4 Tips To Avoid Catching Catfish (Even With Cut Bait)
- By: Tony Acevedo
- on
- Found In: Fishing Tips, Inshore Fishing, Weekly Newsletter: 1-12-20
Are you sick of catching catfish?
Do your friends know you as the “Catfish Killer”?
If this is you, you’re in the right spot because in this video, I’m going to show you how to catch fewer catfish, even if you’re using stinky, cut bait.
Watch the video below to start catching trophy fish (instead of catfish).
How To Catch Fewer Catfish [VIDEO]
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It can be a good thing if catfish are pecking at your bait…
They’re releasing extra scent into the water and all that activity can attract the predator fish you’re hoping to catch.
That being said, it is frustrating if catfish are stealing your bait every time, so here are four ways to catch fewer catfish.
1. Use circle hooks
I find that when I’m using jig heads or j hooks I catch more catfish because the hook point is more exposed.
Hardhead catfish (which have smaller mouths) will often just peck at baits, whereas big predator fish like snook, redfish, and black drum usually pick up a bait and take off.
Because of this, j hooks will likely catch more catfish compared to circle hooks.
2. Use fresh baits
Frozen baits turn to mush when they thaw and are easily picked apart by catfish, plus I’ve found that frozen baits tend to attract more catfish than fresh baits.
Have you experienced the same thing?
3. Use bigger baits
Hardhead catfish have smaller mouths than most predator fish you’re targeting so bigger baits will be harder for them to fit in their mouths than smaller baits.
As far as sailcats go, they do have bigger mouths than hardhead catfish, so the above strategies might not work as well.
The good news is that they put up a pretty fun fight and I’ve heard they taste good, too.
But if you’re sick of catching sailcats, too, then this last tip should help.
4. Switch to artificial lures
This is not a guarantee for avoiding catfish (I’ve even caught some catfish on topwater lures!), but it will definitely decrease the number of cats you catch.
Conclusion
If you’re sick of catching catfish with cut bait, try out these four tips:
- Use circle hooks
- Use fresh bait
- Use bigger bait
- Switch to artificial lures
They don’t guarantee you won’t catch cats, but it will definitely help you catch fewer numbers of them.
Do you have any other tips for avoiding catfish?
Let me know in the comments below!
And if you know someone who’s tired of catching these slimy fish, please TAG or SHARE this with them!
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Not exactly accurate. I only use circle hooks. When the hard heads are out, they can swallow circle hooks with no problem, depending on the size of the fish.
If you’re targeting redfish with cut bait you can use a pretty large circle hook to reduce the chances of catching catfish. I’ll use a 6/0 and sometimes even a 7/0 since redfish’s mouths are much larger than a catfish. It’s the sailcats that are tough to avoid since they are pretty large.
If you are fishing for redfish using cut mullet, how do you like to slice it? Strips out of the side, with skin on, that are streamlined and will wave in the current if on a dropper look above a sinker? Or what they call “steaks” when salmon is cut that way – perpendicular to the length of the mullet? Or a big hunk out of the side? How do you rig them? Would a dropper loop that keeps it off of the bottom make sense?
Hey Stephen!
Be sure to check out this video that should answer all of those questions:
https://saltstrongdev.wpengine.com/articles/cut-up-cut-bait/
Also, if you type in “cut mullet” in the search bar up top you will find many videos on the topic as well!
Hope this helps!
Ok, I’m a subscriber to you and I am also a Salt Strong member so please help me and subscribe to my channel tks see you Sat at Ruskin \
Lets see….I already am using circle hooks….don’t make a difference in numbers of catfish I catch.
I use nothing but fresh bait. Again, doesn’t seem to change the number of catfish caught.
I am using the largest live shrimp I can get….catfish just love them or tear them apart.
When I use artificial lures I still catch plenty of sailcats.
Any more great suggestions cause none of the above have done a thing for me.
Are you only using shrimp? These tips are some suggestions that have helped me reduce the amount of catches. It is not going to eliminate it completely. If you are constantly catching catfish you made want to consider changing location. If you are in an area with a lot of them around, they pretty take over and compete for food.
Start free lining if you catch cats, It works for me
Good stuff!
Good tips Tony! Another tip, if I start catching a bunch of cats I will move to another spot.
Tight lines!
Thanks Andrew! Yep it can be wise to move. Those cats tend to gather up when there is food present.