The Truth About Strawberry Jello Chicken Catfish Bait

[@ransonbandy8204]

Just a little tip about Jell-O, use the sugar free type it's not sticky. I also use grape flavor too. Chicken breast and/or hotdogs both work well. Great Video too! This bait usually always works when I take the kiddos!

[@michaelcampbell339]

You can also put some small shrimps in it to they will hit them too as long they are thaw out to mixed inside the bag too!

[@Linkwii64]

"Any grocery store is a bait shop" My new favorite catfishing line.

[@neilfore119]

It works in Florida too. St.Johns river Is where I tried it. Caught a nice 25 lb river blue. Since watching your videos for the past few years, I've caught a lot of catfish on Strawberry Jello chicken.

[@billywhite4596]

I have been using strawberry chicken for years and it works great. If you are fishing from a boat it's fantastic but there is a negative side. If you are fishing from the bank turtles also love it and you will catch a lot of them. So, i shy away from strawberry jello chicken when i fish from the bank.

[@wayneeden98]

I'm glad you took the respectable effort to say that your experiment wasn't just one time and that you did your research over the time course of a year, I'm also glad you had the available time to stay with your research,

[@CaptainMattC]

I just found your channel a couple weeks ago and had never used a Santee rig. I've used rigs that were pretty much the same but not that exact rig. I can't use cut bait because I fish the Arkansas River and 90% of what is gonna eat that is a gar or a turtle. I wanted to thank you for your videos man. I WRECKED them this evening using your Santee setup with the circle hook and that strawberry Jello chicken. That is the first bait I've used on the river that outfished redworms. Thank you very much and keep it up. The fishing world needs more folks like you sir. 🤘🤘🤘

[@206pappy]

We've had great luck with Chicken bait. Last year we, my brother and I, caught over 1000 catfish using it in our highly over fished local lake. Our area frowns on cut bait but we are able to catch shad through the summer and have had some luck with those as well. The shad was really hit and miss on bites but I also had my best day, 28 catfish, using shad when they wouldn't touch the chicken. So we tend to pack a variety of stuff to toss but our go to has been cherry kool aid or strawberry jello soaked chicken.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Great feedback.....thanks!!

[@jimmabry885]

Saw your videos several years ago and tried it 3 weeks ago. caught my PB "blue" on Lake Tillery off my sisters pier. 30+ lbs. Yeah, I believe in the "strawberry chicken"!!

[@denmar355]

Chicken soaked overnight in Mr. Pibb works very good as well. Chicken soaked in the oil from sardine cans also works well. Chicken soaked in oil with anise oil added works well. I think catfish just like smells.

[@ETdrums]

Since chicken became pretty much a mainstay in my bait rotation a few years back, both my kayak and bank fishing tackle boxes have a small bottle of hand sanitizer in them. Different baits are available in their respective regions but since chicken happens to be “universal,” I appreciate you sharing this information given it’s part of your livelihood. Now, if I could only find a catfish bait that wasn’t also a favorite of snapping turtles…

[@DieterMelhorn]

Those annoying turtle!

[@DieterMelhorn]

Hand sanitizer is a great option!

[@michaelshaw5481]

Bacon .....that is the softshell magnet here in Marion County Florida

[@leavethekidsalone]

Turtles don't like lead too much ;)

[@gunfisher4661]

I feel for you as I netted a big turtle this weekend using shrimp.

[@carlwahl269]

Thanks for the honesty Mr. Melhorn - I have difficulty getting fresh bait in the DC area, and raw chicken (Jello or with garlic powder) has been my go-to for blue cats this past winter and current spring.

[@DieterMelhorn]

You are who these videos are designed for!!

[@larryshepherd5753]

We have been using this for 15 years and works great

[@dave011175]

We use the strawberry jello and load it up with garlic powder maybe give that a try and see how that works out

[@michaelcampbell339]

Hey Dave I always used garlic powder on my chicken and night crawlers too and mealworms as a combination mix on the hook

[@grumpypotamus7143]

Always add the garlic powder, or the oil from that minced garlic in a jar. I tend to throw a cherry or tropical punch Kool-Aid for the color. My mom always said it made it look like blood and that made the fish excited. No idea how valid that theory is but it seems to work

[@corydavis90]

Tried the strawberry chicken in a local pond I fish. The big catfish took the bait no sooner than it hit the water. I didn't know there were fish that big in there!! Thanks for the post I'm definitely using this bait!!

