Fishing with chicken livers is one of the best baits to use to catch catfish and even other fresh water fish in lakes, ponds and rivers. It’s pretty much a go to bait and it always gets packed for the fishing trip along with other catfish baits like: worms, artificial dip baits, blood baits and hot dogs.
Besides hot dogs and shrimp, chicken livers are one of the most effective baits when fishing for channel catfish. It’s also one of the cheapest grocery store baits you can find. I say they’re the most effective because the fish bite on them when they don’t want anything else. You can’t beat night fishing with fresh bloody chicken livers.
How to keep chicken liver on a hook
Many anglers don’t fish with chicken livers cause they don’t know it’s a very powerful bait at landing trophy channel cats. Those who do know avoid them as bait because they have a hard time keeping the chicken liver on a hook. I used to have that problem before learning how to bait the hook and cast with the livers. It’s not as easy as baiting a circle hook with worms or hot dogs.
Most fishermen have trouble casting with the chicken livers, and it falling off the hook when it hits the water. Others can’t keep the bait on the hook long enough for it to hit the water. You can’t cast very far with fresh chicken livers.
The easiest way to keep chicken liver on a hook is to cast it with enough sinkers and weight. You don’t want to cast across the lake, let the egg sinkers do the work and cast, gently. When fishing with chicken livers, I cast a short distance.
Curing chicken livers is also a good way to keep them on the hook. I’m not sure if you can catch more catfish with cured livers, but they do stay on the hook better.
How to cure chicken livers for catfish bait
You don’t have to be a scientist or chef to cure the livers. Simply put them in a dehydrator or leave them out in the sink over night. I’ve left them in the sun for a day or two and they worked great. The best part about curing is that it makes the chicken livers tougher and therefore you can cast them further.
When fresh, I cast a short distance. Once cured, I throw the bait across the lake or pond, and the livers stay on the hook. Another way to keep chicken liver on a hook is to use pantyhose. Your wife or girlfriend might not like it, but it’s an effective method.
I just take some old pantyhose and cut some squares. When ready to use, I wrap the chicken livers in the pantyhose and put on a circle hook. If the bait and pantyhose are wrapped around the hook right, you should be able to cast it pretty far without worrying about it coming off the hook.
People also use mesh fabrics and surgical tubing. I have yet to try using them, but I don’t see how they wouldn’t work. As long as the scent can get out, you’ll catch fish.
Not just catfish, I’ve caught many bluegill and carp on chicken livers. You can then use the bluegill to catch flathead. If you fish at night during early spring or fall and the fish are biting – use chicken livers. They have yet to let me down.