Why Big Catfish Baits Don't Work

Using big bait for catfish has its advantages, but big catfish bait can also lead to catching fewer catfish. Sometimes a smaller catfish bait is best, because it allows smaller catfish to take the bait entirely into their mouths. In this catfish fishing video I discuss some the good points and bad points of using big catfish baits, and what you should consider when using them. Some anglers believe that you need big baits for big catfish, but sometimes its easier to catch big catfish on small catfish bait during certain times of the year. If you're catfishing in early summer for big catfish, it may help to downsize your catfish bait to make catching catfish easier.
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[@ChrisJones-nt1sy]

When we're targeting 70+ pound blues we exclusively use baits about double the size of the large shad head you had on and it pays off big.

[@Tfromthetown]

Dieter help me out man. I’m throwing a santee cooper rig with a size 5 hook and a rattler float. I’m fishing on the channels of the rock river and fishing straight into the Mississippi. I’ve used cut bait and koolaid chicken with no results. Im trying to stay hopeful lol but its getting rough😅

[@kaboom4679]

Prespawn cats are often a lot shallower than you think . That's why crappie fisherman catch so many record cats . Try moving closer to and even up to the banks , shallow flats in 2' to 10' of water , etc . Don't worry about going deep until after the middle of July , when the weather gets insufferably hot and the post spawn feeding frenzy is mostly over .

[@Tfromthetown]

@@kaboom4679 should I keep the rig and everything the same or drop hook size?

[@DieterMelhorn]

Are you using a sliding sinker or fixed sinker? Make sure its fixed in place so your bait is not floating up off the bottom 2'-3'...

[@Tfromthetown]

@@DieterMelhorn I’ve got a sliding no roll sinker on with some beads

[@615JOHNLEE]

@@TfromthetownThat’s your problem bro. With a santee cooper rig, you want to have a fixed sinker. I just attach mine to my swivel eye. A lot of videos are incorrectly showing this rig with a sliding sinker like you would use in a Carolina rig and like Dieter said, what happens is your bait ends up floating to the top of the water and you may not even realize it.

[@brucewalker1908]

What is the average size Cats you keep for eating.

[@koreywilliams4570]

Idk how big too big is, I just use bluegill or red ear sunfish. I can usually get 3 pieces off them. Today I managed to get my PB bass on a piece of cut bait fishing for catfish at the lake. 4.98 lbs. Also got a 6.5 lb flathead. He bit my thumb 😑

[@backwoodsty]

You're always such a wealth of knowledge Dieter, I appreciate you taking the time to do these videos and explain your thinking.

[@JamesGibson-h7c]

Where state is your home state to fish from and can I get guide info

[@Huntnfish74916]

If you fish waters where big fish are few and far between then I can see why you wouldn’t want to fish big baits. I fish the Mississippi River almost exclusively so of the 6 rods I’m setting out I go two giant baits, two midsize, and two small. If the bigger baits get the bites I upsize them all and if it’s small ones I go four with small baits, but there’s always two rods with 8 to 12 inch long skipjack baits on them….shad if I can get them that size! I’ve got a new setup to try once the spawn is over for flatheads and I plan on using three to five pound live baits for night fishing!

[@DieterMelhorn]

Great feedback!

[@jacobcarolan1172]

For flathead the biggest bait I can cast is normally what I throw. 10-12 inch live baits have caught me many 25-45 lb and two that were 60 or better.

[@natedoglara]

Great video sir. Thanks for the great content.

[@pandaoflove7724]

Big shout out to this channel. Starting out I didn’t have a clue where to start or what to do. Bank fishing is hard,but I’ve learned a lot here

[@DieterMelhorn]

Glad to help

[@michaelhill7927]

You'd find a lot better Info on other channels, believe me...

[@pandaoflove7724]

@@michaelhill7927 regardless he has helped me a lot. Very much so enjoy his content , and why are you being a hater my guy

[@chipsammich2078]

Honestly this ain't the place for bank content

[@khronek82]

Where do you get your big bobbers or you call them floats at because i live in nebraska and we dont have them that big here.

[@kaelsaxe]

Love your videos! You probably get asked this all the time, so if someone else who knows reads this and wants to save you the trouble of answering, that's fine by me! What's the purpose of those platform floats?

[@waynevaughan2781]

I usually fish the same way. Bigger baits on 2 rods. Normal baits on 4. However I will run a stinger hook on the bigger baits. I see it like this….. I’m not always hungry enough for a big juicy steak, but a little snack doesn’t hurt. The fish may not be in the mood for a big bait, but he might like a snack.

[@DouaVaaj]

Are you going to make a video regarding pay lake drama recurring?

[@jeffreykendrick3545]

i love my picifun reels i got three of em lol

[@madtownangler]

I use 1/0 hooks maybe a couple sizes larger so I usually just cut a bluegill in half, or like this morning I used a couple shrimp for my one hour of fishing. The channel cats that I catch are so far twenty-two pounds the max I've gotten on this lake. I've heard of a couple channels that have come out of this lake that were like thirty-five pounds on a boat but everyone that I have gone out on a boat with fish for bait aka walleye

[@DieterMelhorn]

Great tip!

[@joshuagibson2520]

20-35 lb channels?

[@madtownangler]

@@joshuagibson2520 Lake Mendota, Madison Wisconsin.

[@jamesbell5762]

Dieter, do you prefer the perch over bluegill for cut bait ? If so would you kindly tell the secret!!!

[@DieterMelhorn]

Bluegill are great in summer months when they are spawning and plentiful.

[@GAFisherman]

Great to see you back on the water. Hope to see more. Thanks for the video.

