Night crawlers stay lively longer when kept cool and shaded. A simple Styrofoam container
helps protect bait from summer heat and can make a big difference during a long day on the
water, especially when you keep it inside a shaded cooler or tacklebox compartment.
Catfish Basics: Keeping Bait Fresh in Summer Heat
Story and photo by Keith “Catfish” Sutton
Summer is prime time for catfishing, but it’s also prime time for bait spoilage. Whether you’re fishing with fresh-cut shad, night crawlers, chicken liver, dipbait or manufactured bait chunks, hot weather can quickly turn good bait into bad bait. A few simple precautions can help keep your bait in top condition and improve your chances of success.
Natural baits require the most attention. Fresh-cut baitfish such as shad, skipjacks, herring or sunfish should be kept cold from the moment they’re caught. Store them in a cooler with plenty of ice, but avoid letting them sit directly in meltwater. A sealed plastic container or zip-top bag helps keep the bait cold without becoming waterlogged and mushy.
Live baits such as minnows, goldfish and small sunfish need oxygen as well as cool water. During hot weather, overcrowding a bait tank can quickly lead to dead bait. Use an aerator and change water as needed to maintain healthy bait throughout the day.
Night crawlers and other worms also suffer in extreme heat. Keep them in their original bedding and box (Styrofoam boxes work best), and store them in a shaded cooler. Avoid direct sunlight, which can turn a container of lively worms into a container of worm soup in short order.
Commercial prepared baits deserve attention, too. Dipbaits, punch baits and stinkbaits are formulated to withstand warm temperatures, but excessive heat can alter their consistency. A bait that’s too runny may not stay on the hook or sponge. Keep containers sealed when not in use and store them in a cooler or shaded compartment whenever possible.
Preformed bait chunks, doughbaits and similar products can become soft and difficult to handle when exposed to direct sunlight. Returning them to a cooler between uses helps maintain their texture and effectiveness.
One of the biggest mistakes anglers make is leaving bait on a boat deck or dock all day. Surface temperatures can become surprisingly high, even when the air temperature feels comfortable. Shade is your friend. A simple towel draped over a bait container can help protect it from direct sun.
Finally, remember that “aged” bait and spoiled bait aren’t always the same thing. Some catfish baits are intentionally aged or fermented to create stronger scent. But even those baits should be stored properly according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Uncontrolled spoilage can produce undesirable odors and textures that may make bait less effective.
The bottom line is simple: keep bait cool, keep it shaded and keep containers sealed when possible. A little care goes a long way toward preserving bait quality and putting more catfish in the boat.
(Arkansas native Keith “Catfish” Sutton is editor of CatfishNOW and one of America’s best-known outdoor writers. He has spent more than six decades fishing for catfish throughout the Western Hemisphere and enjoys sharing practical tips that help anglers catch more fish and have more fun on the water.)
