What Is the Best Bait for Carp & Catfish?

Catfish and carp are attracted to bait with strong odor. Homemade bait with strong odor are called stinkbaits and can be fished with a rod and reel, trotline or by chumming. Increase your catch rate by knowing which types of bait to use when targeting catfish and carp, and experiment with different bait combinations to test which ones work best in your local fishing grounds.

  1. Carp

    • Carp is also called common carp and is a heavy-bodied minnow with barbels on both sides of its upper jaw. The color of carp varies and can be green, yellow, golden brown or silver. The carp's belly is usually yellow-white. Typically, carp range from 12 to 25 inches in length and weigh up to 10 pounds. Many anglers consider carp a nuisance while some pursue the fish as a prized catch.

    Carp Bait

    • Carp are attracted to different type of bait, including bread, corn, hot dogs, worms, bread dough, cut bait, prepared dough bait and cheese. To make bread dough bait, moisten a few bread slices with water and knead until it becomes sticky and hard enough to stay on a hook. Use baitholder hooks in sizes ranging from #6 to #1. Baitholder hooks work well for holding soft bait like breadough and corn.

    Catfish

    • Different types of catfish include channel, blue and flathead. All catfish have catlike whiskers or barbels around the mouth and smooth, scaleless bodies. Channel catfish are most abundant in large streams with low or moderate current. A variety of bait is used to catch catfish; the bait usually appeals to the catfish's keen sense of smell. Avid catfish fishermen enjoy catching catfish because of their fighting abilities and delicious flavor.

    Catfish Bait

    • Catfish are attracted to various bait, primarily chicken liver, worms, shrimp, grasshoppers, chicken, cut bait, stinkbait and cheese. Cut bait is very effective when pursuing catfish, especially bait like shad, anchovy, bluegill, sardines, minnows and mackerel. Cut the bait in chunks and thread through your hook. Adjust the size of the cut bait to match the size of catfish in your local fishing grounds. Make sure to check your state regulations regarding cut bait -- some fish, such as bluegill, are illegal to use as bait.