[@tbombadil]

I always take strawberry jello chicken with me. I’ve caught so many cats on this with no rhyme or reason to the size of the fish. I caught a white bass on a santee copper rig with this on the hook a week ago which made zero sense but I’ll take it!

[@madmike19822009]

lmao

[@charlescanaday1599]

This really works! It's my go to bait now. One thing I did learn was, Jello might be a little sticky but Kool Aid stains your hands and is very hard to remove.

[@MonsterMadness-Vee]

the next assignment is there a time of year which chicken outperforms cut bait. GREAT video, again! Thank you for your video. I make jell-o shots for my catfish,

[@DieterMelhorn]

Good one!

[@Blackhorseveteran]

Thanks Dieter...I use mostly chicken thighs, because they are tougher to come off the hook when casting, and I use that with hotdogs, or pre-cooked brats soaked in imitation vanilla extract, and/or strawberry, or cherry Jello, and hav'nt noticed much a difference. I think I need to move to TN, or SC, to get me some of those big blues. Not much happening 'cept mediocre channels here in SW Oklahoma. Peace..keep up the good work..I learn a lot from you..thanks

[@ArkansasBadBoy]

Thanks so much for this info. After watching you use chicken on one of your videos last year, me and my wife tried it and were delighted at how well it works. Thanks again 😊

[@garyvaughn2876]

Im in greenbrier , where are yall ?

[@capjim5903]

I believe there is one ultimate TEST left to do. Cut Bait vs Strawberry Jello Cut Bait. Think about it Happy Fishing

[@beaurutkoski4181]

Thanks for the tip my son and I have been running a dry spell the last few weeks on our favorite holes ready try it out

[@Coyotes254]

Those are some interesting percentages for keeping chicken on at least one hook.

[@MrMotoMike]

Props to you for collecting all that data for us. Most people would be bias and say the way they do it is best, and they want you to follow to reassure themselves they're in fact doing it right. More people need to "tackle" (see what I did there?) questions like this scientifically as you did.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Thank you Mike! Trying to keep it real!!

[@Susie-xm8be]

​@@DieterMelhorn I know that the jello and chicken works perfectly but what is your opinion on adding garlic powder to the mixture to add some extra scent? I have had success with my homemade baits adding garlic powder it seemed that the bait I added the garlic powder seemed to gotten more frequent attention and hits/bites then the same bait without garlic powder. I've been studying on the Jello chicken bait watching yours and others videos on here but I have never used it before I know people around me that have used it and had success. I'm going to try it and also do my own little experiment using not only strawberry but try other flavors and add garlic powder to some of the strawberry. I would love to know your opinion on the garlic powder please sir if you don't mind replying thanks God bless!!!!

[@DieterMelhorn]

I will ask this, what is it about the scent of garlic that you think attracts them?

[@Susie-xm8be]

@@DieterMelhornman I really don't know other than as stout as garlic is and catfish being bottom feeders and eating dead or stinking stuff figure the garlic may make them think it's something dead I guess. Is that what you kinda think too ?

[@kristopherverrett9108]

Introduced chicken breast to three friends when i first got to SC. When I asked if they had ever used it they laughed. First day on the boat we used it one of my friends said “you made me a believer.” Few weeks later I put a 45lb blue and a 55lb blue in the boat within 30 minutes of each other. Since then many 50+ lb on chicken.

[@jimsmith-i3r]

I caught a 35 pound blue 40 pound shovel head this summer on Jello chicken I swear by it don't go fishing without it does good at night to

[@MrKkmiller90]

This update was awesome. I do not get to fish regularly like you, but absolutely love to catch catfish. I can say personally I agree with chicken work and that I haven’t noticed a difference whether it has jello or not. I have noticed that chicken I have left in a ziplock for a few weeks in the outside bait fridge doesn’t do as well. Fresh chicken produces better. Love Love your channel.

