Sponge and Dip Recipes

• While some catfish bait recipes, such as dough recipes, are designed to produce bait that will hold onto a hook, sponge or dip recipes are runnier and need to be used with a catfish sponge or a bait tube rig. The sponge or tube will gradually release the bait into the surrounding water, laying out a scent trail to attract the fish. You should be able to find these rigs at any tackle shop.
  Many successful catfish baits start with a protein base, such as cheese or chicken livers. Velveeta is a good way to start a sponge recipe. Melt a one-pound block of the cheese, mix in a few tablespoons of anise oil along with a half pound of chopped chicken livers and a can of dog food.
  Puree the batch in a food processor. If needed, add enough flour to give it the desired consistency: thinner for soaking into a sponge hook, thicker for using with a tube.
  
  

Liver Recipes

• Chicken livers long have been a favorite for catfish anglers. Mix a couple of pounds of chicken livers with a generous amount of anise oil. Lay out the livers in layers, sprinkling each layer with a fistful of salt, which will help toughen up the livers. You'll want to use about two pounds of salt altogether.
  Let the batch sit outside for about two hours then transfer it to a bucket. Tightly cover the bucket and let it sit for about 10 days. Finally, divide the bait into smaller batches and freeze them until you're ready to go fishing.
  To make a runnier bait to use in either a sponge or bait tube set up, do not add salt, and puree the batch before aging it for 10 days.
  
  

Dough Recipes

• An easy dough recipe for catfish bait starts with a base of cornmeal and flour and a liquid to bind them together. Mix 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal, 1 cup of flour, a 16-ounce bottle of soda and a few tablespoons of anise oil. Stir the mixture over medium heat until you get dough, then turn it out and start kneading it like bread. Add more flour as needed. The idea is to activate the gluten in the flour so you get a stiff dough that will hold onto your treble hook.
  Other dough recipes use some form of cheese as a base. Try crushing two bags of nacho cheese flavored chips, mixing in a block of Limburger cheese, 1 to 2 pounds of raw hamburger, a few tablespoons of anise oil and eight boxes of gelatin, such as cherry Jell-o. Let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours so the gelatin has time to set up.