Best Homemade Catfish Bait Recipes You Should Try…

You might have tried various catfish baits ranging from artificial to manufactured to live baits, but have you tried making homemade catfish bait?

You know, many anglers benefit more when fishing with homemade catfish bait because they have total control of what ingredients to use and how to mix them to achieve the best out of their catfish fishing experience.

However, some think it is time-consuming and want to get any available bait and dive into fishing.

But the truth is, although artificial or manufactured baits can be effective, there are a lot more benefits that homemade catfish bait presents.

So, isn’t it worth the time? Do you want to make your own catfish bait for Fishing?

Then, you’ve come to the right place. I will walk you through the basic ingredients needed and the processes of making these homemade catfish baits.

So, continue reading to get these 101 pro recipe tips.

Make Easy Homemade Catfish Baits

1) Hot Dog Jelly Bait Recipes

To make this killer homemade catfish bait, you will need the following ingredients.

• Garlic powder or smoothly grounded fresh home garlic
• Red crushed-cayenne pepper
• Hotdogs
• Jell-O
• Zip lock bag

Procedure:

Grab about nine hot dogs and place them on a flat surface.

Chop them into about one-inch pieces; some prefer chopping it in half, but the one-inch sticks better to the hook (It works well on treble hooks).

Next, get your zip lock bag and put them inside. Now get your Jell-O; you can use the (Red-con strawberry Jell-O), cut it open, and pour it into the Ziplock bag with the hotdogs.

Grab your garlic salt; you know catfish are known to love that smell.

So, put about one tablespoon of that into the previous mixtures in the zip bag.

The final ingredient to add is the red crushed-cayenne pepper. Yes, catfish like spicy things, and they are drawn to it.

Get about a teaspoon of it and pour it into your mixture. After adding all the required ingredients, pick up your bag and, using both hands, mix it up.

Keep it in the locked bag for a few hours, and it will become moisture-like because of the Jell-O in it.

The great thing about this bait is that since you might be using it on a treble hook, it is harder for smaller fish to pull out your bait from your hook and leaving you with empty hooks before the big targets.

This killer homemade catfish bait recipe is very effective and can give you the best results.

Another thing is when kept in the fridge, it can last for about 2 to 3 weeks, so you can keep on reusing it during those periods and avoid the stress of remaking a bait every time you need to fish.

Pros

This killer homemade catfish bait recipe is very effective and can give you the best results.

When kept in the fridge, it can last for about 2 to 3 weeks, so you can keep on reusing it during those periods and avoid the stress of remaking a bait every time you need to fish.

Cons

It can get messy when trying to get it out of the bag—going all over your hands and rod reels.

2) Strawberry Chicken Catfish Bait Recipes

Here is another best homemade catfish baits recipe you wouldn’t want to miss. You will need the following ingredients.

• Regular Chicken breast
• Strawberry artificial flavor
• Strawberry gelatin.

Procedure

Start by cutting your chicken breast into smaller pieces (about 1-2 inches), preferably to a size more significant than the hook you intend to use. But make sure not to cut a size that might bury the hook in it, make sure the hook point is protruding.

Next, get your powdered strawberry gelatin, pour it into a deep plate or something like that, and add some water.

To get a deeper red color, add your artificial strawberry kool-aid to it and stir in a circular motion.

Put in your already set aside chicken chops and stir as well. You can choose to add more flavor (vanilla or any other extract that has alcohol) to it. Catfish and other fish tends to like alcohol.

Now set it aside, let it stay overnight, and then take it out and start setting up that bait on your hook for your catfish fishing. With this homemade catfish bait, you can get that catfish stock to your bait in less than five minutes.

Pros

With this homemade catfish bait, you can get that catfish stock to your bait in less than five minutes.

Cons

You can’t use it immediately. Instead, you have to set it aside and let it stay overnight.

3) Homemade Blood Catfish Bait

Homemade Blood catfish bait is a gelatinous bait made from coagulated beef blood, chicken blood, or other kinds.

I have two methods you can use to make this blood bait at home.

a) Adding a blood thickening agent

This procedure involves adding some thickening agent to make the blood clot stay together on the hook.

You can achieve this by pouring large amounts of chicken or beef blood onto a flat surface.

The thickening agent I will be using is brown sugar.

I do this by sprinkling plenty of layers of brown sugar and then pouring in more blood as if you are coating a dough; repeat the process several times.

Allow the mixture to sit under the sun so it can thicken, which might take a while (probably a day or two).

