF and as soon as I see fish I deploy my TM and it's on , that lowers the use of my Engine saves on Fuel and gives me more fishing time , less riding and looking for a spot that Looks Good! Look deep not on Top......... Cats are bottom feeders .. They Ain't Bass.Tight Lines, OLHIPI

#1 well put.

Well said Olhipi! I like your fishing style, smart!

If I were to fish from a boat that's what I'd do, AND study the lake that I frequent and get a general idea of where fish are going to be so I don't waste too much time drifting searching for fish.

I make my own cheese bait. Have had days when me and my partner were fishing the exact technique / depth / presentation/ dipping from the same bait bucket. Me at the front catching fish, him at the back cussing my very existence because he couldn't catch squat. All my rods for catfishing are UglySticks either med/Heavy or medium, all my reels AbuGarcia with 14lb green mono. My buddy. Zebco 33 / combo package from WallyWorld with no telling what lb test line curling up like a phone cord (remember those) If I told him once I've told him a thousand times. Their there, you just can't feel the bite with that broomstick you're fishing with. But like a blind hog and the acorn. A big one will slam his junk and then I have to hear how he caught the biggest fish for the rest of the day. That being said good equipment, and learn your lake.