Fresh gizzard shad tops the list of enticements used for blue cats. Learning to
use a cast net to catch them is a rite of passage for hardcore anglers.
12 Catfish Baits That Actually Work
By Owen Koch
What’s the best bait for catfish?
I get that question all the time. I also see plenty of answers on social media from people who claim to have the answer. Everybody seems to have a secret bait recipe from Grandpa that they swear by.
Now in my third year of guiding for blue catfish on the Potomac River, I’ve run hundreds of charter trips and developed my own guidelines through plenty of trial and error. Hopefully, they’ll help you sort through some of the noise.
These recommendations are specific to blue catfish, the most abundant catfish species in my waters.
If you take away nothing else from this article, remember this: The best catfish baits are other fish native to your body of water.
If you’re fishing the Mississippi River or its tributaries, that might mean skipjack, mooneye or Asian carp. If threadfin shad or white perch are abundant where you fish, try them.
Just be sure to check your local regulations first. Baitfish rules can vary wildly from one state to another.
The Top Four
On the tidal Potomac, these are the baits I’d reach for first.
- Gizzard shad
These are the primary forage in the Potomac, as well as many rivers and lakes across the country. You’ll need a cast net to catch them, or whatever legal method your state allows for their harvest.
On the Potomac, I’ve found that fresh gizzard shad consistently outfishes every other bait on this list. Period.
Try fishing different cuts to see what the catfish are in the mood for. Sometimes they love the head, but other times they won’t touch it. The same goes for gut pockets.
Don’t overlook bait size, either. Match the size of your bait to the size of your hooks.
Frozen shad can work, but fresh is better. If you’re going to freeze shad for later, dry the exterior as thoroughly as possible and use a vacuum sealer. If you don’t own one, partially submerge a Ziploc bag in water to force the air out, then seal it just above the waterline. Try to use frozen shad within a few months.
- Bluegills or other panfish
The advantage of these baits is that they’re easy to catch around docks, riprap and other shoreline structure. A simple ultralight rig with worms, a bobber and a small sinker is usually all you need.
Fish them live or use them as cut-bait. Both methods are effective.
- Common carp
Common carp are readily available in most freshwater bodies. If you’ve never fished for them before, do a little online research on “hair rigs” and “pack bait.”
A 15-pound carp may not be the typical prey of a similarly sized blue catfish, but blue cats are opportunistic feeders. Carp are also readily available in many of the same waters.
Don’t overlook this very effective bait.
- American eel
I personally don’t use eels very often, but they catch fish and deserve a place on the list.
You’ll likely need a bait shop to get your hands on them, although eels can be caught on worms or with legal specialty traps in some areas.
If they’re available where you fish, don’t be afraid to give them a try.
Runner Up: Grocery Store Baits
Sometimes you only have an hour or so to squeeze in a fishing trip and don’t have time to mess with a cast net or carp rig. In that case, just stop at the local grocery store on the way to the lake and, presto! You’re in business.
- Chicken
I know, I know. It’s not sexy, but it works.
Skip the Jell-O, garlic powder, Grandpa’s tobacco juice and TikTok recipes. All you’re likely to do is gunk up your hands and your fishing poles.
Why does chicken breast catch fish? A fisheries biologist once explained to me that chicken has a nutritional composition similar to freshwater clams, which are a natural food source for catfish. I’ll leave the science to the biologists, but I know the chicken catches fish.
Look for marked-down chicken near its expiration date and load up your freezer. Chicken breast and gizzards stay on the hook much better than tenders or liver.
- Norwegian mackerel
You may need to visit an international grocery store to find it, but the oiliness of Norwegian mackerel makes it a very effective bait.
Mackerel does tend to get mushy, though. If you get bites but aren’t hooking fish, reel in and check your hook to make sure you still have bait on it.
As a bonus, it’s relatively inexpensive—about $3 per pound here in northern Virginia.
- Mullet
I know another local guide who has used nothing but fresh mullet for bait for 35 years, and he swears by it.
Mullet is another inexpensive, oily bait, and it stays on the hook better than mackerel.
- Shrimp
Buy them whole, uncooked and unpeeled from the freezer section. They’re easy to keep on hand, and they make a convenient bait when you don’t have time to catch your own.
Honorable Mention: Novelty Baits
This is a catch-all for just about any other fresh, bloody protein you can get your hands on. I’ve caught trophy-sized blue cats on all the baits below, so your imagination is the limit.
If it seems stupid but it works, it’s not stupid.
Younger catfish in particular will readily eat just about any protein, but wary older fish that are accustomed to eating baitfish are still opportunistic. If they’re hungry, they’ll eat these baits, too.
- Copperhead snake
A neighbor of mine killed a copperhead in his driveway, so I put it in my bait cooler for the next day’s trip. It ended up catching a 40-pounder.
The takeaway here isn’t “go kill snakes for bait.” It’s simply this: fresh + bloody + protein = catfish snack.
That said, use extreme caution. Venomous snakes are dangerous even after they’ve been killed, and it’s probably best not to handle one at all. There are plenty of safer bait options.
- Deer trimmings
I process my own deer each fall and always save some of the trimmings that aren’t fit for the grind pile.
If you don’t hunt or don’t know any hunters, ask your local butcher shop about beef or pork trimmings. The idea is simply to put fresh, meaty protein in front of a catfish.
- Mice
Most people set mousetraps in their garage, shed or basement. When you catch one of these rodents, put it in a bag and stick it in the freezer for your next fishing trip.
Just make sure your spouse knows what you’re doing—or remains blissfully oblivious—or you may end up as catfish bait yourself!
- Catfish fillets
Yes, blue catfish will absolutely cannibalize their own.
The tough, leathery skin on a catfish fillet makes it excellent for keeping the bait on your hook. On the Potomac, where young blue cats are extremely abundant, this is also a good way to put smaller fish to use.
This list is certainly not all-inclusive, but it covers the basics:
- Whenever possible and legal, use fresh, local baitfish.
- If that’s not an option, don’t overlook the grocery store.
- When all else fails, remember that fresh, bloody protein is hard for a catfish to ignore.
Good luck, and tight lines!
(Owen Koch is the owner and operator of Capital Blues Fishing Charters in Washington, D.C. Contact him at capitalbluesfishing@gmail.com or on Facebook/Instagram @capitalbluesfishing.)
