A Guide to Catfish Bait on the Mississippi River

Fishing for catfish is one of the most exciting sports in the world. The catfish is a unique species that gets a lot of attention.

For one thing, they can put up a struggle that you will not soon forget. Anyone fishing for catfish needs to be prepared for the struggle and for the challenge of getting the catfish off the hook after you reel them in.

The catfish can cause you a lot of pain if you get stuck by the fins. Therefore, you need to have a pair of gloves and a good set of pliers with you to help out or invest some money in a good fishhook remover.

There are many different types of baits that can be used to catch catfish but certain types of bait will work better in different locations. When fishing on the Mississippi River you need to take the time to get to know the area.

This information will help you know where the best locations to catch catfish will be. Once you have decided where to fish the next question is what to use to get the attention of the catfish.

Best Bait to Use When Catfish Fishing in Mississippi

As you probably already know catfish will go after just about anything that moves and will fit in their mouths but different baits will work better in different areas. A lot will depend on what the natural food source for the catfish is and on the type of catfish you are seeking.

Below you will find a list of baits used for catfish fishing on the Mississippi River:

Stink and scent baits are usually at the top of the list when you are looking for a good bait to catch catfish. This is due to the keen sense of smell that this species has. They are drawn to anything with an odor and will go after these baits very quickly. In fact, the stronger the smell the more attention the catfish will give you.

As unlikely as it may seem, ivory soap is very good catfish bait. Just a little chuck cut off and placed on the end of a hook will almost guarantee you a bite from a catfish. This is bait that has been used for many years and one that is sure to continue being a popular choice.

There are a number of catfish baits that you can buy from the grocery store. This includes items such as frozen shrimp, spam, dog food and cheese. Many of these work well on the Mississippi River.

You can also get a variety of baits from your local bait shop such as shrimp, worms, blood bait and cheese balls.

One of the most popular catfish bait used anywhere especially on the Mississippi River is homemade baits. This covers a wide variety of recipes that work great.

When fishing on the Mississippi River, give some of these baits a try to see what kind of results you can get. It may surprise you as to how much action you can get with odd and unusual baits.