How To Catch Big Catfish - The Best Baits for Giant Flatheads and Big Blues
That's A Big Flathead Catfish!

What Is The Best Bait to Catch Big Catfish?
Which bait is best is the age old question of catfishing!
Even more the bait is one of your most single important elements!
You can have the best rod, reel, line, guides, boat, etc. None of that even comes into play if you never get a bite, right.
Now don't get me wrong, I spent days writing pages about the best equipment to use in my other hubpages so read those too, you can find links to them further down this page, but your bait is critical.
What if you do use the best bait and hook that 120 pound flathead only to lose him because you used a cheap line? Those hookups don't come often and when they do, you gotta be ready. Look I'm not just saying that because it sounds good, I've been there done that.
On a beautiful afternoon I waiting on just such a bite, I was using a hand size bream on an 8/0 Gamakatsu hook with a OML25 reel spooled with 100 pound PowerPro.
I was ready, or so we thought. WHAM!!! The rod is bent over like lightning, and now it is just there, warped down toward the water, not moving, as if it was attached to a boulder. After a quick astonished glance toward my buddies I grabbed the rod and struggled to free it from the rod holder. As I pulled up on the rod the beast began to pull back, I was fishing about 12-18" of the bottom and that's where he wanted to stay!
I pulled up hard trying to get him up off the bottom, my buddy was just getting the video camera started when the fish came up 3 or 4 feet and that must have really ticked him off because all of a sudden the line started pulling of the reel and SNAP!, he was gone. What seemed like 10 minutes was really 30 - 45 seconds.
Well as fast as he hit, he was gone, what made it so bad was I thought I was ready. So please do this for me and you both- use the best equipment you can, look for deals and get the good stuff at a discount- cause I want to see the pictures of you with a monster catfish not the face like I had of a 4 year old kid who just dropped his ice cream cone!
OK, enough about my problems, lets see what kind of bait you are going to use to catch your own monster catfish.
Big Flatheads Are Out There!

Let's start off with the flathead catfish. Now you all have undoubtedly heard that the best time to catch flatheads is at night, right. Well, I agree, this said lots of people don't fish for or target flatheads in the daytime just because of this. Big mistake, just because they bite better at night doesn't mean they won't smack down a good bait in the daytime.
Flatheads are preferential to live bait, we've all heard this and it's true. But, I have seen flatheads caught on all kinds of stuff,hotdogs, shrimp, cut herring, chicken, liver, bream heads, frogs, snakes, stink baits and even soap why? Because it happened to be there when they were feeding. Now given their druthers they seem to pick live flashy active baits much faster than all that other stuff.
Since nearly all catfish over 2 feet long feed mainly on other fish almost exclusively, your best bait choices are going to be other fish. Which ones depends on where you are, what season and a few other factors.
So if you are going to spend your time and money in pursuit of these big flathead catfish you may as well use the baits that draw them into action or at least give you your best shot, right.
After he smacks down on your bait it's all up to you and your equipment from there!
Now let me get the legal stuff out of the way right here: "Gary
says" will not hold water when you tell the Game Warden some junk about
what I recommended. I was in Alaska recently and suggested we use live
bait, people all looked at me like I had three heads then started
laughing as if I was kiddin'.
Read your local Fish and Game regulations book in the State you plan to fish. No live bait for freshwater fish in Alaska.
In
Georgia a bream must be no longer than 4" to use for bait, the Game
Warden told me, but in South Carolina there is not a size limit imposed
on them. On page 17 of the 2009 South Carolina DNR Rules and Regulations it says "Game fish may be used as bait to catch fish but must be included in the daily bag limit." On page 12 of the Georgia it says something very similar.
Check your local regulations, if you can't find an answer you can call them and ask them specific bait questions. It's a good idea to ask what page that is found on in the DNR book just to be safe. I have been told Fishing fines aren't what they used to be!
READ THESE PLEASE!

