Saltwater Bait in Freshwater

[O'Connor]

gents,
Have any of you ever tried using cut saltwater bait in Freshwater? I moved to so-cal in 2008 and one of the most popular baits out here to use for giant flathead, blue and channel cats is cut mackerel. They throw chunks just like you would for striped bass. I have heard of it in tidal rivers, hudson, raritan, deleware etc, but never in lakes. These guys are fishing this way in freshwater impoundments and catching giants. This is a first for me. Anyone ever try it?

[stevejordan]

cut bait is awesome for catfishing

[bigfishy]

Makes sense to me, especially for opportunistic fish like cats....
Wether its native to them or not, its FOOD.....
I would think that cats would prob be the best candidate
for non native dead bait eaters followed by icey pike and lakers...

good post:)

[kmaty]

Favorite bait of mine is chunked bunker in central nj lakes and rivers

[Jigman13]

I know people tip jigs with squid and shrimp for deep water lakers...

[acaravaglia]

I used some killies left over from fluking this year in the lower rockaway/pasiac and pulled out a few nice smallies and two pike.

[MudCat08]

live killifish are excellent for stuff like bass perch and crappie in lakes, and ponds.

[PAMonger]

I've used cut mackerel and bunker for cats in the big D. For cats, you just need something bloody and stinky. I don't think they care what water it was alive in. :D

[Bruce Litton]

Killies are great for smallmouth. Bunker for channel cats--even northern pike, when the water is coldest, will hit bunker cut bait. I guess they smell it. As for flatheads, they're not like channels & I guess not like blues. They go after live forage...like smallmouth bass in the Delaware, so live bluegills, suckers, even live eels--another saltwater bait--work best on flatheads.

[Bruce Litton]

When fishing small rivers, you can use a real small bait tote to hold a dozen killies, and use one killie over & over. They're many times hardier than shiners, and they don't get ripped off the hook as easily, either. The largest of the pint or quart cast a mile too.

[gnuisance]

mackerel is very oily so it is a great cut bait. I use it for bass, sharks, cats, everything. For flatheads I definitely prefer live bait though...

[Deepdeckhand]

Live line a peanut on a bobber...they live fine in freshwater/ just don't get greedy and only put 10 in the bucket before you head to the lake...everything that swims loves to eat peanuts...

[GetANet]

Good to know always wondered about peanuts in fresh water but never tried it. Be good to use as chum chunked up too then..... I can cast net em five minutes from my house maybe have to try it next year!!! Thanks for the tip!