How to Create a Very Easy Panfish Bait

By Ian

  It's no secret to people that earthworms are a great bait for panfish. Those little buggers eagerly snap 'em up. However, buying nightcrawlers can be expensive, and they die easily. In the spring, you can get away from buying nightcrawlers by digging them up yourself - but when the soft, moist, cool soil of spring gives away to the hard, dry, and hot soil of summer, what do you do?

Above: Typical sunfish catch

  You can turn to crickets, flip over some rocks in a forest, and catch them. Or go into the meadow and drive after grasshoppers. But an easy and convenient way of procuring bait  for panfish is within reach. You just need some very common kitchen materials and some of your favorite soft plastic scents.

  First, mix some flour with a little bit of water; the portion depends on the amounts of bait you need. Make sure you have a wet but firm lump of flour/water. Next, mash your mixture into a pancake. If you want some extra appeal to fish, drip some fish attractant scent on the pancake, or rub some soft plastic worm with your favorite fish attractant scent on the pancake. Then, put the pancake in the microwave for 30 seconds. Flip it over and put it back in the microwave for thirty seconds. The heat treatment makes the bait harder, like rubber, so that the panfish don't steal the bait as readily. To use it, roll it up in a small lump, and hook the lump. You are guaranteed to catch some sunfish.

Tight lines,

​Ian