Night Fishing For Catfish - Tips on How to Select the Right Catfish Baits at Night!

If you have not been catfishing at night you are missing out on some intense fishing action! It is not uncommon for me to come home with 20 to 30 2lb plus ready to fillet catfish. If you love to eat catfish you know this size of fish makes a mighty tasty meal. Catfish will eat just about anything at night but I found out through experience that some baits work better then others and I would like to share those with you in my article today.

1.0 My #1 favorite fishing at night catfish bait is the horned chub.

There are many different types of chubs that are local throughout the united states that work well for catching catfish. A chub is any one of a number of ray-finned fishes in several families. For my article today I will concentrate on chubs that are commonly found in small creeks and rivers. I am referring to the creak chub which is of the family of Cyprinidae (Minnows and Carps). The creek chub is also commonly called chub or horned chub. Creek chubs have a thick body and a broad head. Their mouth is large with the back end of the upper jaw extending beyond the front edge of the eye. They also have a small flap-like barbel that is often hidden in the grove between the upper jaw and the rest of the head. The best size chubs to use for bait are the ones that are 3 to 6 inches in length. The best way to fish with creek chubs is to cut them in 2 to three inch strips, and use a 1/0 bait holder hook. You can use the fish guts after you cut them up for a very good active chum, so do not throw the guts away.

2.0 My number two favorite night fishing catfish bait is the bluegill.

Make sure you check with your states department of natural resources to make sure it is legal to fish with the bluegill. The bluegill is also common referred to as the sunfish, and bream. The blue gill is actually classified in the family of sunfish. If you want to catch larger catfish, I have found that the bluegill are the best bait to use. I always set up one heavy duty catfish rig with a blue gill for bait. The best size gills to use are small 3 to 4" in size. I will push a 4/0 bait holder hook just under the dorsal fin , so the blue can swim freely. I Use a slip bobber set so the blue gill can roam just off the bottom. You won't catch a lot of catfish with blue gill but the ones you do catch will be of the large variety. I have caught many 10lb plus catfish using gills. You can also use them to catch smaller catfish cut up in strips just like fishing for chubs.

3.0 My #3 favorite catfish live bait is the gizzard shad.

When I use shad as a night fishing bait my preference is the threadfin shad because they are small and you can use the entire fish with a 1/0 bait holder hook. The threadfin shad is normally only 3 to 6 inches in length and a perfect size for fishing for catfish. The other shad I will use is called the gizzard shad. They are much larger in size normally 6 to 15inches in length and must be cut into to strips from 3 to 6 inches in length. For larger catfish you can use much larger strips to fit on a 4/0 bait holder hook. You can catch your own shad with a minnow seine, or you can purchase them from a local bait store.

Well folks that concludes my article on night fishing for catfish,catfish live bait,catfish baits,fishing with gizzard shad for catfish,catch catfish with bluegills,catch catfish with chubs,catch catfish with horned chubs,catch catfish with creek chubs. Stay tuned for more articles on the subject of night fishing. May your next fishing trip be a success!

By Mark Fleagle