how to cut bait

[ouachita1671]

How do you guys cut your bluegill and shad for catfishing? ive only ever use danny kings punch bait liver and night crawlers want to learn to rig and use cut bait

 

[Captain Ahab]

I like to use them live - but if I do cut them I usually try to use the heads with some entrails - cut behind the pectoral fins

 

[byounghusband]

If they're big enough, (we call them cutters) filet them for two pieces and then the head works good as well.
If they are smaller (we call them hookers), up through the nose out the top of the head.
Really big ones, filet them and cut into manageable pieces.

For drifting, filet a hooker from the tail up on each side, but not all the way. Stop just before you would cut it off the body. Those pieces flutter as you drift and big Blues can't resist that. Kinda like Catfish Candy.....

 

[HOUSE]

I usually cut off the head and use that first. Then we cut off the tail (discard it in the water for chum) and use the middle section next. I like to split it open from the belly so all of the nasty guts hang out and hook it out of the top. The "V" shape of the bait usually hugs the bottom as we drag it along which helps protect the hook sticking out of the other side. Kind of like a Texas rig, only much nastier!