[@fisherholmsfly]

I literally bought chicken today for this purpose because I watch your videos.

[@kellyproctor4138]

I like to use chicken soaked in team catfish dead red. Works really well, it’s like 60/40 split between dead red and plain.

[@jl123ist]

One of the best catfish baits I've ever used is eel. We'd start our trotlines with cut bluegill from our pond and after we caught a few eels the bite would really pick up, and eel has incredibly tough skin so they don't get knocked off the hook.

[@katfishbum2845]

I met you in Louisville this year and we were talking about using chicken. I still use chicken, bluegill and shad. Chicken is still my favorite.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Glad we got to chat!!

[@richardzacamy4605]

I use both cut chicken in strawberry and black cherry Jell-O. I also use the gizzards with both strawberry and black cherry Jell-O

[@redfrofishing65]

Would love to see you do a side by side with jello chicken and regular chicken.

[@kirkmartin2223]

I've used lime as well with a dash of that liquid garlic soft plastic dip-it stuff to make it chartreuse in color.

[@rodado1974]

I share this video anytime I see someone doubting chicken. When I seen you post a video about it I was hoping you would debunk it. Glad you didn't! Thanks for the content.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Thank YOU for sharing!!!

[@Cantraepos]

Thanks you for doing these tests so we know what works!

[@rogerlbl7316]

It does work! We've used Strawberry and Cherry with the same results. Simply marinating cut chicken breasts in Garlic powder over night works phenomenal for big Blue cat and Channel cat here in South Eastern Iowa.

[@BoAngles]

I would love a comparison between the chicken and hot dogs! I've heard a lot of people using strawberry jello with hotdogs, and if you were looking for another video to test, that would be great!

[@justinlloyd9342]

I’ve used hotdogs soaked in cherry kool-Aid on jugs and it’s worked great

[@smootheasy7938]

I caught a 17 pounder with hot dog, strawberry jello, garlic, and vinegar.

[@cj88macleod]

Never broke down an actually used jello but raw chicken some garlic powder an a little bit of vanilla has always been my go to

[@papashakeshake6268]

thank you , i have tried to get a friend to try this, now there is proof

[@matthewbonadies8196]

Thanks for the honest write up and showing the numbers on chicken bait!

[@brownstarslots]

I soak beef hot dogs in my favorite, Hawaiian punch Blue flavor. Works great on catfish and I've even caught trout on it

[@russellstewart5414]

Been using this for years and sometimes it’s a fast and fun way to boat a bunch of fish and don’t get discouraged it fish don’t bite it the first time using it. I usually prep ahead and have several bags of it on hand frozen, and in the cooler. Keep it cold and refreeze it for a later trip , small batches work best. 6 pieces or so in a bags

[@Brandon11-_-11]

Honestly I think it's because of the color and sweetness the strawberry puts off. Even catfish got a sweet tooth lol

[@donshelton8770]

Thank you for all your shows. If you looking for something different in fishing area, . here in King George Va we are between two great fishing rivers. I would love for you do a show here.

[@jasonbiddle3149]

Thanks! I have been using coolaid so I will try the jello!

[@fizzle8787]

I’m glad someone finally did this. Great job!

[@grillforthechill1500]

Loved the content of this video! I’m fresh off a bass boat and into a deck boat. I’ve got rodholders all over it to try my hand at catfishing. This is just what I need! Ha! Thank you for your information on cat fishing. I’ll try to put it to good use.

[@kgunter1955]

I first saw the idea of Strawberry Jello Chicken bait 2 days ago. I made some up, and went to a slough near where I live (near Knights Landing California) last night. as I have caught many, smaller cats there. I hooked the largest I have every seen there! One of my rods, had only 12lb test. I got the fish close to shore, but it was to big for 12lb test and it snapped it!! Going back with stronger test line!!

