Catfish are known for eating a variety of things. Rubber lures, worms, flies, shrimp, and several other baits have been known to attract trophy fish, which often raises the question: Will catfish eat birds?
Will Catfish Eat Birds?
The short answer is yes, catfish will eat birds. Often, baby birds or smaller birds can be used as catfish bait. There are even some species of catfish that have figured out how to lure birds down to them so that they can eat them.
Using Birds as Bait
Birds are a common bait for a person that wants to catch larger fish. It is important to remember that catfish will only go after a bait that can fit in their mouth. This is one of the reasons that using birds is so common for anglers that are trophy fishing. Larger catfish go after larger bait.
Baby Birds
While some people do not like the thought of using baby birds as bait, the belief is often that unprotected birds will not live because their mother has already abandoned them. Some places sell baby birds, but these can be hard to come by. An online search will reveal any local stores that do. These are often used during splat fishing for trophy fish.
Cooked Turkey
While some prefer live bait, cooked and prepared bait is also known to bring in large harvests. Simply pick up some turkey and cook it as normal but include plenty of garlic salt. This seasoning is known to attract catfish. Then, use the cooked bird as catfish bait. Some use this with a sinker as they would any other bait. Others use larger pieces for splat fishing. Regardless of how cooked turkey is used as catfish bait, it is known to bring in a nice sized harvest.
Small Whole Chickens
Chickens are an extremely common bird used for catfish bait. These are used in a variety of ways, including:
- Small pieces of cooked chicken
- The whole chicken is often used for trophy fishing
- Splat fishing
- Bottom fishing
One thing that most people like about using smaller whole chickens for catfish bait is that they can be purchased at most local grocery stores relatively cheap, they are easy to use, and most anglers have great success using this bird as catfish bait.
Prepare the Bait Properly
When using birds for catfish bait, it is important to properly prepare the bait. Some anglers prefer raw bait, some cooked, and some rotten.
Using raw bait is a common theme. Most anglers prepare raw bait by letting the bait thaw. Some sit it in the sun so that it will develop a slight odor that will attract more catfish. Others use the perfect blend of spices and rub them into the raw catfish bait to make sure that it has a nice stink.
Cooked bait is a preference by many anglers, especially those with a sensitive stomach. It smells better and can catch plenty of fish. The downside to using a cooked bird as catfish bait is that it does take longer to prepare due to the cooking time.
Rotten bait is easy to prepare, but it does stink. To do this, a person has to simply sit the bait outside until it is rotten. It’s important to remember that to do this outside to avoid stinking up the entire house. Do not leave the bait to sit out in the kitchen.
Plenty of anglers prefer to use birds as catfish bait. Catfish will eat birds, and often are attracted to them when they are cooked, raw or rotten. Try several different tricks to determine the best bird to use as bait for your area.
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