Scent the key in selecting catfish baits

The catfish may be one of the most underappreciated of all Arkansas sport fish. It occurs in practically every body of water, grows to gigantic size and is easy to catch with inexpensive equipment.

Top off those features with its fantastic flavor, and it’s no wonder catfish are a favorite for anglers.

Catfish can “smell” baits much better than many fish species. Highly sensitive membranes inside the fish’s nostrils detect compounds in the water. The more folds these membranes have, the keener the fish’s sense of smell.

Trout have 18 or so of these folds, while largemouth bass may have only 10. The channel catfish is blessed with 140 of these specialized folds to sense smell, enabling it to detect compounds as minute as one part per 100 million.

So what odors make the best bait for catfish?

The best smells of all are going to come from the foods catfish are used to eating. Shad, small bream and chunks of less desirable species like carpsuckers and skipjack are top producers for many catfish anglers.

Justin Homan, lead biologist in the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s catfish team, said many veteran catfish anglers, especially those on the big rivers of east Arkansas, favor cut shad and skipjack. These oily fish will put out a scent that attracts big catfish.

“When I’m running jugs with my wife and little girl, we tend to use cut bait as well, especially fish with a tougher skin,” Homan said. “Chunks of carp or buffalo stay on the hook well and will bring in a lot of fish.”

Homan said flathead catfish are much fonder of live bait than cut bait. Many anglers use goldfish purchased from bait dealers. He’s done well running trotlines baited with small sunfish.

Catalpa worms, nightcrawlers and other crawling critters from the flowerbed also make great bait.

One of those overlooked grocery store baits that works wonders is good old canned meat, sausage, hot dog chunks and bacon.

Arkansas’s current state record and once world-record 116-pound, 12-ounce blue catfish was caught on canned meat in 2001.

Clint Coleman, assistant coordinator of the Family and Community Fishing Program for Game and Fish, said his favorite catfish bait is pieces of hot dog soaked in a mix of cherry Kool-Aid and garlic powder. For some reason, that combination sets catfish in feeding frenzy.

“It’s easy to get at the store, and it’s easy to handle with kids,” Coleman said. “Some kids may not want to mess with worms, liver or stink bait but everyone will pick up a hot dog. The garlic will put out plenty of scent to get the fish honed in on your lure.”

Coleman said don’t worry about adding water to activate the Kool-Aid. The juice from the hot dogs is all it takes.

(Courtesy photo/Shutterstock) Catfish can “smell” bait better than most other fish thanks to highly sensitive membranes in their nostrils.