Cat Tip of the Day: Making Cut Bullhead

Some cat fishermen don’t like bullheads for cut bait but I have had good luck with it. Live bullheads are my preferred bait for flatheads and I trap and catch my own bullheads. My traps catch a lot of small bullheads (4″ to 5″) which are perfect to use as cut bait.

The trouble with bullheads, especially small bullheads, is that they are difficult to handle and the sharp spines on their fins can inflict painful cuts on your hands.

I have found that one of the best tools for making cut bait is a good scissors or game shears. I found a great scissors at Fleet Farm called a “Power Scissors” and it only costs a buck – you can’t go wrong at that price. That scissors makes short work of cutting up small bullheads.

First a word of caution on handling bullheads. Don’t just reach in the bucket and grab a bullhead. Net the bullhead in a small net and carefully pick it up being careful to avoid the sharp spines on the side and pectoral fins.

On my small bullheads I only make 2 cuts with a scissors. The first cut is just behind the head and the second cut is just in front of the tail.

You will end up with a nice chunk of fish with an opening into the gut. This chunk of bullhead will leave a good scent trail in the water. It takes all of 30 seconds to make a perfect piece of cut bait.

The scissors in the cut bait photos are my Cabela’s game shears. They will cut up anything. The last photo is a picture of the Power Scissors which I highly recommend for making cut bait – well worth the $1 investment. I found them at Fleet Farm.

Attached is a series of photos that shows where I cut and what the end product looks like.

Steve, what have you caught to date on cut bullies.
Flats, channel, sheepies?

Hi Larry – I used to just use cut sucker for channels but last year I started using bullheads and I seemed to have as good a success as using suckers. I kind of have confidence in it now and I plan on just using bullheads because the suckers are so expensive and they die so easy. This year all I’ve used is bullheads and so far this year I’ve got one 21″ walleye and 3 channels. I’ve had sheepies sucking on it but haven’t caught any.

How about the stink-factor with bullheads? Think they are smelly as others, or is it more of the flowing juices that attract the cats?

Are you still having luck with them?

cut bullhead is all I use now for channels. Here is an interesting side note: I’ve also caught 4 walleyes this spring on cut bullhead – they seem to like it too.

Great, I’ll try it again then. One less stop at the bait shop for other bait will be nice.

Plus I’m going to try to trap some bullheads this week. I did a bunch of reading on it and I think I’m ready.

Thanks.

I am convinced they are effective after catching one this weekend and seeing another. The way Steve does it makes it pretty easy. Also, you get some entrails attached to the cavity if you cut them in front of the dorsal spine like he does.

Quote:

---

Plus I’m going to try to trap some bullheads this week. I did a bunch of reading on it and I think I’m ready.

---

I haven’t had much luck lately with my traps. I’ve started hook and line catching them. What is weird is that I’m catching them on hook and line in the same spot I trap them but I can’t get them into my traps. I’ve tried different trap baits and everything but the traps have been only catching 3 or 4 each day. I can catch 30 to 40 in about an hour with hooks and line. Use a small jig tipped with a piece of nightcrawler about 3 feet under a slip bobber – works great.

Steve – logically one would think you should put the hooks in the trap.

Steve…

The word is out.

Two weekends ago there was a walleye tourney won using bullheads during the day. Forty pounds in 5 walleyes.

Just thought that you should be aware that now all the walleye guys are looking for cut bait boards, chest freezers, air pumps and dip nets….not to mention no roll sinkers.

Might have to start locking things up at night now.

Quote:

---

Might have to start locking things up at night now.

---

Hey Brian,
Do you leave your bullhead stuff down at the trailer Your Evert’s neighbor Dan keeps me filled in about your antics—he sure got a kick out of that broken rod story. Seriously now, I’ve caught some nice channels in the Spring on ringworms and you’re catching walleye on bullheads. What is the world coming to

Quote:

---

What is the world coming to

---

…and to think, this all started back in 1919….

with the womens right to vote.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

What is the world coming to

---

…and to think, this all started back in 1919….

with the womens right to vote.

---

End Women’s Suffrage

I hope you got a kitchen pass for that Brent.

Wait now….. The bullheads still the victim here right As a newlywed now I loose track of whats going on really quick

You got it Joe…and since you are just married…the only thing you need to know about 1919 is that was the year A&W Root Beer was invented.

1919 Root Beer too, I’m betting.

question. I know that legally you can only use bullheads under 7 inches, but could you get a few that might exceed 7 inches and then use them as cut bait and still be legal?

Quote:

---

question. I know that legally you can only use bullheads under 7 inches, but could you get a few that might exceed 7 inches and then use them as cut bait and still be legal?

---

Bullheads over 7 inches are considered rough fish and as such cannot be harvested and transported alive. You can use them for cut bait anytime but you just cannot transport them alive. So if you caught them and then killed them, you can then take them where ever you want and use them for cut bait.

thanks for answering that question. I wasn’t sure about that, and can only get bullies that either hover around or are longer than 7 inches