Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Good trapping bait for brown bullheads?

Is there a well known bait that will draw brown bullheads into a funnel trap like magnets? I regret releasing them in (1/4 acre pond, luckily) and have 9 more to pull out before breeding starts any day!!! What was I thinking? I even researched it and decided to let them in???
I've tried:
canned catfood
freezer burned raw salmon
dog kibble
fake crab meat
hotdogs
shrimp meat
So far a combo of hotdogs/shrimps worked best, but the 'magic' has not been repeated!
Any suggestions appreciated, thanks!

I don't know if the different species of cats are more or less prone to come to various baits, but I've always heard that chicken liver is a great bait for them. Don't know if that applied to brown bullheads or not, but maybe worth a try.

Will see if the grocery store has any! Or maybe it's time to cull one of the old laying hens! Thanks!

We catch mudcats alot as bycatch when using cutbait. I think that's the same as a bullhead. Green sunfish or small bluegill are what we use but that's on a pole and line. I haven't tried it in a trap. Have you tried a trotline? They may have gotten wise to your trap. Good luck

Fish food pellets also work.

Feed them fish food for a couple weeks and then just fish for them. I wouldnt be too worried though. If you researched them and still put them in for a certain reason I just wouldnt be too worried without being able to explain better than that. If they do have babies and you can feed em up to a good size they do indeed taste very good.

Please explain to me how you prepare the bullhead to make it taste good.

I have tried it a few times as I always enjoyed catching them, but each time they had either a strong flavor or were so mushy that I could barely get them in the pan.

Hope you can help as I would give them a shot at least one more time.

I've cooked them just like a catfish, and haven't noticed a difference in taste. BUT, they didn't come from muddy water. They clean easier if they are cool, but not cold. I've always thrown fish in a cooler with ice water. Maybe that's why.

I think that is the best way to clean fish is to ice them down, it tends to firm up the meat and easier to guide the knife.

So were they fried, and how large with they, and what type were they?

Where did you find them in clear water?

I would try fish pellets, and I like to put the pellets in a plastic bag suspended in the trap, this way I can be sure they must come into the trap to eat. Oh and I cut small holes in the bag to let the sent out.

When skinned and beheaded, they would fit in a 12" frypan. Either Brown or Black, and they are common in the local lake. There aren't any CC in the lake, and a long time ago the DNR tried stocking Blue Catfish. They didn't take and I haven't heard of any being caught for a number of years now. The BH most likely came in from the few streams that feed the lake.