OK, enough legal mumbo jumbo, we want to catch some fish today!!!
My number one choice -jumbo bluegill, you can catch them at the same place you are fishing for big cats or catch them in advance. I recommend catching them in advance, they seem to dissapear when you need them. You may us line and pole, cast net, or even buy them off a stocking truck-check your regs, please, I fish all over, what works one place is illegal another.
Bluegills
My favorite flathead catfish baits are bream, bluegills to be exact.
Hand size Bluegills

My second choice of bait is most likely going to be a big gizzard shad or herring, they aren't as hardy on the hook sometimes as you would like them to be but the big cats love'em. You can pick these up at local bait stores or catch them with a cast net or a sabiki rig as you are going out. Speaking of sabiki rigs and herring, you have to see this crazy video of herring being caught for bait.
Catching Bait the Fun Way!
How to Join the Gone Fishin Club
By joining Gone Fishin Club you become eligible to win a trip to Santee to chase Monsters Cats with Gary and the crew.
We also have drawings for other trips, magazine subscriptions, club logo hats and shirts.
So what are you waiting for, JOIN NOW! Did I mention it was FREE!
here is the link...................... JOIN GONE FISHIN CLUB
My third choice is going to be big flashy goldfish. Check your regs on this. Big flashy goldfish are very hardy and large baits can be purchased or grown. I grow my own, you can purchase them for $10 - $15 a hundred when they are 1' - 1 1/2' long. In a large tank they grow fairly rapidly. I have a 2000 gallon tank I grow them out in. I get the bright orange, the albino orange mix and the mottled ones. You can also buy grown ones at larger bait stores just be prepared to pay a few bucks for them.

The next big catfish bait I would try would be some bullheads or small catfish. A large flathead can easily eat a 10 pound fish so don't be wimpy with your baits. If you can get big baits use them. Bullheads are very hardy on the hook and in the bait tank. You can purchase them at some bait stores or just catch them yourself on worms and chicken liver.
WARNING: Be very careful when handling small catfish, their sharp pectoral fins don't come back out easily and can give you quite a sting. One camper learned the hard way, he told me he could unhook his own fish and that he knew about the fins. A few minutes later he stood in front of me with a catfish fin through his hand. I had to wedge in a pair of snips because they are barbed fins and don't want to back up. Pretty nasty so please handle them with respect.
Bullheads

White perch, now there is a good bait, hardy, they will last for hours. They will be tugging till the cows come home. They are one of my favorite baits. You may find these in a bait store or you can catch them with a cast net. Jigging a 1/4 Hopkins shorty will land you a few sometimes too.
White Perch are a Great Bait

Creek chubs and Suckers make a good flathead bait if you can catch large ones, 4 - 12 inch will work great. You can buy these in some bait stores or catch your own. I catch mine in a nearby creek with a large minnow trap. You can catch them sometimes with a #10 or #12 hook baited with little pieces of worm.
Salties or Black Salty is a kind of brackish-saltwater carp that some bait stores are carrying now. They are very hardy and make a good flathead bait.
If you have access to eels, they are also a great live bait option for big flatheads.
American Eel

