What a week! With Dean Marshall, the Manager of Evert’s Resort allowing me to “watch the shop” while he took his vacation…it was like a dream come true. Thanks for the experience Dean! I could never repay you for the experience, the info learned and the new friends made!
Right off the bat the resort was full because of the FLW (some kind of walleye tourney, I guess) was being held on Pools 3, 4 and 5. I found out very quickly that I might as well not ask a tourney guy what they’re catching them on. Heck, I think some of these guys bought crawlers from the bait shop just because they didn’t want to be seen buying leeches only! Either way, it looks like great fun for the competitive sort.
Saturday night Evert’s Bait shop was the site of a small Get ToGether for all of the tourney guys and gals. I found myself looking for Dean’s “high water” boots with all the “talk” going on that night.
This photo is of our own Stick Boy who was one of a number of Ida Members that placed in the money. Congratulations to all!
I had two fellas that wanted to try for a Trophy Cat on Sunday night. You can read about David’s 39 pound flathead by following this link.
>IDAcatGuides.com Flathead Report<
After the weekend, things settled down nicely. Dean’s been after me for a long while to try some of this stuff called Sonny’s Super Sticky stink bait. This is what “Pete the Catman” uses with very good luck…I was told. I’ve also been told that all a person catches with stink is the small eater size channel cats…sooo what better time to give this stuff a try while staying at a resort with a nice big dock!
Early mornings, evenings and a couple times through out the day I would spend some time on the park benches trying to stink up Mr Whiskers.
A surprising number of fish were caught from Deans dock. Two ten pound carp, a little white bass and to many to count channel cats, including my first stink channel cat.
Nicole, her son and his father all from Rochester spent a night with us and Nicole was down at the docks looking for fish. I’ve always enjoyed watching other catch fish, guess that’s why I’m guiding.
Here’s Nicole with a dock caught crappie that she hooked with a plain hook and a fathead. She was asking me "I thought catfish had whiskers? 
" It was nice meeting you, David and your son. See you back at Evert’s sometime!
Sunday evening I was able to take the boat out for a couple hours. This was going to be a test of Sonny’s stink bait vs cut sucker…that I’ve aways had more confidence in. I set up in the dam area and cut up a 4 inch sucker using a 5/0 Gamakatsu Octopus hook, 6 inches of leader, a swivel and a 3 oz no-roll sinker. Then, with the second rod, placed the stink bait the same distance from the boat but about 15 feet away from the cut bait.
The stink bait set up I used was a Junnie’s Cattracker Tubie Worm, which is a rubber tube slid over the top of a treble hook. A 12 pound mono leader is attached to the treble and goes throught the tube attaching to a snap swivel (for easy attachment of a new baited lure) and finally a 2 oz no-roll sinker. I was tight lining both rods.
With in 10 minutes the Sonny’s rod was getting “tapped” and then bent over. Another chunky channel on stink bait.
After re rigging, I remember it was Sunday night and there was a fishing show on the radio. I was giggling to myself when they started talking about how slow fishing was everywhere because of the hot weather. It’s a good time to take your kids out and fish for panfish. To me it sounded like “take your kids panfishing to kill some time until the real fish started biting again. I doubt that’s what they meant…but that’s the way it came across to me. As I was pulling in my second cat in 20 minutes (on Sonny’s) I had a passing thought of calling in and telling them that there are other fish out there besides walleyes and the bite is on! Morning and evening temperatures are cool enough to make it bareable. The folks sitting around waiting for the walleyes to turn on are truly missing the boat when 3 to six pound fighting channel cats are common.
Back to using stink bait. I’m not an expert on using stink, but here’s a few tips that I’ve found helps.
Have a throw away towel. You will get some on your hands no matter how careful you are. It has the consistency of peanut butter, but peanut butter is easier to get off. Not impossible, just harder.
Catfish Pete suggested to use the back side of a spoon to sink the tube into the bait. Works better than a stick.
I had two Tubie Worms in the jar of stink, ready to go. When the one on the end of the line either has a fish on or has lost all of the bait, just take one out of the jar and using the snap swivel..put a freshly baited Tubie on.
Make sure your Tubie’s are dry before trying to bait them. The bait will stick much better.
So how did the cutbait vs stink bait turn out??
Stink 7
Cutbait 0
After each catch on Sonny’s, I reeled in the cut bait and replaced it with fresh. I never had a bite on cut sucker. Big pieces, small pieces and crushed heads…the cat’s just seemed to turn up there noses.
Weather permitting, I’ll be out again tonight. The challenge will be “crawlers” verses Sonny’s.
Thanks to all of the new folks that stopped into Evert’s this last week and I’m was glad to see some of the old sticks too. Again thanks Dean for giving me the opportunity to hold down the fort while you were away…and pushing me into using Sonny’s!
I forgot to mention…in the first pic where the MC is talking to Stick Boy…he’s asking Stick…”what can you attibute your outstanding weight of fish today Jay?”
Jay replies…My co-angler Cory knows how to catch Big Fish!
Cory’s 45 pound flathead caught the week following the tourney.
