I went yesterday and purchased a 50lb bag of Milo to make into sour maze. I filled two five gallon buckets with the grain and put water in about two inches above. How long before it's usable for attracting catfish? I live on Fork and my dock has about three to four foot of water under it. Is soaking the milo overnight long enough to start using it? If my verbiage is wrong forgive me, this is my first time at using this.

Pour a half of a can of beer in it and it we'll help speed up the process

What do I do with the other half? Lol thanks I will try that

I've never tried it after soaking overnight. Since you're on Fork it might work, lots of channels in that lake and they'll usually bite with or without the milo. Typically I'll soak it at least a week (in the summer heat) and sometimes I'll throw in a beer.

I use a packet of active yeast and water. Beer belongs in my belly. I don't think overnight would be long enough. Put a black trash bag around the can and put it in direct sunlight to speed up the process. Use range cubes while it stews.

For a quicker chum just throw out some cattle cubes. Fish will be on them in a couple of hours tops.

My milo soured chum is now about 2 years old and getting better every day. Need to start another 15 gals for next year.

Where would I find cattle cubes? And, is that what I would ask for when buying them?

I mixed yeast and little can of beer and left it outside for about 4days on sun . That yeast really gets it going for sure.

Edit : Also adding some sugar will help because it gives the yeast something to work with and makes the fermentation speed up quickly .

You can get cattle cubes at any feed store, tractor supply, etc.

In this weather, water, a pack of yeast, and a handful of sugar will take 2-3 weeks to get right. Put it in the sun and that will help. When it quits bubbling, it is ready. Using beer is a waste of beer. Unless you can find beer that is not pasteurized, it will not do anything to speed the process.

Thanks for the advice. I will put lids on the two buckets and let them sour. I guess I will try punch bait till then.

Leave the lids loose, if not in about 4 days, that milo will be all over the place when the lid blows off.

Oh, that would not be good. Thank you! My wife thanks you too!🤓🙄

As it ferments, the milo will expand and absorb the water. Check to see if it needs more water and add enough to cover it if needed. It may take a few days to a week or so depending on the temps.
Using yeast as recommended above is a good idea to speed it up.
Not sure if you understand that soured maize is chum, not bait. You will still need a dip bait, punch bait or something else to put on the hook.
You can use range cubes or cattle cubes (same thing) until your maize is ready. Any feed store will have them. I sometimes use both or either one for chum.
If you are going to use soured maize as chum, get more 5 gallon pails and keep some working. It keeps forever. The worse it smells, the better.
Another tip, when using soured maize be sure to have some vinyl gloves for your hands. If you get the stuff on you or your boat, you will have a lot of fun getting rid of the smell. Don't believe me, give it a try and see how the wife likes you then.

And.....For the record, Maize is Corn. It gets misconstrued a lot, but Milo is actually a Sorghum.