After the long wait, you notice it now has the jelly-like consistency

you then cut it into a favorable hook size, place it into your storage containers, and set it aside for your bait setup.

b) Refrigerating it

This blood baits procedure involves Pouring your beef or chicken blood into a shallow sheet pan till full or close to full.

Next, put the pan in your refrigerator overnight. The chilliness from the fridge will clot the blood and turn it into a gelatin-like texture.

The next day, remove the coagulated blood from the refrigerator and use a knife to slice it into cube-like shapes.

Finally, store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator and set it aside for your bait setup.

Pros:

The procedure where you add a blood-thickening agent last longer, and that will ease your stress of having to remake it every day.

It has a great smell that attracts catfish.

Cons:

The blood-thickening agent procedure requires an extended period to make it.

The primary ingredient might be difficult to Get.

Because of the use of blood, it is quite messy when making it.

4) Punch Homemade Catfish Bait Recipes

To make this homemade punch catfish bait, you will need the following equipment and ingredients.

• An old pot or cooking pan.
• An outdoor stove or firewood
• Rotten cheese
• Fish oil
• Anise seed oil
• Gluten
• Pieces of cotton

Procedure:

Begin by setting up your outdoor stove or firewood. Next, place your old cooking pan on it. Next, bring your rotten cheese, scoop out some reasonable amount, and put it in the pan.

Allow it to heat while continuously stirring it in a circular motion.

When you notice that the cheese has melted and the texture is a bit watery, bring it down and set it aside to cool a little, not too much.

Start by pouring in your anise seed oil (about 10ml) and your fish oil (about 90ml). After adding both ingredients, start stirring. When thoroughly stirred, add the gluten (about five tablespoons) to it and continue stirring.

Next, get your pieces of cotton (the pieces cut should be less than an inch). Start by placing them in the mixture and mixing it into it.

Keep putting it in a batch and stir these mixtures till you get the best texture. What the cotton does is that it absorbs the oil in the mix and brings it to thicken. Although most anglers prefer using cattail fluff, that might not be easily accessible.

After achieving the right texture, put it in a container and set it aside in a fridge or cool area for a day or two to thicken.

To save bait, you can use a #10 treble hook. The recommendations from most punch baits are #4 or #6. But I noticed it is a waste of bait as I target eating-sized blues and channel catfish.

Pros:

The punch bait is very effective

You don’t need a unique hook Or Rigging style to use it

Cons:

It takes a more extended period to make it.

It requires an outdoor stove or firewood.

Needed ingredients might be costly.

5) The Homemade Stink Baits

To make your homemade catfish bait recipes for killer stink, you will need the following ingredients.

• Chicken livers
• Baby Crawlers
• Garlic powder
• Corn flakes or corn meal

Procedure:

Take your chicken livers and shred them into very tiny pieces; next, get the dead baby crawlers and slice them into small pieces, then mix them with the shredded chicken liver.

Next, add your garlic to it (you know catfish love that smell).

Now, take some cornflakes or corn meal and add to the mixture stirring it to get a paste-like texture till the cornflakes absorb into it to get a dough-like consistency. Set this aside under the sun for some days.

The stink bait is very effective, but you need to use it cautiously. It has a very strong smell.

To get the best out of this bait, you might want to use it with a sponge bait hook.

Pros:

The stink bait is very effective

It has a powerful smell that attracts catfish

Cons:

It requires a unique hooking style Or Rigging style to use

It takes a more extended period to make it.

6) Stink Bait With Cheese Cubes

To make this homemade punch bait, you will need the following equipment and ingredients.

• Pot
• Ice cube trays
• Cheese
• Dehydrated chicken livers
• Minced garlic
• Non-stick oil
• Fiber, cattail fluff, or cotton

Procedure:

To begin, set your cooking stove on medium heat and place your non-sticking pot on it.

Spray your oil into the pot and heat a little; place your cheese on it and stir it using a spatula till you get a soft-like texture. Afterward, get your fiber, cotton, or cattail fluff (tiny pieces cut).

Start by placing them in the mixture and mixing it into it.

Keep putting it in a batch and stir these mixtures till you get the best-melted texture. Next, get your dehydrated blended chicken liver, pour it into the mix, and stir.

Next, add your garlic to it and mix. Finally, get your Ice cube trays, put your bait mixture into the cube, and let it cool overnight in the refrigerator.

The next day, take them out, put them into your zip lock bag, and store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

If you can’t find to buy a dehydrated chicken liver powder, you can make one yourself if you have at home a dehydrator.