[@victorguerin5252]

I used to use bran flakes and big red soads dough to sack carp reliably. Never tried the j chick. Good to know

[@nhemekeovorabouth3420]

I use chicken breast most of the time I go fishing for blue catfish 👍👍👍 been doing it since the early 80’s

[@MOBryan5]

Great channel, great information, and a great guy. Thanks for the education!

[@DowneastTackle]

Great Video, like that you did a side by side comparison. Good Info

[@mcallen3911]

I use it all the time and caught lots of big catfish and I have even used strawberry liver and got a 45 pound flat head I never leave home with out strawberry chicken

[@brainisfullofnonsense8183]

Dang! I've been doing it backwards....I've been using catfish to catch free-range chickens!

[@daviddaigrepont9485]

Thanks so much. This is what I come to KZbin for!!!

[@davefisher5196]

My buddy in Kansas uses it successfully but I have tried it on the Mississippi several times with no luck

[@user-pl1fd4zx8n]

As a kid I mixed strawberry jello, water & cornflakes into a paste to catch channel cats & bullhead. Sounds stupid but it works.

[@kylemiller9729]

Love your channel!!!! I have been debating for a long time if the stains and mess from the Jello is really worth it versus just plain chicken.

[@MagnusSentDooM]

Glad I've found this video right in time for catfish season! I've tried hotdogs+strawberry jello with no luck yet sad. What about mackerel+strawberry jello? Anyone try that yet? 😂 Imma try that too

[@tsr_outdoors]

I love strawberry chicken at all times of the year

[@Mike_Power]

It will out fish cutbait some days...period. The fish in this picture was caught on Jello Chicken in the James. My best day was 6 citation blue cats with only Jello Chicken. I agree with you on the best times of year to use chicken. I bring it on the boat whenever I believe the bite will be tough. A variety of bait is ALWAYS better. I keep fish in the freezer not native to my waters just for this reason. I've even caught a 2lb largemouth on chicken lol.

[@DavidSmith-ou8uv]

Now you got me curious. Why don't you do a test plain chicken vs strawberry jello chicken. I would but I rarely get to go fishing due to my health. Please give this a shot.

[@DieterMelhorn]

I did. The results were virtually split equally......

[@k.g.mcustoms3091]

I’ve never heard of strawberry jello used for that in Kentucky and southern Ohio at least we use red cool aid most of the time

[@68fmj51]

Fantastic! I know that took a lot of dedication to go to those lengths, but it appears it was worth it.

[@grommike3726]

So was there a plain chicken vs. jello chicken, fish off? I’d be interested.

[@nicholasbrown1902]

I do this regularly. Muddy water, plain chicken works much better as the catfish are pretty blind. The white meat stands out better and they have an easier time finding it, similarly to white blades on a spinner for bass in muddy water. Jello all the way when the water is stained to clear. Been doing this for a couple years now.

[@michaelmosley254]

I have tried it both ways the plane worked just as well

[@Anthony-qu9en]

Read my mind

[@michaelvoorhees5978]

@@nicholasbrown1902 so they dint care about the flavor

[@mandarb23]

Umm I didn't watch it?

[@waynevaughan2781]

I remember when I first started using chicken in the Santee copper system many years ago. All the guides laughed at me and snurrled there noses.

[@waynevaughan2781]

Cooper system, not copper. 🤣

[@DieterMelhorn]

Now several of the guides not only use it, but at least one got mad at me for making. a video about "giving the secret away"

[@pianduchuance859]

I cought 35lb blue with strawberry chicken breast and 6 between 8 and 17 pound in 3hours thanks to you

[@DieterMelhorn]

Yup....35 pounds is a big catfish!

[@mickeyshoemaker3891]

I agree 100% on the chicken .. I have used it at the ocean and caught sharks and several other fish ..

[@Freedom-du7oz]

Chicken gizzard and Italian dressing works good too.

[@rhondamcdaniel2699]

Thanks for your honesty

[@mr.gadgetfishing2134]

Great job, Thanks for putting the time into it so we can learn from one of the masters.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@ITRLOVER]

Thank you. My kids been wanting to fish for catfish. Keep up the good work.

