If you are a passionate catfish angler, you already know that some really unusual flavors and foods attract catfish.
If you are new to this, I have good news for you! If you open your pantry, you probably have everything you need for a very effective bait!
One of these ingredients is Kool aid. Catfish bait with Kool aid will work excellent for channel catfish, and it can be combined with various base baits. It works great with chicken, and that is my “go to” combination. It is cheap, easy to prepare, and attracts catfish from a far.
This bait works best in summer, but feel free to experiment in other times of the year too, especially if you live in warmer areas.
Of course, you have to consider Kool aid flavors too. It always surprises me how certain kinds work much better than the others.
Here I will tell you the basics and give you a recipe that works every time!
What Exactly Is Kool Aid?
To know why catfish bait with Kool aid works, you have to know what exactly is Kool aid. Many people are skeptical towards it, but it is logical when you think about it.
Kool aid is a popular USA drink that exists in various flavors, like strawberry, cherry, lemon-lime and similar. It comes in a form of powder and has to be dissolved in water for consummation. It can be very refreshing in summer days for anglers too, not just the fish!
Catfish, unlike some other popular fish species, rely on their sense of smell and taste rather than sight. For a bait to be effective, it has to spread through the water so that catfish can sense it by using olfactory organs and their barbels.
As Kool aid dissolves in water in order to add taste to it (it is designed to do so) it makes a perfect scent carrier that can travel great distances. This is why it works! And of course, it has strong smell and taste, which is important. From the same reason, anglers use anis oil, garlic, and similar attractants.
Can You Use Kool Aid as Catfish Bait?
Kool aid catfish bait really works, but you have to know how and when to use it. It works on channel catfish, and if you try presenting it to other catfish species like flathead, you won’t have much success.
It is a great summer bait, meant to be used in warm waters. It is cheap, easy to transport and use, and that makes it ideal for a bit of experimenting until you find your own perfect combo. Besides, it is far less disgusting than many other baits like stinkbait or similar.
It can’t be used on its own obviously, and it is combined with a base. Base can be any kind of meat, but after a lot of options that I have tested, I can say that chicken works the best.
Among other options there are hotdogs that are also a great catfish bait, especially when spiced up with some tasty Kool aid.
You can even use it for chumming if you plan to attract some fish before you present your bait. It will make them interested and they will have time to get used to this new but very tasty scent.
What are the Best Kool Aid Flavors for Catfish Bait?
Kool aid was originally produced in 6 flavors, but today there are 12. You can try any of those, because the price is low and marinating meat in it is easy, however, to save you some time, I will tell you which ones worked the best for me.
Those are cherry, strawberry, and grape. Those are all more on a sweet side of taste, and for some reason, catfish seem to prefer those a lot more. Watermelon is the next best thing, and some anglers had success with fruit punch. However, the first three I mentioned are the ones I choose.
Of course, you don’t have to use only the Kool aid. If you are using strong scented base like chicken gizzards, Kool aid is enough to enhance it a bit, but for plain meat like chicken breast you can add some garlic or anis oil together with Kool aid to increase its effectiveness.
How to Use Kool Aid for Catfish Bait?
As I already mentioned, you use it to spice up the meat. Chicken with Kool aid for catfish bait can be prepared easily. I will give you exact recipe and steps to follow in the next chapter.
It is best to be used in still waters, such as lakes. In my experience, it is a much better option here than in moving waters.
There is no special way of using Kool aid spiced baits. Use it in the same way as you would use chicken liver/meat/gizzards alone, or with other spices.
Liver is soft, even when spiced up with Kool aid, so use it on a treble hook as that is the one that holds it best. However, if you plan to practice catch and release, it is not an option.
Use bait thread to secure it over the hook if you are using any other hook type, and that’s it. Using Kool aid as bait does not require any special procedures.
Chicken and Kool Aid: Is this Good Catfish Bait Combination? [+ Recipe]
Kool aid chicken for catfish bait is easy to prepare, and most likely you have most of the ingredients at home. You can use chicken breasts, gizzards, or liver. I like to use chicken liver because it is very interesting to catfish on its own, and Kool aid adds to it and makes it even better.
To make this bait you will need:
• Plastic ziplock bag or a plastic bowl with an airtight lid• Chicken liver• Kool aid
Quantities depend on how much bait you want to make. I don’t have to give you precise measurement because it is not a wedding cake recipe, and you can see how much is enough when it comes to liver – Kool aid ratio. I use 1 bag of Koo aid for 0.5 lbs. of liver, but you can add more or less.
Here are simple steps to follow:
• Cut liver (or meat) to a desired size that will match local catfish size.• Put it all in a bag and all the blood (from liver) that was dripping should be added to for extra flavor.• Add Kool aid and rub the bag in your hands to evenly distribute it. If you use a box, shake it.• Let it marinate for a few days.• Put it on a hook and enjoy!
And this is the simple and basic Kool aid chicken recipe. It is that easy! Of course, you can experiment and customize it to suit your needs and catfish in your area.
Conclusion
Catfish bait with Kool aid can be extremely effective if you know how to use it. Choose sweet flavors, present it to hungry channels in summer, and be prepared to land a big one!
You can even use Kool aid as an ingredient in other catfish baits like dough balls! Its low price makes it great for various DIY baits projects!
And one tip in the end: if you like to mix bait with your hands instead of shaking it in a container, do it with gloves, otherwise you may end up with Kool aid colored hands!
