| Have you ever been fishing and witnessed someone | | | | You may store the batches in zipper plastic bags in |
| catching all the fish? I have many times. When I see | | | | the freezer. |
| someone hauling in stringers full of fish I get very | | | | Since these ingredients are for developing catfish bait, I |
| curious. On occasion, I have asked about their secret | | | | will warn you ahead of time to do your experimenting |
| techniques pertaining to equipment and bait. | | | | in the garage or outdoors because some of the |
| A lot of times I will get the polite smile and response | | | | ingredients have a pungent smell and some create a |
| such as "just lucky today" or "you know...same ol' | | | | mess. |
| stuff." I'll ask what type of bait and that is usually when | | | | 1) Uncooked oatmeal - popular as a base (keeps all |
| I will get the silent treatment. The typical response, | | | | the ingredients together in a doughy mixture) |
| "sorry, secret family recipe" or "if I tell you, I'll have to kill | | | | 2) Baking flour - another popular base |
| you." | | | | 3) Corn and wheat flakes or similar types of cereals - |
| Through the years, I have collected some very useful | | | | base to keep bait on hook |
| information concerning fishing baits. The most important | | | | 4) Water - required in most cases to help make the |
| realization was that the people who were catching the | | | | mixture workable |
| most fish were not using store bought baits. It seems | | | | 5) Garlic salt - found in most store bought baits |
| that they made their own baits. | | | | (probably a good idea if you used it also) |
| Some anglers in the past divulged some secrets | | | | 6) Garlic powder - similar to salt but may alter the fish |
| pertaining to their baits. I thank them for it. I have | | | | attractant properties |
| developed my own formulas but this is not the time or | | | | 7) Can of tuna - found in many homemade bait |
| place to reveal them. However, I have compiled the | | | | recipes. Maybe the old timers know something. |
| main ingredients found in the most potent catfish bait | | | | 8) Anise oil extract - almost a requirement for all types |
| formulas. | | | | of fishing bait |
| I want to encourage you to develop your own | | | | 9) meats from the meat counter (raw livers, brains, fish |
| formulas based on these ingredients found below. You | | | | parts) - the more blood, the better |
| will notice that these ingredients are easy to find. You | | | | 10) canned or packaged meats such as cat food, dog |
| can find the majority of the supplies at a well stocked | | | | food, spam, sandwich meats, hot dogs - an alternative |
| grocer. | | | | to the raw meats |
| When developing your own formulas, do not use all the | | | | 11) cheeses - smellier the better - think limburger or |
| ingredients listed. Just take three or four items and see | | | | rotten cheddar |
| what happens. You are not bound to the items listed | | | | 12) miscellaneous - fish food pellets, cattle feed pellets, |
| below. Feel free to test others. | | | | molasses, gelatin mixes, can of corn, strawberry soda, |
| I have found the most important aspect of making | | | | bbq sauce |
| your own bait is testing. You will need to test your | | | | 13) Zipper storage bags - great for mixing your |
| homemade bait several times because maybe a | | | | ingredients, storage, and taking to fishing hole. |
| certain day, the fish aren't biting, or there are no fish, or | | | | Remember, if it smells, is bloody, or rotted, it might be a |
| some other variable that has nothing to do with the | | | | great addition to your catfish bait formula. I hope this |
| potency of the bait. Bring several batches of your | | | | will information will get you started in developing your |
| baits on your fishing outing and test several to increase | | | | own secret catfish bait. |
| your chances of success. | | | | The most important tip of all is to remember to have |
| Another tip is to write everything down. You don't | | | | fun. Share the experience with your family and friends. |
| want to develop bait and find that it is successful only | | | | Have contests on who catches the most fish with his |
| to realize that you forgot how to make it. Also, you | | | | or her bait. I guarantee you will remember the fishing |
| can make batches of bait for literally pennies a pound. | | | | stories for the rest of your life. |