Texas Fishing Forum

DK punch bait results

Posted By: Cat Daddy

DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 01:42 PM

I fished with DK punch bait for the first time on Ray Hubbard Sunday night. Caught my first kitty of the year! It wasn't quite as easy as sticking a treble hook into the bucket and yanking it out like they say but the results were great and I'm looking forward to using it again.
Posted By: MikeC

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 02:44 PM

CatDaddy, loading a hook with punch bait is most definitely a developed craft.

This BS about sticking the hook in and pulling out at a 45 degree angle is the silliest nonsense I ever read in my life. I think Danny musta wrote that a few minutes after he swallowed the huge chew of tobacco he carries in his jaw all the time.

I use a 1/2" dowel rod to insert the hook with, then I tamp the hook track back closed, then insert my dowel at an angle to help pry the hook and bait up and out.

Then I take the dowel, knock off the excess bait, then roll the hook and bait around the lip of the bucket for a little bit to tighten my bait ball.

This is why I don't like to use a new bucket of bait. I always have two buckets and put half a buckets worth of bait in each. So you have the lip to roll your bait around.

Or, if you are doing all the baiting for everyone in the boat, put your punch bait in a single five gallon bucket. Makes it real easy to bait up.

------------------
Mike
www.WhiskerKitty.com
Posted By: Steve Watts

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 03:13 PM

CatDaddy,
I've had trouble loading DK also - I think it comes very dry and chunky. I added a few tablespoons of water to the container, stirred it up with a knife, separating the solid chunks. It is smoother and seems to load much easier. Worth a try.
Posted By: Cat Daddy

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 03:26 PM

Thanks for confirming difficulty with this bait Mike. I was wondering if I was doing something wrong or got a bad batch of bait. The bait kept slipping off my treble hook when I yanked it out and I resorted to packing it into a ball on my hook to keep it on, just like yourself. I wish it would stick to the hook as well as it sticks to your fingers! I'm not bashing the bait though, I got lots of bites with it. Now, I just need to find the big kitties!
Posted By: Cat Daddy

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 03:29 PM

You're right Steve, DK is very chunky. I'll try your water trick and will post my results. If the wind dies down some, I might give it a shot tonight.
Posted By: TxCatfishGuide

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 06:56 PM

I would stay away from adding water to it if it. Just work with it, because here in a week or two when it gets warmer you will be complaining about it being too thin as it is!

------------------
The Texas Catfishing Resource
www.whiskerkitty.com
Posted By: Steve Watts

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 07:24 PM

CatDaddy,
If you have the large container of DK you may want to pull out a scoop and mix water into it in a plastic cup to avoid watering down the entire amount as RNT wisely suggests. Last summer mine did get a little softer in the heat but it was still too dry for my application. I believe there is alot of brain matter in DK!!
Posted By: Jimbo

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/16/03 10:06 PM

I learned a lesson using my DK when I left it in the boat. It was laying on its side and when I opened it I could see it had gotten really hot then cooled. All the grease or whatever in it pooled up on one side and turned into a glob of waxy lard looking substance. The rest of it looked really dry and I really had to mix it to get it back to its original consistancy. It could be that this same thing happens and all the moist juices are pooling on the bottom of the container thus leaving the top substance dry. I've learned not to keep it in the boat I just take it inside and store it at room temperature and I haven't had any more problems. My 2 cts.
Posted By: djren12

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/17/03 05:33 AM

I mix a little J. Piggs punchbait with my DK and it is perfect for baiting treble hooks. The J Piggs is too wet for my taste even out of the freezer so mixing it 3 parts Dk to 1 part J Piggs makes it perfect. The kitties cant stay off it either.
Posted By: Steve-O

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/17/03 12:42 PM

I just use my hands. They will end up stinking anyway. Use a half a lemon to clean up afterwards.

Gave up on the stick/45 degree method. Although, if you stir it up really good and get it the consistency of thick batter, this method does work.

------------------
Tight lines,
Steve-O
Posted By: MikeC

Re: DK punch bait results - 04/18/03 03:29 AM

Let me add just a few more tips on using punch bait.

1: If you feel a need to thin it, I would use a few drops of vegitable oil instead of water. But, I highly recommend you do neither. I know it is a pain, but folks, you gotta buy your punch bait at least six months ahead of the time of when you want to use it (I buy mine at least a year ahead of time.), then you gotta work that bait. When they mix this stuff, it's just old dry chunks of cheese. And, Danny puts tallow in his punch bait, which can also be dry.

Set the stuff out in the sun all day, then take a real strong punch stick and stir hound out of it. Then repeat the process a few more time. Do not leave your bait bucket setting in the sun all the time. Just for a day when you want to do the stirring. You will know when the consistancy gets right. The stuff will get darker, and more the consistancy of putty.

When the really warm days finally arrive, you will be so thankful you did not add anything to thin your bait. I keep at least two buckets of punch bait setting on ice in the fish box when I am fishing. More if I have several folks with me. The darn stuff will get to the consistancy of pancake batter when it gets hot. You will be wishing you could thicken it.

Finally, if you are using punch bait that is so weak smelling you can use your hands to make a bait ball around your hook.....You either lost all sense of smell, or you need to change brands of punch bait. Oh man!!

------------------
Mike
www.WhiskerKitty.com
© 2024 Texas Fishing Forum