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Gear of the week
Gear name: BaitCloud
Company: BaitCloud (https://us.baitcloud.com/)
Gear type: Fish attractant
Product description: If you’ve ever chummed for fish, this is the product for you. BaitCloud balls work when they’re dropped into the water. They immediately start to break down, giving off air bubbles – like “mini underwater volcanoes,” the manufacturer says – and exuding a mix of amino acids, fish oils and bio-glitter. The intent is to create a “cloud” that uses sight, taste, scent, sound and feel to draw in baitfish first, then panfish, and finally larger predatory game fish.
Available options: This comes in eight variations: bass, walleye, panfish, shad, carp, predatory/catfish, corn and crawfish.
Suggested retail price: $10.99 for a 3-pack.
Notable: This is said to work best for those fishing from a stationary position, be it from one spot on shore, a dock, ice shelter or even an anchored boat. The idea is that you create the cloud, then stick around long enough to reap the benefits. All the ingredients are biodegradable.
Tip of the week
When fishing a bottom-bouncing bait like a jig, allow it to fall on a slack line. Speed and direction are the reasons why. Cast a jig out to something like a stump and close the bail on your reel as soon as the lure hits the water and it will swing back toward you, like a pendulum. That leaves it next to the cover you were targeting for just a very short time. Allow it to fall on a slack line, though, and it will fall faster and drop straight down, staying in the strike zone the entire time.
Recipe of the week
Coconut catfish
Ingredients
- 2 pounds catfish fillets, cut into strips
- 2 cups flour
- 12 ounces beer
- 14 ounces sweetened flaked coconut
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Directions
Put 1 ½ cups of the flour in a bowl. Add the salt, cayenne, paprika and baking powder. Stir in the beer.
Dredge the catfish strips in the other ½ cup flour. Dip in the beer batter and roll in the coconut.
Fry in hot oil until the coconut is a golden brown. Drain on paper towels, then serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