Flathead Baits
What Flathead Baits Do You Prefer?
Comments
What places do you think are good areas to fish for some catfish in Northwestern part of Connecticut and also what type of bait should I use?
I live in Dardanelle Arkansas. Right on the Arkansas river. Whats your opinion on fishing the Arkansas river, And what baits are best for the big blues? Thank you.
yeah I grew up in Pennsylvania and I've been fishing in the Monongahela River for many years now I need to take and catch me a big catfish out of that River but I need to know the best bait that I can use and the mine what's the test line I can use in the best hooks
Hey Gary looking for some fishing advice in west Virginia in the mononghalea river for some nice flat heads any advice is appreciated thanks
Hey Gary. Great article I'm only 14 but I love catching big ole catfish. I'm going Saturday to lake blakshere in Cordele Ga. In the tailgaters of a hydroelectric dam .I'm gonna try brim and goldfish for the first time.And do you have any tips for summertime daytime and nighttime for flatheads and channel cats. Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Hey Gary I live in SE Oklahoma and lately I've been fishin the Red river. I get plenty of bites on fresh caught cut shad and bluegill perch but it seems I can't get the hook to set very good. I get the fish about 3or 4 feet away from the bank and they pop off my line. I use small circle hooks . Any advice??
Were having good luck on little asian carp for yellowcat on the lower mississippi trying to break 100lb
i got a 60 pound flathead on a hand size bream about 3 years back every since then i loved big cats
I spend my winter months from October thru March camped on the Colorado river and all American canal. I use Sonny's stink bait, with two Wal-Mart plastic cages, and a number two treble hook. I go through about 12 gallons of bait per season. I have caught 25 gallon bags full of fillets. I fish every day. My biggest channel cat was 26 lbs. A couple of 15-20 lbs. Most of my fish are in the 5-6 lbs. range. I used to fish with chicken livers, but they are to messy. I am going to try and radio in on big flatheads fishing this fall when I return. This is great fishing south of the Imperial Dam, all the way to the Mexican border at Algodonas.
Is the new king cat line is it any good????
Hi Gary,
Any info on Lake Conroe in Texas? They have both Blues and Flat Heads. I have a boat and can fish just about any method.
Thanks, Brian
I've just started catfishing this year with very little luck. Doing more research than fishing still not doing so well. Seems like i just wanna give up when countless hours past by without a nibble. I've caught a 40 lbs and a 18 lbs flathead by accident going for walleye. What is there to look for in a river to know that there are monster cats lurkin in there? B.T.W. im from MN. Only place i know that flathead exist is the Mn river, mississippi, and st. Croix. If there is any advice to help me out would much be appreciated. Thanks. Using a heavy 7 ft St. Croix rod with 65 power pro braided lines..
I fish a local watershed reservoir, only about 330 acres but great catfishing. I've had flatheads there break off # 60 tarred twine. Not to mention 50 and 100 lbs powerpro. Usually use 7/0 or larger hooks and 4 to 8 inch bream for bait
The line is about 3 yrs old but my rod stays in the back of my truck in the weather. berkley 3w1230 wire-wound steelon leaders. My line breaks about 10 minutes in fight. Some nights it breaks on the hit.
I have fish in charleston for 20 years and the biggest i caught has been 69 lbs and want to know how to get the record breaker ones....
I use power pro 150 lbs. I fish in the charleston river West Virginia
Catching some big cats but every night my line is broke idk what line to use?
What are some other types of baits for big flatheads besides live bait that works fairly well
I live in Kentucky and I would love to know the best place to catch big blues, and flatheads. I enjoyed your article by the way....
I'm originally from Oklahoma and am now living and going to college in Kansas. I don't know much about lake fishing for cats as all i've done is pond fishing back home. what's the best way to catch lots of catfish out of Milford Reservoir and Tuttle creek lake? I'm not looking to catch monsters because I just don't have the gear for that.
I live in iowa and fish the des moines, skunk, and iowa river. largest we've caught this year was 10 lbs on a leopard frog, i know of some guys that catch about one big flat head every year on the skunk but im still trying to get the hang of it. any good tips for angling, using bank poles etc. i dont have a boat
I have a camp on lake Livingston
Tx an have enjoyed a few trips.
I've tried limb line , an jugs an floaters but really haven't come out strong . The abundance of shad is crazy but what am I missing is it day fishin? Or do I need to soak my lines all night just want to have that experience
You gave me good ideas but every lake is different an this one
Is completely different than any of our other south east texas lakes thanks !!!
gary, im fishing live bait like bream an i keep hooking on giant turtles, im talkin 150-200lbs but i dont want that, any other suggestions?
Hey again Gary, just wondering if you put much stock in the moon phases and the barometric pressure when you fish. I've read a lot of things about it. Is it really that important?
yupp will do thanks for all the help
Good article! I fish mainly in El Dorado, Ks and I was wondering what you look for in deciding where you cast to in lakes. I am much more comfortable fishing rivers but I'm looking to hook in to some of the big flatheads that the El Dorado Lake holds!
They usually use Chicken livers or skip-jack that we catch on the damn. Though where we fish on the bank doesn't have much of structure. you basically throw your line out and yeah that its. i geuss its just the bait and luck. we had the kentucky and indiana world record Blue cat caught there if that saids anything
thanks for all the help caught some good sized blues and plenty of chanels catfish season starts the 30th at paylakes try to hit up horshoe in clermont county ohio great place
