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Best cutbait for channel catfish?
#1
So which fish is the best cutbait for channel catfish? I caught some perch the other day do they also work as cutbait?
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#2
Yes perch will work as will carp or white bass, sucker and chub. If the fish you are using is from the same waters and is fresh even mo betta. White Bass may only be used in Utah Lake or the Jordan River.
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#3
so will white bass still be good cutbait if it was frozen? I plan on fillet some white bass and putting the chunks in the freezer and defrost the night before I go on a fishing trip.
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#4
[cool][#0000ff]Yep. Perch make good bait for Utah Lake kitties. You can use the small ones whole and cut larger ones into chunks or strips.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Perch have become more abundant in Utah Lake in the past few years...just like bluegills and crappies. Those panfish always do better during high water years when there is plenty of vegetation around the shoreline for them to spawn and for the young to excape all the hungry mouths.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Recent studies have shown that perch are becoming a more common food item for walleyes too. So by using perch...or white bass meat...you increase your chances of picking up a toothy critter along with the whiskery fishes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As far as which cut bait is "BEST", that is a personal opinion thing. But there are some days when one definitely seems to work better than the others. I try to always have at least some carp meat and some white bass meat, along with minnows and worms. I rotate baits and rigs until I see if there is a preference. But even on days when one or the other seems to be working better I often catch my biggest fish on something different. That's fishing.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Final note: If you use a whole dead perch, you might try scaling it first and then cutting a few small slices in the skin to help release more scent. You gotta scale them while they are still wet and fresh. Once that skin dries out with the scales on they become like a piece of wood. I think the fish prefer them when they are softer and more flavorful.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]If you fish lakes like Pineview or Starvation where there are hordes of small perch you should keep a bunch of them (limit 50) and freeze some up in bags of a half dozen or so. Then take those with you on your kitty trips. You will do the perch lakes a favor by reducing the population and get some good bait in the bargain.[/#0000ff]
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#5
[cool][#0000ff]Frozen and rethawed white bass can work almost as well as fresh. Maybe better.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The key to freezing the fillets is to scale the fish first, then fillet it...slicing out the rib bones so they don't poke holes in your plastic bag.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Freeze from 4 to 6 fillets in a sturdy plastic bag. Add a bit of water and then squeeze out the air and excess water before sealing and freezing. Removing the air bubbles helps prevent freezer burn. Freezer burn turns the flesh rancid and you will generally do better with fresher smelling natural baits.[/#0000ff]
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#6
Is is just my personal opinion, but nothing beats a live night crawler. Most fish can't say not to live bait wriggling in front of their face. Of you're worried about scent just buy an artificial scent and soak it in that. Justy opinion though.
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#7
spam
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#8
[quote utahgolf]spam[/quote]

oh wait a minute, that's a bait advert, not an internet dis. Um - hot dogs too.


I'd taken to TD suggestion - didn't need to net a bunch of minnows if I had a handful of perch minnows to play with. Even if they were puked up by troutl BUT in re-checking the regs, it's not just the 1" rule at Newton/PV, but also "whole fish" even if they are tincy, so. . . .

Bit of flavor and curing can't hurt the freezing process. But check the waters you're on with perch, only allowed on 'some'. White bass too, limited use.

You can buy red-siders, anchovies, and other bait fish that can be used pretty openly. But gotta figure - fresher is better....
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#9
When me and my friend go out to the Bear river we take a bow and shoot a carp than cut it open and take the guts out and through a slab on and usually have something on within 5 or so minutes. Kind of gross so i wear gloves so my hands don't smell for dayssss. mojority of are cats were 30"
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#10
I like hotdogs myself. Just be careful if there are LMB or SMB in the water you'll get quite a few as bycatch.
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#11
[cool][#0000ff]No doubt about it. Hot dogs are good bait for a lot of species.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Only problem is that the silly fish start wanting mustard and relish too.[/#0000ff]
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#12
[quote TubeDude][cool][#0000ff]No doubt about it. Hot dogs are good bait for a lot of species.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Only problem is that the silly fish start wanting mustard and relish too.[/#0000ff][/quote]

You might catch me as well[cool]

Suprised Chicken Livers didn't come up. White bass minnows are the shiz!
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#13
best kind of cutbait? FRESH cutbait.
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#14
Me and my dad would use mink feed, you leave it out and let it dry until it gets about the consistancy of powerbait,just have to let it dry and role samples. until its doughy. after you get it were you want it you can freeze it and it will keep for a long time. it was allways out fishing cut bait. If it gets to wet add more dry food and work it in, Its worth the trouble we allways did really well with it
I dont know how available mink feed is any more just have to know a mink rancher.
3 to 5 inch sucker minows or the redsided minows work good to . If there fresh,
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#15
"3 to 5 inch sucker minows or the redsided minows work good to . If there fresh, "

[cool][#0000ff]The request for info was related to Utah Lake. It is illegal to use or possess suckers of any length on Utah Lake.[/#0000ff]
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#16
I fish the green and colorado river mostly. I like utah chub, fished whole or cut in half, but for me utah sucker reigns supreme. Its the most oily cut bait I have found. Doug Stange of In-fisherman loves to use sucker. It sounds like it cant be used on utah lake though. I would hearken to tube dude's advice if I were fishing that body of water. For the best channel catfishing info out there check out the catfish fever book or dvd by In-fisherman. It has great info on baits and everything else related to channel cats.

https://store.intermediaoutdoors.com/pro...fish-Combo
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