It's no secret that catfish will fall victim to a number of different baits, as they'll happily strike shrimp, worms, or chicken liver. But, few anglers know you can actually create your own bait when targeting catfish, which not only can you find on shelves at your local grocery store, but also boasts cleanliness, affordability, and, most of all, results. The bait curing technique in question today has actually been around for a long time, but rarely will you ever see a fishermen actually use it in his or her approach. Today, however, we see Luke from CatsandCarp.com put hot dogs and jello to the test, while conveniently giving us a step-by-step tutorial of how to make it and the best way to rig it for the most optimal presentation.
Watch the video below:
First, make a grocery list with cheap hot dogs (they don't need to be fancy or plump when you cook 'em), strawberry or grape jello (these are Luke's favorites), garlic powder and some sort of container.
Prepare the hot dogs by cutting them in half. Then place the hotdogs, one package of jello, and a generous heavy-handed helping of garlic powder to the container and make sure that the contents are evenly distributed. The color will not show immediately, but after the hot dogs marinate in the jello overnight, you'll see a difference.
To bait the hotdogs on a hook, use a spearing needle to thread the hot dog, grabbing the snell loop of a 4/0 Gamakatsu Circle Hook. Pulling the snell leader through until the hook sets into place at the other end of the hotdog. Using a quick-clip or duolock clip, attach the snell loop to a swivel tied to your mainline. A sliding weight of some sort above the swivel will allow the catfish to take the bait and move with it freely without being hindered by the weight, which may cause the fish to spit the bait before you can set the hook. Give it a try this year and start catching more catfish!
