Tips and Tricks

-Before dipping a tube when first getting to your spot, take a stick and really stir up your dip bait. This helps to mix in any ingredients that might have separated and give a better consistency.

- When going to dip a dip tube, make sure the tube is dry and really work the dip bait over the tube when dipping, kind of like trying to spread jelly on a piece of toast, just a little bit more aggressive. This ensures that the dip bait gets completely into the tube center and helps with the holding power.

-Before casting, hold your dip tube with bait in the water for a couple seconds before throwing it out. This helps to solidify any of the fats in the bait and provides for a stronger hold when casting.

- Dip tubes come in various different sizes and materials. Dip tubes work well most of the time in just about any fishing condition. Sometimes a smaller dip tube will hold it better in current or casting further.  Sometimes a larger or smaller dip tube will help out with getting bites depending on how finicky the catfish are.

-If your dip bait is too thin or too thick, try not to add anything that is going to dilute the nutrition quality of your bait. In a pinch, you could add flour or cornstarch too thicken your bait or oil too thin it. Me personally, I prefer to add powdered milk to thicken my bait or if I need to thin it, I will add some milk.  Another trick that works really well if you have time and your dip bait is too thin, set it out in the sun where there would be a breeze. You can also set it in the sun in front of a fan. This will help to evaporate some of the moisture from your bait without losing nutrient density.

-When first getting to your fishing spot, don't be afraid to really pack your dip bait tube with a lot of bait. When you go to cast, try to continually hit the same area with each cast. Whisker pudding has an ingredient mix that is meant to dissolve in water slowly and disperse into the water column. It is not meant to stay on the dip tube for a long period of time. By casting in the same area and continually re-baiting, you are essentially chumming the area you are fishing and drawing any nearby channel catfish to that area.

-When fishing at night, do not be afraid to fish shallow water closer to the bank. I have caught probably 80% of all my Channel Cats over the years anywhere from 2 to 20 ft from the bank.

-Most importantly, make sure to enjoy the time you have out on the water, regardless if you have caught anything or have a stringer full of fish.