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