Catfish are angler-friendly fun fish to catch and eat. The lower Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers are popular places to tackle Big Montana Cats!
Channel Cats average 14-20 inches long. These catties are great eaters. There are several groups in Montana that specialize and connect anglers to catching cats. Try visiting the Montana Catfish Association in Glasgow.
Several of the fishing Facebook groups that I visit brag about the best baits for catching cats. Fresh Chicken Liver is Catfish Candy. A big glob of worms is also popular. Golden eye fish heads are popular for the Bigguns!
Back in the day, I used to fish for BIG Catfish off the Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River, in Maryland. One angler nicknamed “King Kat” was there every day. He hauled in monster Flathead and channel cats all day. Now there are also Big Blue Catfish and Snakeheads in the mix. We used cut fish bait and liver. Thirty plus pounders are common all day, every day.
Montana just has Channel Cats, smaller bullheads, and smaller yet stone rollers. The 1-3 lb. Channel Cats are the best eaters. The state record tops 35 pounds but the smaller fish are the tastiest and healthiest to eat. The state record was caught by a Colstrip angler, John Smith, and is 35.18 pounds!
There is a huge menu of baits for catfish available. Some truly dedicated Cat Men make their own tasty stink bait concoctions.
DIPBAITS This bait has the consistency of peanut butter. Anglers dip this concoction onto ribbed rubber worms and plastics. Small pieces or porous sponge are also put onto a hook. The texture of these surfaces holds the stinky paste in place. Some guys prefer a soupier blend, but I prefer the thicker and stickier mass. I use a wide tongue depressor to apply it. Once on the bottom, the scent stink bait slowly dissolves and puts out a scent trail.
PUNCHBAITS This tasty bait has the consistency of canned dog food. A fibrous additive helps it to cling onto bare treble hooks. You can buy it in tubs or buckets. You “Punch” the treble hook into the sticky mass and lift out a loaded hook. The idea of not needing a fancy rubber or plastic worm makes this bait popular.
DOUGHBAITS Cubes and rolled balls of dough help keep the bait on a hook. We used to use old bread, but now other congealed products form the dough. You can get this product as nuggets or a tub to make monster balls. The key to Dough balls is the stink or sauce added to them. The scents in the opened tubs intensify with age.
Rubber gloves are not a bad idea when dealing with stink baits. The Secret Sauce odors soak into your skin and last for days. Smearing stink baits onto other baits and hooks is like adding icing to a cupcake!
Homemade Stink Bait cooking can be fun. Backyard brewing is best, so you don’t stink up the house. Consider what natural foods are on the local catfish menu. Begin there then add hot dogs, kool aid, dead minnows, garlic and anise oils, vanilla, chicken chunks, and fatty butters. Remember that your homemade deal does not have preservatives so use a container that really seals. These are best used fresh and may require refrigeration. I have also used chum bags attached to my anchor or just tossed out into the Catfish fishing hole to stimulate a bite. These marinated homemade special stink blends work well. You can use a plastic bottle of can with holes cut into them as a scent container. You Tube videos share many scent blend ideas.
Biologists have researched which Catfish Stink works best. The whiskers and scent receptors on catfish seek out many odors that humans do not perceive. Certain proteins and amino acids stimulate feeding in catfish.
My fishing mentor Lefty Kreh was a great fly fisherman but also loved catchin cats. He was serious about presentation. The purpose of stink baits is to put them in a place where the catties can smell them. This means understanding currents and water flows. Putting the baits upstream or currents is important.
As a sports angler, we all try to find the best formula and recipe for hooking up. I find that using a combination of scent and baits works best. Set out the rods with an assortment and then focus on what is getting eaten the most. Maybe a smear of peanut butter like dipbait onto a doughball with a punch of … You need to be the Catfish Chef to become the King Kat!!
GO CATS GO!!!
Montana Grant