[@icer278]

I'm 75 I've been an avid catfish fanatic all my life and I can tell you for certain that when they hungery they will eat ANYTHING. JUST THE OTHER DAY I was at my favorite dock eating on lunch break. Digging thru snack fridge looking for something to use for bait. The only thing in there was three dried up hotdogs and on slice of dried up pepperoni pizza I caught 8 keepers on hot dogs and when they were gone I tore off chunks of pizza caught bigger cats off the pizza

[@rjohnson2813]

Soak your bait for an hour or two(in the sun) in big red soda... same thing. It does help a little.

[@aaronwood3540]

Never used the jello but the garlic powder seems to work pretty good. Sometimes the plain chicken even does better. Does attract channel cats more than cut bait. Im not a channel cat fan but never a guarantee of what you will catch on any bait. With that said, i keep what im looking for and throw back anything else.

[@TheKCFishPage]

Great Video ! GREAT VIDEO !! 👍👍👍

[@larrymast5750]

I just got in and cleaned nine channel cats. I caught them with strawberry jello chicken.

[@merrelmj]

Strawberry jello shad? Strawberry jello chicken livers? Strawberry jello … I digress as I start down the Bubba from Forest Gump

[@tophernuttle420]

Ever hear of using chunks of spring soap?? I know it sounds crazy,but it works,and it works pretty well tbh...

[@dosstheboss100]

Heard of dial soap never used it tho

[@danielfrost9190]

Red coolaid is the best hands down have been using for 25 years

[@Brunnen_Gee]

I'm just getting into the catfish scene, and I've been using hotdogs so far with a lot of success. I've heard about chicken and jello chicken, we just happen to have a decent amount of old chicken in the freezer that's on it's way to freezer burn city. I'm going to give this a shot!

[@Living_Dead_Gurl]

Dieter Melhorn, I have no problem with you using my video on your channel just to show what can be caught with a whole solid chicken breast wrapped in jello, you may have to edit the video I was a little excited. LOL

[@tomh1349]

Can catfish see color? I'd only assume as to why they would go for the jello chicken because it imitates a bleeding bait. Correct me if I'm wrong though. I've actually never even tried that method before, so I went out and bought the cheapest chicken liver I could find and a few packets of strawberry jello. I'm going to try it probably on Saturday and see what happens.

[@DieterMelhorn]

I don’t know if they actually can. Nice heads different ideas on that. I do know that is most lakes and rivers that are stained, it’s almost completely dark below 20’….

[@victoryang2094]

I guess I know what Im trying tomorrow before J4. GL everyone, tight lines!

[@jeffreykendrick3545]

I have done grape kool aid and it worked well

[@stevendausel643]

Hey Dieter, you should try fresh cut bait with the strawberry jello and see if it increases the number of fish caught compared to straight cut bait. Should be able to determine if the strawberry jello is actually attracting the catfish or just the chicken. I only have bullhead catfish in my area or I would be doing all sorts of experimenting.

[@davidransom4476]

I'm wondering if the jello leaves a nice scent trail in the water for the fish to follow in.

[@dionlynch55]

Love the bullhead good eating where I'm from otters have decimated them

[@ricksonora6656]

In the video, didn’t he say the jello decreases the bite for chicken?

[@snookcatcher1]

@@ricksonora6656 No, other way around. In the vid, the chicken without the jello caught slightly less. It's wild that jello could have an effect.

[@ricksonora6656]

@@snookcatcher1 You’re right. Jello Chicken versus Cut Bait: 78% Plain Chicken versus Cut Bait: 64% He didn’t do plain chicken versus jello chicken. I’m not too surprised. I’ve caught fish using Red Vines, which have cherry-like flavoring. Some fish go just for the color, but the sugar has to be attractive, too. Licorice and anise are common attractants. What does surprise me is that plain chicken is tastier than fish guts.

[@ericwhitlow7364]

Thank you for posting this. I think cutbait would be a lot cheaper in my area. Food prices are outrageous at the moment. I can readily catch bluegill for cutbait every few minutes.

