What you use for Catfish bait?

I just use crawlers or chicken liver, but cant seem to find the large ones. I did use dead cut up Perch one time, had a nice hit, but it took the bait.

So what yall seem to find works best for bottom Catfish?

shrimp, after it has been laying in the bed of the truck for a day or two. Caution, don’t attempt to roll windows down unless traveling at a high rate of speed, also don’t attempt to park in mama’s garage.

Blue Gill work great for Flat Head. Make sure it’s legal in your area.

Hi Guys, Im new here but wanted to add my 2 cents…..as for the rotting shrimp, well i have used that on the Red river and It is killer for the channel cats! I also like to use large live suckers and split them open run it on a 3 way with a stinger attached letting its guts hang, works great for the big kittys tucks up under and under cut. Havent been to the red near Drayton ND in years but a 25# Channel cat was not unheard of up there. Any body use HornyHead Redtail Chubs. I have been fishing them in a small creek here and like to keep quite a few on hand for the wallys. The bait shop will buy them from me for .25-.30 a piece, kinda like fishing for money, I like to trade them for tackle.

Welcome to the board Stayincharge!

I’ve never heard of splitting suckers open. You’re using that for channels, I’m guessing? Also with the 3-ways, how long of a lead are you using after the sinker. Sounds interesting.

I normally use suckers for flats..although I’m really trying 4- 5 inch bullheads this year. For channels, my best luck has come from my cut suckers that have expired while using them for flats. So suckers in one way or the other have worked the best…so far.

Since MN descriminates against there own, I’m limited to size as species of fish.

Thank You for the welcome!
I tend to go 1.5 to 2 feet beyond the 3 way swivel but I also extend the sinker down 6-9″ from the swivel with gorilla braid line. I have only used this for channels. A guide on the red river showed us this method and a KILLER tourney winning spot in graditude for getting him a net big enough to land a 25# Cat that he had to play for 20 minutes or so waiting for us to get his big net from the resort. Me and my buddy won 1st place wins for heaviest stringer 4 years in a row at the the tourneys held by the Catfish Haven resort near Drayton, ND. I hear its gone now. To bad lots of great memories there. we never won the big fish awards but we always filled our stringer limit.

That’s great and sounds like a good time.

When you say a “large” sucker…what size is that in inches? Also, did you put the hook though the lips/head?