Hi there, i live in Owensboro, Ky. I love fishing for catfish, my problem is i never seem to catch any big ones. i see people catch them all the time out of our pay lakes and the Ohio River. i see and ask what they use but i still never catch big ones. Do you have any ideas for baits or set ups to freshin' up this 2012 fishing season?
Hi, I love this page and I think you have really great ideas. I live in North Carolina and was wondering if you knew any good places here to go fishing? We have been fishing in this one persons pond and he has like three good size catfish in there and we were using stink bait, nightcrawlers and dead small minnows and could not get them to bite, next time we go we might try chicken livers and maybe some of your ideas.
peter132 i fish in the lake of the ozarks in cold turkey acers ive caught some nice ones some 26 and 45 pounders and A 50 pounder just last summer
yeah so ive been fishing the little miami river ive been using creek chubs from the nearby creek is there any other baits i can use to get a good bite
Nice fish gary. I grew up fishing santee atleast once a year. I think the largest was about 20 lbs. I now do most of my fishing at lake hartwell and ponds. I fished lake hartwell last summer and only managed a few channel cats. Thanks for the advice. Any advice depths to fish.
i like using sucker chubs and isreali carp they work great for the banks
im 14 so far ive been fishing the paylakes up in ohio ive caught a couple of 60 and im stuck what do i do
I was just getting ready to head out and check my trot lines this morning, when i decided to do some searching for different baits and stumbled across this site. I live in Missouri and generally fish a small river. I have used, Chicken liver, Shrimp, Gold Fish, Shad, and Craw dads (aka crawfish) I have had luck with all but have never caught anything over 10lbs. Do you think i need a different bait, or maybe i need to move over into the Missouri river to try to catch the big boys.
I fish a pay lake in south carolina, I prefer bream and blue gill also......Biggest i have caught this year is a 30 lb flathead and 30 lb blue
Do you know of any magazine devoted to catfish?
bream mainly bluegill are the best to use here on the little pee dee in south carolina
anyone know of any good places to catch big catfish in arizona? thanks
I went out fishing last summer in the solomon river in beloit kansas when they were letting tons of water out of the resivoir upstream. i was using a kevlar rhino medium heavy rod a browning reel and 50 lb. test spiderwire. i had a bluegill as bait. all of a sudden my pole shot down then right back up it came so i sat and waited for the next bite it never came so i reeled in to check my bait and the fight was on! i never thoght a catfish would take a bait and then set there not moving. i got him pulled in to where i could see him and snap goes my 50 lb line and he was a part of my memory from then on he must have been 4.5 to 5 foot long. it was my biggest flathead ever to have on the end of my line but this year i got a 12 foot deep water rod and king kat 2 reel and i upgraded to 65 lb test spider wire. 70 lb fish is the biggest ive seen come out of the solomon but it doesn't mean there isn't monster cats in there. this summer 2011 should be good fishing again they are letting even more water out of waconda and when the waters up the fish get washed downstream to the dam at chitaqua park in beloit and stay there until the water goes down. happy fishin
Nice pictures!
I like the idea of buying smaller goldfish, and let them grow bigger before using them as bait.
I was just using a nightcrawler on that rod.
Well the trip didn't go so good. i had two poles rigged up one was rigged with 65 pound test braided line which i had the bream on. second was rigged for smaller game just 25lb test. Nothing ever touched my big pole but just as we were about to leave my smaller pole bent like crazy i picked it up and there was nothing that i could do. i tigtend the drag a little bit at a time and didn't even phase that fish sad to say it snapped my line and got away. hoping to try again this weekend
Hey Gary this is a great page with great advice. i plan on putting some of it to great use tonight. i personally have caught a 8 pound flat head off of bacon. but tonight im gonna go with the brim idea. i Live in eatonton GA and i usually fish off of Lake sinclair. If you have any great ideas for this area let me know
thank you so much. i want to say your a great person. i love the way you interact and want the best for people. so thank you for all the info you have given me
p.s october tenth im going fishing for the big ones with your advice and if i get one i know the drill ill put it on gone fishin club thanks again
well i live somewhat close to the lake of the ozarks but that's such a big lake and i dont know what they catch big ones on there.
any one know of good places to catch big catfish in missouri? by the way thanks for the info
I fish Lake Erling in Southwest Arkansas. I think we have the best Crappie and Catfishing in the whole country. It's 3 miles west of Taylor, Arkansas. 7 miles north of the Louisiana line.
I have to agree, live bream are the bait of choice on Lake Jodeco (GA). My biggest is 17# Flathead and I have caught 7#-10# flatheads and blues fishing fresh caught bream on the bottom with a carolina rig. I also catch a yellow? looking catfish from time to time on a nightcrawler. Tight Lines.
well i have only caught 8 big ones this year two 19s a 26 a 36 23 25 27 and a 32
Man I would love to catch one of those big boys.
i live in ARKANSAS and have cought 50 lb. flatheads and 40lb blues on live baits and cutbaits . thanks for new ideas. poorboyoutfiters magness AR.
I've been fishing for about 2 years now and the biggest cat i've caught was 10lbs don't get me wrong that was some cool stuff but now i'm looking for bigger just haven't had any luck this year
Thanks for the giant fish story! What a catch!
I like the article, do you have pictures showing how to rig the various baits.
I've always used chicken liver because it's cheap and simple to put it on the hook.
I don't know how to go about hooking the bluegill or other live fish types
I grew up all my life fishing pay ponds,and recently started fishing a small lake for big cats. I caught a 8lb flathead out of it and had my line broken on several occasions using creek chubs or pumpkin seeds.Chubs are my primary bait!
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