Buy the regular chicken livers and put them on your dehydrator to completely dehydrate them till its crumble-like.

Put them in your blender to crush and blend till it smoothens and turns to a fine powder.)

One thing is, if you hate bad stinks, then don’t try doing it in your house. Instead, take it outside because it has an awful stench.

One thing to keep in mind is that this bait works excellent for channel cats.

7) Homemade Peanut Butter Dough Balls Baits

To make this homemade punch bait, you will need the following ingredients.

• Peanut butter
• All-purpose flour
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Black pepper
• One egg

Procedure:

Get a wide-open pan or the like, and pour in your all-purpose flour.

Next, mix your garlic powder, add the chili powder and black pepper, and mix all ingredients until they blend well.

Pour in your egg and mix, then pour in some melted peanut butter and add to the blend. Knead that together till it becomes a semi-tough dough.

Allow it to sit In the refrigerator for a while (a day or two) before using.

The chili, garlic, and black pepper add a lot of spice to the dough, and that smell which attracts catfish to it.

Pros:

The peanut butter catfish dough bait is very effective.

Require simple and easy-to-get ingredients

Less messy when making

Cons:

It requires time to make and use

8) Dip Shad Catfish Bait 

There are moments when you’ve got a lot of leftover shad at home after many fishing trips—thinking of what to do with them?

Here you go.

The dip shad catfish bait is easy to make; all you need is the following ingredients.

• About 15-20 small shads
•  Half Cup of cornmeal
• Garlic powder
• Sugar

Procedure:

Take your shads and put them in a blender. Blend well till you get a fine consistency. Next, add your cornmeal, about a half cup, garlic powder, and sugar, and them well together.

Put this mixture in a container, shake twice a day for a few days or a week, and get shad bait ready. Use this bait with sponges.

Pros:

Easy to make

Requires leftover ingredients

Cons:

Requires a blender to make

You Can’t use it immediately after making

9) Rotten Minnow Catfish Bait

To make this homemade minnow bait, you will need the following ingredients.

•  Rotten minnow
• Jell-O
• Cheese
• Garlic salt
• Breadcrumbs
• Onion salt
• Soy sauce
• Flour

Procedure:

Get a blender or dog food processor, pour in your minnow, bend till fine texture, get your Jell-O, and pour into it.

Next, add your cheese (half cup), garlic (three tablespoons), onion salt (three tablespoons), and breadcrumbs (one cup) to the mixture and blend till well combined.

After that, take it out and put it in a bowl. Now, start adding your flour to it to create a dough.

Finally, cut them small and roll in into small balls that will fit a treble hook, then put them in a zip lock bag to cool off till ready to use.

Most Used Ingredients for Homemade Catfish Baits

Cheese

A more significant percentage of homemade catfish bait recipes require cheese as their base ingredient, not just homemade but most baits you buy from the store.

Cheese has this strong smell that attracts catfish to it. It’s also effortlessly available and easy to find in local stores or online stores.

But this does not mean you can use just any cheese when making catfish bait. For example, it would be best if you use thicker cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan cheese because they have good consistency and a distinct smell.

I would advise you not to use the regular canned cheese, nacho cheese, and the like that contain many additives and won’t give you the same consistency as the cheddar cheese.

Garlic

Garlic is a common choice of spice that most anglers use. Garlic adds this solid scent to any mix.

Aside from garlic, other flavors are incorporated to enhance the catfish bait smell, such as Anise oil, Kool-Aid, fruit-flavored Jell-O, onion, and blood.

Thickeners

Using thickeners is dependent on the kind of bait you want to make.

You will need different thickeners. For example, you will need flour as the thickening agent when making a dough or dip bait.

You will need a fiber, cotton, or cattail fluff for your punch bait. Some anglers prefer brown sugar as the thickening agent in making blood bait.

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Conclusion 

Making your home bait is a fun project. However, some of the required ingredients might be hard or expensive.

So it may be fun and costly.

However, because it takes longer to make catfish bait, while there are many pre-made baits in the stores for a lower price, some anglers prefer just buying to save time.

As we know, some of these baits require days and weeks to be ready for use.

In addition, the staunched smell from some of the ingredients is powerful, so you need to take care not to mess yourself up with them.

But in the long run, it depends on how much time you have on your hand and equipped enough to spend on ingredients.

Suppose you consider all this and find yourself prepared to make your homemade catfish bait. In that case, you have it because each homemade catfish recipe mentioned in this article is tried and tested and proven to work excellently.