Been trying to catch some catfish out of our 4 acre pond. Problem is the perch get whatever bait I try before the catfish have a chance usually. Have tried worms, shrimp , dough bait , stink bait etc.
Looking for any suggestions. I've been able to catch a few catfish when the bait is left alone but usually it's gone before I can turn around twice. Thanks for any help

Maybe thin out the perch?

Try using a piece of cut perch

Toss in the head of one of them, maybe they'll get the point.

A cut piece of sunfish, a small live bluegill, and goldfish are all good options

All right, don't laugh, hear me out...I had the same problem in my Uncle's ponds...HUGE cats, but too many bream/perch/whatever...Here's what I did...Steal a pair of panty- hose from your mother or your sister, ( whichever one that can't hit hard), then grab an empty ice cube tray. Now I used a medium treble-hook, you use what you want.....using chicken livers, thread one onto hook until it is on well, then take an approx. 2"x2" square of panty-hose, (now you know why you are getting hit), place the liver covered hook into the center of patch, and turn up the four corners until they cover the bait and reach the shank of the hook. Take a twisty bread-tie and TIGHTLY twist the four corners to the shank of the hook..(Trim excess).. Place completed assembly into the ice-tray. Repeat until ice tray is full.. Place tray into freezer.. When frozen, place into a cooler or something like that.. I usually used a big snap-swivel on the end of my leader so all I had to do was snap the hook to the swivel and I'm ready....The bait slowly thaws and sends scent out for a much longer time, but the small fry can't get through the panty-hose...I thought of this when I was 13 back in....in...well, let's just say back in the last century....It worked...you still get a lot of false hits from the little ones, but you'll know when the big one hits.....They just want the liver, the panty-hose never seemed to bother them....

Bream don't bite much after dark. Catfish get better after dark.

NonsequiturI

Luke from Cats and Carps goes over exactly what you are taking about. I think it was one of his videos over using liver and how to keep the bait on the hook.

I think cheese cloth would work as well.

Cut perch!
Cats love the head portion!

1+

I'm sure....to be honest, I probably stole the idea from a 60's fishing magazine...all I remember is Mom sure was ticked-off.....