[@KevinJohnson-ge5xs]

Dam*. It's so obvious, I would never have thought to "test" the bait vs float simply by putting then in the water. Thanks for the tip.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Yes, sometimes it’s the little things!!!

[@koreywilliams4570]

Ive had bass hit my catfish bait before.

[@calebowens3006]

Me too, I’ve caught bass of shrimp

[@madtownangler]

All I've caught on shrimp was catfish and one carp

[@haroldsfishingadventures754]

Lookup where a guy and his gf were out on a lake not catching anything. The gf said throw a Mcdonalds chicken nugget on the hook and see what happens. The guy reluctanly agreed to try it, and caught the lake record 11+ lb largemouth

[@jimmylowe1233]

Watts bar lake East Tn.22and 3 quarter inch small mouth on cut shad.I was fishing for cats and striper.

[@kaboom4679]

I've had channels and blues smack spinner baits and even top water lures . Then again , I've caught small mouth bass on whole kernal corn , cut bait , etc . I have even caught bream and yellow perch on bare hooks , especially the gold wire hooks .

[@PandaEffect1325]

👏👏👏👏the chin reel to engage the reel🎉 glad im not the only one doing goofy tactics out on the water

[@DieterMelhorn]

When your hands are all tied up you do what ya gotta do!! 😆

[@joshuagibson2520]

Hey there Peter Wellworn. I hope you're doing well friend.

[@DieterMelhorn]

You need spellcheck on your side….

[@calebowens3006]

Lmfao Peter well worn 😂😂😂😂haha

[@dannycornett6151]

I watch the weather . When the pressure is up small bait when the pressure is down bigger. Just like we feel the water pressure i think fish feel it also.

[@KevinJohnson-ge5xs]

For those who don't know "normal" pressure is 29.94 inHg (and being in the US, and refusing to go metric, I don't know what the equivalent millibar is). So greater than 29.94 is high pressure, less than, low pressure.

[@natenenneker4579]

Love your videos! Thanks for the quality content!

[@DieterMelhorn]

Glad you like them!

[@koreywilliams4570]

I use pretty small baits. I fish from the bank at the lake over in some shallow water. Ive managed a couple good flatheads 6 lbs or better and a couple channel cat also 6 lbs. Just panfish, anything about palm size or smaller.

[@haroldsfishingadventures754]

You can catch nice sized fish on 3" to 4" bluegills all day if they're there and biting

[@joesummers9864]

I know you like your Andie mono but do you ever use braid

[@DieterMelhorn]

The only time I use braid is on sensitive bite rods like crappier, perch and bluegill….

[@waynevaughan2781]

I use strictly braid while dragging for catfish. That just my personal preference. It has its pros and cons. I like that braid won’t stretch so I get a better hook up, and the take downs are incredible.

[@HomesickforAlaska]

Great video!! You do know that Dave is going to put out a video titled "Why small catfish baits don't work" as soon as he sees this.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Dave who?

[@1100blake]

That'd be funny asf

[@KevinJohnson-ge5xs]

Score 3 points!

[@JugginMikeBoozer]

The ol' Dave and Dieter rivalry. Those two haven't gotten along in years. Ever since they shared a table for a little while at the catfish conference a few years ago. As I understand it had something to do with chewing tobacco. But at the end of the day two of the best catfishing channels on youtube and I'm a fan of both.

[@Outlawcatfishing1983]

What i learned is that small baits can make or break you. Those small baits are getting quality fish. I was hoping to see a 40 inch plus fish but maybe next time. Thanks for the great video man

[@lisaannaallen6283]

when fishing for big fish use big baits when fishing for smaller "20#" fish use the small baits

[@DieterMelhorn]

Ironically, my personal best blue catfish at 71 pounds came on a bait smaller than my thumb. Big baits don’t necessarily catch big fish, but they will eliminate smaller ones.

[@chriskautz6357]

How do you like the "sun/fishing" shirt? My buddy got me one, and it seems to help, comfy!

[@davefisher5196]

See ya.

[@DieterMelhorn]

👍👍👍👍

[@stevenr2789]

What do u think about the abu Garcia 7000 cs?

[@DieterMelhorn]

Great reel!

[@terryhancock]

Sorry I don't like the planner boards

[@haroldsfishingadventures754]

Big baits catch big fish, small baits catch all fish. But I've seen dinks caught on big baits and bigguns caught on small baits

[@raygissendanner1476]

Great video and some great fishing you need to send me some of your luck enjoyed it thank you

[@phflhs]

Big bait = big fish..... I dont wanna catch shrimps like those so I'll keep using really big baits.

[@jboat571x9]

Big baits absolutely work. Sure if you’re trying to see how many dinks you can catch go with the small bait. Every 50lb plus I’ve caught has been on a bait bigger than my hand.

[@DieterMelhorn]

1/2 the 50+ pound fish I’ve caught came in big baits. My PB blue came on a bait a bit smaller than my thumb.

[@jboat571x9]

@@DieterMelhorn hey there’s nothing wrong with catching 20 10-20lb fish in a day especially from a guide perspective. I just personally don’t want to be constantly dealing with those size fish and rebaiting hooks when I’m really only after larger fish. To me blue cat aren’t too much fun to catch until they get up around 25lbs. Most under that size just feel like reeling in a big twirling bath towel. No real fight. I much prefer fishing with larger live baits.

[@robbiesmith9786]

Thats not big bait

[@adampearson94]

Big enough to not work

[@Brandon_Barlow]

Big fish = Big tooth patch

[@ChasingtheMoby]

Good video Dieter! I will say, none of those are big baits.

[@DieterMelhorn]

Two were definitely not small baits…😆😉🤣

[@slabslayer258]

Big bait lol 😂.

[@DieterMelhorn]

One was as big as your hand….and it didn’t work….😉