# Chicken liver for bait?



## Smooth Dogfish

Anyone ever throw on a chicken liver? I've caught just about every species of freshwater fish on them up here in PA (usually by accident while fishing for catfish), and last year I dropped some in on the Choptank Pier just for the hell of it and caught three small stripers in about an hour, having been skunked using the usual baits. 

I was in Cambridge for the weekend for a striper trip with a retired charter captain friend and wanted to try the livers out on the boat with the "big boys", but ended up using all I had on the pier. To me, they kind of resemble the "gut" that captains like to cut out of baitfish, very bloody and shiny. Just wondering if anyone has every tried them in the bays or off the surf. Kind of tough to keep on the hook, but at a buck a tub they are extremely economical!


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## SevernaParkFishH

*Chicken livers*

Add some cheese cloth around the bait and they are easier to keep on the hook. I have seen the linersiders caught in freshwater impoundments like that. Never tried them in saltwater.


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## Smoothbore54

Old pantyhose, cut into 3" squares.

Put the liver in the center and tie the corners diagonally to make a little bundle.

( Aquiring the pantyhose can be entertaining, as well. )


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## catman

Smoothbore54 said:


> Old pantyhose, cut into 3" squares.
> 
> Put the liver in the center and tie the corners diagonally to make a little bundle.
> 
> ( Aquiring the pantyhose can be entertaining, as well. )


Panty hose work great. That was the only way to keep the liver on the hook when we used to fish the catwalk at Conowingo. You can make up the baits ahead of time and store them in an old cottage cheese container.

Catman.


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## FL FISHERMAN

*They work*

I saw guys catching rat stripers up to 17 inches at the key bridge with them a few years ago. I think it is more of a resembalance(sp?) to bunker guts that most charters use to chum up the stripers.


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## chesapeakecarper

SevernaParkFishH said:


> Add some cheese cloth around the bait and they are easier to keep on the hook. I have seen the linersiders caught in freshwater impoundments like that. Never tried them in saltwater.


Buddy uses this tactic..."bags" the liver in the cheescloth and then soaks the bags in the gravy overnight. The cloth soaks up the gravy for that extra bit o flavor.


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## Excalibur

*With the panty hose trick --*

How do you tie the corners together ? -- it would seem like it would be tough to gather enough of it to make a knot.

Thanks,
Ex


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## catman

I use a piece of mono to tie it shut.

Catman.


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## Excalibur

*Mono ?*

So .. you bring together the 4 corners and tie it up like you would a garbage bag ?

Once you've got the pouch all tied up, do you just impale it on the hook ? or...do you hook through a specific spot ?


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## pmk00001

When I used to use Chicken Liver alot I found it way easier to work with when it was frozen......


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## catman

Excalibur said:


> So .. you bring together the 4 corners and tie it up like you would a garbage bag ?
> 
> Once you've got the pouch all tied up, do you just impale it on the hook ? or...do you hook through a specific spot ?


Just bring the four corners together and tie with a piece on mono fishing line. Run the hook though it anywhere but make sure the barb is sticking through the other side. Nylon panty hose can be tough. I like to sprinkle a little garlic salt on them and let them sit in the container for a day before I use them.

Catman.


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## sumenfishy

*chicken liver*

When I used to target cats thats all I used. I've caught bluegill,white perch , and carp on liver .Its one of my favorite baits. Iv'e never used it for saltwater though . Gonna give it try soon.


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## catman

pmk00001 said:


> When I used to use Chicken Liver alot I found it way easier to work with when it was frozen......


That makes a lot of sence and a lot less messier. Problem is you'd have to freeze each liver as they come in a tub or you could just freezethe whole tub the cut it into cubes with a hack saw.

Catman.


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## SevernaParkFishH

*Fishing Chicken livers*



catfish said:


> Just bring the four corners together and tie with a piece on mono fishing line. Run the hook though it anywhere but make sure the barb is sticking through the other side. Nylon panty hose can be tough. I like to sprinkle a little garlic salt on them and let them sit in the container for a day before I use them.
> 
> Catman.


Use the rubberbands designed for braces to hold everything in place.


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## pmk00001

catfish said:


> That makes a lot of sence and a lot less messier. Problem is you'd have to freeze each liver as they come in a tub or you could just freezethe whole tub the cut it into cubes with a hack saw.
> 
> Catman.


I'd freeze the whole tub and take it out of the freezer a couple of hours before fishing, then I just work the pieces off along the edges, takes longer to get "washed out" as well if you know what I mean.


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