Catfishing March 17th using Stink Bait

Ok guys, a lot of people have been asking me about catching catfish and using stinkbait to catch them well here is your proof.  I took off an hour early at work and got to the fishing hole around 5pm and fished till 7pm and this picture here is the result:

Ohio River Blue Catfishing Video

Here's a video of a guy catching some Blue Catfish in the Ohio River.

Catching Catfish in March is it Too Cold? Video!

Check out this video of these guys catfishing in march in the santee cooper area of SC.  Is it too cold to catch catfish in march? I think not... here's the video

Is March Too Cold for Catfish?

I have been asked this a millions times now so I figured I would touch up on the subject.  The answer is it depends on were you live.  For an example, here in SC the catfish are in deeper water at the beginning of march and are now moving into the shallows slowly as the water temperature goes up.  The bass are also starting to spawn for you bass fisherman.

March is usually the start of the spawn in the southern east coast states such as South Carolina and Florida.  In fact, I'm pretty sure the catfish are in the shallows in Florida because it has been warmer there this year.  Here in SC were going through days were it gets into the 80s and drops back down to the 50s the next day.

So, if you want to catfish the rest of march I suggest checking your water temperature before going.  If the water temperature is lower than 55 degrees, you will need to find points and channels were the depth is between 25 and 60+ feet.  If you are fishing for blues, I would suggest using oily cut bait such as shad or herring.  If the water temperature is above 60-65 degrees, the catfish will move into shallow water so get your stink bait ready and find shallow water (6-10ft).  Check out my previous article for tips on how to catch channel cats: March Channel Catfishing

The Easiest Way to Catch Channel Catfish in the Spring

Channel catfish, in my opinion, are the easiest type of catfish to catch once the water has warmed up some. I usually keep track of the water temperature with NOAA weather. Generally, channel cats will start going into the shallows when the water temperature reaches 60-70 degrees. So, make sure you keep any eye on the water temperature and remember that whatever temperature it is, it will essentially be warmer in shallower areas.

As far as bait, channel catfish will eat anything oily and stinky. In the past few years, stink bait has really become very common for catching channel catfish but it is very easy to use and is almost irresistible to them. I usually either use sonny's stink bait which can be bought at anglers and I order Team Catfish Secret 7 Stink bait on Amazon (click the link to be taken to the product).  You can also use hotdogs, chicken liver, shrimp, and cut bait but stink bait is going to be your best bet.

The thing about stink bait is that when the water temperature gets warmer, the stink bait will sort of liquify and spread a stench around in the water.  In fact, a little secret that most people don't know is that when you first get to the fishing hole it is always best to throw the stink bait out in the spots you will be fishing and reel them back in a couple times to get the smell going in the area.  Also, if you are in a boat you can drift with the stink bait and the fish will follow the smell until the get to the bait.  I was drifting with 2 poles once and I had one on the line and it got to both baits before I could get it in the boat, that is how powerful this stuff is.

Also, if you are going to use stink bait hooks I would recommend using the worm type hooks like this: stink bait hooks.  These are the only type of hooks I use and the stink bait stays on them very well.  Don't use tube baits that have big holes.

When using stink bait, find a good flat spot on a lake, river or pond and position the bait were a channel might be or just try to find the deepest spot around you. 

What is the Best Stinkbait for Catfish

What is the best stink bait for catfish?  Well, that depends.  Most people use stink bait to catch channel catfish and like mentioned before, they will eat just about anything smelly.  Essentially, you can open up a stink bait and determine if a catfish is going to like it or not.  Here are some factors to determine whether a stink bait will be good or not:

1.  Will it Stick to the Hook?

Some stink baits are made in the form of a tooth paste looking container.  These types of baits are softer than baits that are made in a jar and will most often be too liquified to use on a hook.  They do make carriers on the end of hoods to squeeze the bait into but I have used them and haven't had good success with them.

2.  Does it Smell?

Listen, I have smelled a few different types of stink bait and they all smell but the ones that take your breath away when you first open the container are the ones that are going to catch the fish.  I personally use Secret 7 and Sonny's stink bait because they are commonly sold in my area.

3. Is it Cheap?

Different stink baits range in price and some stink baits can be extremely expensive.  In fact, a lot of people have been finding about about stink bait in the last few years and I have seen the prices increase in the stores dramatically.  Well, I will switch to a cheaper brand if I have to because they are essentially made in the same way.  Go with the cheap stuff as long as it's smelly enough!

I hope this has helped brighten your horizons to the different kinds of stink baits and hopefully will help you catch more and bigger cats!

What are the Best Baits for Catfish

One of the many reasons people catfish is because its really simple.  All you have to do is bait a line and wait until the pole bends.  The only problem is figuring out the best baits to use.  Basically, different types of catfish will eat different things and we will talk about the channel, flathead, and blue catfish and what they like to eat.

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish are probably the easiest species of catfish to catch because unlike the flatheads and blues, they will bite on just about anything oil or stinky.  The most common baits that people use to catch channel cats are minnows, worms, chicken liver, cut bait, shrimp, hot dogs, and stink bait.  Personally, I almost always use stink bait when I'm fishing for channel cats because the smell drives them nuts.  The only problem with stink bait is that it is messy and most of the time the catfish will inhale the hook so you may have to cut the lead and sting on a new hook.

Flathead Catfish

Flathead catfish are almost always caught at night.  They like to feed at night and very seldom feed during the day (although they have been caught during the day).  When fishing for flatheads, I usually will use live bait fish.  usually bream or bluegill will do nicely just make sure that you're allowed to use them as bait in your state.  Large pieces of cut bait also work very well for flatheads.

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish are my favorite because they fight harder and most of the time are my biggest catch.  Blue catfish usually bite on live bait and large pieces of cut bait.  Make sure the cut bait is an oily based fish for best results. Always use heavier rods and reels when fishing for blues because most of the time you will catch some big ones.