bait · tackle library
Cut bait
aka cut bait · cut shad · shad · fish chunks · dead minnows
chunks of fish or dead minnows on a circle hook, fished on the bottom on a slip-sinker rig; a late-winter/early-spring bait — cold-water catfish bait
Conditions
| Style | bait · deep |
|---|---|
| Light | moderate day, bright day, dusk/dawn, night |
| Wind | glass, chop, windy |
| Water | 38–68 °F |
Sources
cited Iowa DNR — Channel catfish — source · verified by sean
“Use cut bait or dead minnows in late winter and spring- just after ice-out.” — Iowa DNR — Channel catfish (checked 2026-09-19)
“Bait options range from nightcrawlers, leeches, chicken blood, chicken liver, chicken or fish guts, crawdads, grasshoppers, water dogs, live and dead minnows, cut bait and a variety of prepared stink baits.” — Iowa DNR — Channel catfish (checked 2026-09-19)
“Circle hooks are popular when using live or cut bait.” — Iowa DNR — Channel catfish (checked 2026-09-19)
Where to get it
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- build it: Circle hook · Slip sinker · Cut bait
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