[Roosterfish]

A few basic questions for the Catfish Masters. Is there a best way to cut bait? Also, I know that you are supposed to match the hook size with the size of your cut bait, but how do you know if they match? That is, how do you match a hook with a chunk? I use circle hooks if that makes any difference. Thanks!

 

[flathunter]

I use fairly small pieces of cut bait for Channels on a 1/0 regular hook....I up the size of the bait and put it on a 6/0 hook for flatheads...Click on the link below to see how I cut shad.

http://thefishfinder.com/members/jack/cutbait.html

 

[Doctor]

Roostertail

I use circles also, mainly on live and mostly on cutbait, we are using 8/0 Gamakatsu circles and as big a bait as can be impaled on them for Flatheads, some of our dead bait is 12 inches in length and we hook them in the head, sometimes right in the eyes, most generally in the nose holes in Gizzard Shad.

I know you fish from the shore but you really don't have to throw all that far to get into the Channel of the river where you are fishing.

My wife likes the middle of the body section where all the goo leeches out into the water.

If we are fishing for Channels we downsize a bit but still like to use the bigger chunks to keep fiddlers from taking the bait, the little guys will work on a big piece of cutbait and end up chumming the water then a big one will move in and take it from them.

I prefer large Shad heads and cut them just behind the gillplates and hook them in the nose holes, let them really pull down hard on a rod before you ease back on it, in fact some of the larger baits I'll use the clicker and allow them to move off with it before I'll engage the reel and ease back on them.

I'm fishing from a boat so I have to use a different method than somebody from the shoreline so just experiment with what you have.........Doc