[@tmfishingonabudget7486]

Thank you for being honest about this and sharing. We use variety of baits and yes the Jell-O chicken is usually a good performing bait. Try jello hotdogs 🤣 It works as well.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Thanks for watching!

[@kirkmartin2223]

Lay the hotdogs out in the sun for a few hours before you mix in the jello. It makes them tougher and hold a hook better.

[@kingriched15857]

They don't hold the hook

[@kirkmartin2223]

@@kingriched15857 buy cheaper hotdogs. We use Bar-S brand on lake Texoma

[@chriswalls5831]

I've done good on raw chicken never tried Jell-O

[@donaldwilcoxjr.5212]

Always used cut chicken breast....but use sugar free Kool aid strawberry flavor ....but add sprinkle garlic and then just sit it in the sun in a cooler let er sit day or 3 .....take some exam gloves so you don't get that smell on your hands ....but I assume the jello would work too

[@woodyhullender8415]

Thank you for sharing these numbers Dieter.

[@brianwright4696]

I’ve used it all. Chicken livers is soooo by far the best

[@gerryturner6293]

Great Video! I learn so much from your vids, Thank you!

[@Clarence2Worley]

Tested it myself a couple of years ago and had pretty good luck with it as well. Although, I have found they are either all over it or I'm getting zero bites. Really no in between.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Thanks for the info!

[@Clarence2Worley]

@@DieterMelhorn Thank you for the content. I've learned so much from you.

[@pedrocruz4710]

Thank you Dieter for the facts

[@slipknot73745]

Dieter, thanks so much for this data. I'm a cancer researcher by trade and fish obsessively for sport. I have to tease out tiny differences in chemotherapeutic efficacy through massive sample sizes. As a guide who gets on hundreds of fish, you provide a statistically powerful data set that most of the YT fishing community lacks. Fishermen try to chalk up minute changes (hook color, jello flavor lol) to bite preferences, but there's a sea of other variables that contribute to the seasonal, daily, hourly bite preferences of the fish. There's so much hearsay in our sport, but little *quantitative* data (that holds up) to validate claims. "This trick works well in the warmer states, but those northern bass are different". Your fish counts and knowledge of confounding variables can stratify and clean up data to provide relevant info for fishermen everywhere. I hope you continue this data-driven approach because I think it stamps out bona-fide statistical validity to fishing strategies few on YT/internet have, which makes us all better fisherman. Long time sub to your channel since 1k followers, you've landed me on my first catfish and an overall better catfisherman. Thanks for all you've done. - Mike

[@DieterMelhorn]

WOW!!!! I've been telling people that a smart person watched my channel, NOW I KNOW WHO IT IS!! LOL!!! Nah, seriously, thank you for that amazing feedback. I always say, "one fishing trip doesn't make a valid test". You will be seeing more similar tests with other bait, rigs, lures and even some research data from fisheries biologists in the near future....thanks for the great feedback!!

[@slipknot73745]

@@DieterMelhorn Haha! Thanks for the kind words! Smart people in all professions including yourself. Will be looking forward to the content, thanks buddy!

[@ryanmorgan2158]

Love seeing the numbers, great video.

[@wilburwilbur6946]

Great videos and info!!! Is the chicken fresh, or does it need to be a bit ripe to be effective? We always used chicken liver that was slightly aged 😁 to my wife’s disapproval being left in the fridge😂, does the foul taste attract catfish more? Chicken liver doesn’t stay on the hook very well, especially if we’re bank fishing and need to cast out, always listening for that double splash to know if your bait came off the hook, started using cut up chicken breast and a single piece caught several nice catfish before a new piece was needed to be put on hook. Just kept freezing and thawing out the chicken for each trip out, never tried the strawberry koolaid, gonna give that a try this weekend. Again, enjoy the videos, very helpful!

[@makeshiftvirus6494]

Wonderful wonderful channel. Keep it up love the enthusiasm, the analytics the logistics and the overall effort you put into making these videos !!!!

[@AnnetteHudson-p1v]

Ok will try to this for my catfish bait thk Soo much