Place to buy large baits?

[RiverRat1]

It's almost catfish time. Anyone know a place to buy or catch 200+ big perch, mudcats, talapia, carp etc?
I know many will say go to a pond for perch. Always two issues. The perch are never big enough (need to be 5" min) and where are these magical ponds?

Someone on TBH had a ton of mudcats last year I think.

Also, is it legal to use mudcats as bait if transported to another area? Same question for carp and talapia.

I'll need volunteers this year to throw cast nets. Don't think my shoulder can handle 5-8 hours of throwing every day for a month anymore.

[rut-ro]

Good luck on finding bait. How does the river look? Definitely a trip id like to make one year

[RiverRat1]

River is low. May not be able to launch the boat. Who am I kidding..I'll get it in the water. May not be able to get the boat out LOL.

It possibly could make getting good bait easier. But still trying to find a place to buy some. Thought about going to Tips Park where a lot of locals sit and catch gasper goo all day. Offer them 1 beer for every 2 live goo they put in my live well LOL. I just don't want to sit there all day. And throwing a net there doesn't work very well.

I'll be there the 2-4 weeks. Plenty of time for you to find time to make it down. I need to fill some ones freezer this year.

[Radar]

River is low. May not be able to launch the boat. Who am I kidding..I'll get it in the water. May not be able to get the boat out LOL.

It possibly could make getting good bait easier. But still trying to find a place to buy some. Thought about going to Tips Park where a lot of locals sit and catch gasper goo all day. Offer them 1 beer for every 2 live goo they put in my live well LOL. I just don't want to sit there all day. And throwing a net there doesn't work very well.

I'll be there the 2-4 weeks. Plenty of time for you to find time to make it down. I need to fill some ones freezer this year.

Go to Calaveras and throw cast net under the railroad bridge around the concrete columns, there will be plenty of talapia there.

[thebowhunters]

Tim, I definitely would look into transporting tilapia. I always heard they had to be dead when your coming up the ramp. Good luck with filling that freezer especially if it’s your dad’s freezer. Been there done that

[dbaio1]

It's almost catfish time. Anyone know a place to buy or catch 200+ big perch, mudcats, talapia, carp etc?
I know many will say go to a pond for perch. Always two issues. The perch are never big enough (need to be 5" min) and where are these magical ponds?

Someone on TBH had a ton of mudcats last year I think.

Also, is it legal to use mudcats as bait if transported to another area? Same question for carp and talapia.

I'll need volunteers this year to throw cast nets. Don't think my shoulder can handle 5-8 hours of throwing every day for a month anymore.

Dang 5-8 hours every day for a month for bait??? You are MAD AS HELL AT'em Aren't you.

[Bassbuster]

So do you want your bait all alive or do you need any cut bait. I have a buddy that was getting carp and buffalo from a Bowfishing guide.

[RiverRat1]

Dang 5-8 hours every day for a month for bait??? You are MAD AS HELL AT'em Aren't you.

I try to do what needs to be done! Have to catch a really big one LOL

Bassbuster - We prefer all live baits. Bigger the better. Even use 14-18" long carp and buffalo. We usually get a carp or two for cut bait when the river rises for blues and big gar.

[bowhntrmatt]

I've had the same struggle. Back when we used to fish the Stump Jumpers tournament on Choke, we had access to a uranium pit outside Falls City that we would go catch perch for hours on rod and reel (they were monsters, often 1-2 lb). It was still a lot of time spent to get enough bait for a long weekend running lines. My buddy broke up with the girl that owned that place so that went away.
Same buddy has a nice pond in Kenedy that's often loaded with them, but it also tends to go dry so it can be hit or miss.

[GarGuy]

You might find some goldfish

[LukeDuke]

... we would go catch perch for hours on rod and reel (they were monsters, often 1-2 lb). It was still a lot of time spent to get enough bait for a long weekend running lines....

A mess of 1-2 lb bream is what I'd be eating!

You also must be plenty mad at those big slimy, spiny, bottom dweeling suckers!

In my mind that would be like baiting a trap line with Wagyu beef!

[Big Mike M]

Look online at Anderson Minnows. They have all types of live bait/sizes and will ship to your house. I've ordered from them in the past and have had zero issues with dead bait.

[stevieray54]

Don’t know where your at, seem we have small ponds in every subdivision around league City. Some private, some City owned, county and TPWD. All have small to medium perch and Some have Talapia. Some do not want you to return to the water.

[bowhntrmatt]

A mess of 1-2 lb bream is what I'd be eating!

You also must be plenty mad at those big slimy, spiny, bottom dweeling suckers!

In my mind that would be like baiting a trap line with Wagyu beef!

To each his own! we would turn a couple evenings of perch jerking into several hundred pounds of catfish fillets!

It's funny, really. I have caught who knows how many thousands of perch in my life (ok, bream, sunfish, shellcrackers, whatever you want them to be) and don't believe I have ever cleaned or eaten one.

[Draco]

I have a pond with a bunch of normal size goggle eyes in it. I have a couple perch traps and have caught hundreds for friends. I just don't have a place to put them for you.