Keeping bait fresh

Don’t believe the old wives tale that catfish like smelly rotten things. The fresher your bait is, the more fish you will catch….GUARANTEED! Catfish are like sharks in that they can detect trace amounts of blood. So if possible, keep your bait alive right up until you plan to use it. If this is not possible, I recommend putting your bait in a ziploc and immediately placing it on ice. The ziploc bag will not only help keep your cooler clean, but it will also help keep chemicals found in ice (such as chlorine) from coming in contact with your bait. I do not recommend hard freezing baits, but if you do, some baits freeze better than others. Soft, oily fish such as shad, don’t tend to do well in the freezer. However, finned fish such as crappie, bream, and white perch will survive in the freezer much longer. Be sure to keep the whole fish intact, and place it in a ziploc bag ensuring that all of the air is out of the bag. If you have access to a vacuum sealer, that is even better!