Why isn’t Cory in the photo? He didn’t want to touch one of those slimy, @#$#@#$ things!
Nice report and Pics BK!!!!!!!!Love2Fish
By the way Brian, Thanks a lot for changing the Avitar. I owe you one. Love2Fish
Awesome report Brian.. ive got to find another day to come down that way.. the river is a blast this time of year!
Brian, you have totally demoralized me!!! I have been having moderate success with channels on cut, but you make it sound like I am wasting my time not using Sonny’s!!!!
Fine, I’ll buy some of the rotten stuff already!
Hey Brian-
You accepted my challenge of the Stinkbait vs. Cut Sucker.
I’m surprised at the results but I’m always learning as well.
At least I know where I can pick up a jar of that stuff! Cat League guys… look out!
I’m still having a hard time with it as well.
I have been using Sonny,s here in Iowa for a few years now and its just unbelievable in warm water.I can honestly say for numbers I don,t think there,s anything out there that will out fish it
I have also used Sonny’s regular formula for years. I tried crawler and experimented with stink bait to find Sonny’s was the best on the Rock in Fort atkinson and Jefferson Wisconsin. Used to keep a cat rod hand when spring walleye fishing. Love to see the look of folks when the rod is bent double.
Also my technique was “if I don’t get a bit in 10 minutes move.” Put a lot of cats in the water for me some up to 8 lbs.
Derek
Sonny’s and also Bowkers stink bait, bowkers is just like sonny’s and if you sit them side to side thier almost identical. When the waters warm up in the rivers its eighter stink bait or chicken livers and alot of the time its stink bait 10 to 1 over livers. Here in Iowa this time of year the catfish go nuts in the skunk river and alot of times all you can fish with is one pole. Try some stink bait its good!.
Great news Bud. I’m a guy who can’t handle a big cat so smaller channel cats sound great to me.
Thanks for the report and sharing of knowledge on how to best use the stuff. Now I just need to get some stink. 
Thanks, Bill
Great report. Sounds like a fun week
thanks for sharing
Larry
can sonny’s be bought anywhere or is it something someone local to your area is making I have never heard of it but would like to give it a try. by the way nice report thanks
Todd, what area do you live in?
I know that Dean at Evert’s Resort sells it (close to Redwing, MN) and Moores Bait and Tackle handle it in Mpls. I’m not sure if Hooked on Fishing in Rochester handles it or not. I recall Mike telling me he sells a lot of stink bait each year…but I don’t recall if it was Sonny’s or not. To be honest…prior to a week ago…when someone talked stink…
I turned up my nose!
I don’t know much about it at this point…but I’m going to find out!
It’s a somewhat local bait, made in Farmington, Ia. Made by Sonny Hootman and his family, I don’t believe it’s sold in the big chain stores, but usually available in bait stores or some farm stores with a sporting goods dept. I think you can also order it direct from Sonny.
Thanks Greybeard…you don’t have a web address do you? I’ve googled a couple times without any luck.
I doubt he’s got a web page, he’s kind of a “low-tech” guy from what I’ve heard. I found his phone # on Yahoo people search, just type in Hootman for Farmington, Ia. and you should get it.(I don’t feel right putting someone else’s number on here) I’ve read he enjoys getting phone calls and talking fishing, so it probably wouldn’t hurt to give him a ring.
Try some of junnies “Wicked Sticky” stinkbait along with his tubies tubes. We have had awesome success with it on the river down here. It catches alot of fish and trust me the name does hold true it stays on for a LONG time and you dont have to keep reeling in wondering if you have any left.
Mike at Hooked On Fishing in Rochester will have Sonnys Stink Bait in tomorrow [8-3-06]. There will be both a new Catfish and Bass display in the store.
Thanks, Bill
Todd,not sure where you are located,but I believe Moores handles it in the cities.It is a pretty common distributed product via many wholesalers.If needed,we can mail you some,but the postage obviouly will make it more expensive,let us know if any of us can help ya out.
Brian K also mentioned that it wasnt have bad on his morning toast with a little grape jelly!Guess that is why my kitchen smells like it does after I got back.
Thanks Bill!
And thanks MIKE for haveing TWO new catfish baits in the store!
I will say this Brian – you are good at creating a demand for stinky stuff!
Or, maybe you are just good at creating stinky stuff? 
Good Fishing,
Mike
Or, maybe you are just good at creating stinky stuff?
Good Fishing,
Mike
I thought it was just me Mike!
The WallMart here in Cedar Rapids carrys Sonny’s, maybe the others do to. Maybe message Ted Peck here on the site, Sonny’s an old friend of Teds and see if he can mail some or give the nearest place to you.
Dean…with all of this rain…doesn’t the lawn need mowing again??
Walmart here in Sioux City also handles it, thought I’d go through and open all the jars and watch peoples faces!
Yes Brian,should be ready to go by FRIDAY
thanks Briank for the info I live in Milan IL (Quad Cities) pool 16 hoping to come up to pool 4 this fall for a few days I can always grab a couple jars then. thanks again, Todd