In my pond we do ok with shrimp for catfish but actually do better with minnows. I have a friend who has been coming out for the last couple of months on the weekends and is using minnows exclusively for bait. Threads them on the hook like you would a worm. Two weeks ago caught a 34lb. blue but mostly catches channels in the 3 to 6lb class. I have tried everything in this pond from soap to liver and consistently minnows are the bait of choice for our catfish and other species. He also catches crappie and largemouth bass as well with this method. I would love to show a picture of the big cat that my friend caught but don't have a clue how to post a picture. If anyone would be willing to post it for me I will be glad to forward it to you.