# roaches as fish bait?



## KyuZo (Apr 12, 2008)

anyone ever try using roaches as fishing bait?  
does it work well?  
i am thinking about using them for catfish this sunday.


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## arachnonick2 (Apr 12, 2008)

It sounds like they should work. I dont know so much about catfish though, unless your using some large hissers or something similiar. To tell you the truth if your using something large like hissers you could go for bass. I bet they would love to see something new. Also I would use a carolina jig setup. That way the roach will slowly settle on the bottom, giving plenty of time for the fish to check it out.

Tell me how this goes. It could be the start of something new!


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## Jer (Apr 12, 2008)

Meh, there's so many other better baits out there to use that it is probably just a waste of time. They will fall off of the hook easy, drown in no time, and definately won't be as appealing to a catfish than a juicy worm.


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## froggyman (Apr 12, 2008)

KyuZo said:


> i am thinking about using them for catfish this sunday.


try it out man tell us how you did...however id be prepared and also bring conventional catfish bait too


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## dtknow (Apr 12, 2008)

And a great reason for the feds to restrict the keeping of roaches.

Seriously
Don't do it! 


Best bait is prolly something along the lines of chicken liver, dead frog, etc.


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## Acro (Apr 12, 2008)

If you use roaches as bait, use something native to your area.  I would not suggest you bring something exotic into your native environment.  If you happen to have a few pest in your house, try using them!


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## Matt K (Apr 12, 2008)

Roaches tend to float, so unless they are used in fly fishing I would not recommend them.


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## KyuZo (Apr 12, 2008)

I am talking about using the pest species for fish bait.
i'll use some tomorrow and keep you guys know how it goes.  
thanks for all the suggestions and the pm that i've been getting.


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## KyuZo (Apr 13, 2008)

we saw a few bass swimming by, but none of them seem to bite my friend's $40 lure or my roaches, so i don't know if i would conclude that roaches make bad fishing bait or the bass didn't feel like feeding today.  

I haven't gotten the chance to try fishing for catfish yet.

i'll go again next weekend.  

later


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## Cirith Ungol (Apr 14, 2008)

I feed my perch both with dubias and tartaras. The perch like the tartaras more since I have noticed that they get spooked by anything too dark. So if you have the choice you should pick roaches that are fairly bright, that could help.


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## dtknow (Apr 14, 2008)

Small roaches(germans/lateralis) might be nice baits for sunfish. Any way to use such a light bait on a spinning/spincasting outfit? A bobber/pencil float it seems to me might spook the fish. I've used bits of paper etc. to catch bullfrogs by simply letting out some line and dangling it into the water but something you could cast would be great.

for bass though, worms/frogs/crawdads seem to work well enough.


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## Austin S. (Apr 14, 2008)

You can always give it a try, but keep in mind, roaches don't last long underwater and fish tend to hit on live prey rather than fake/dead prey, well atleast that is how I catch mine. They will drown in a couple minutes max.


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## Acro (Apr 14, 2008)

2 of my goldfish like to eat small hisser nymphs.  I just drop them on the water and they float.  The fish rush up and snap them, then quickly swim to the bottom of the tank so the roaches cant get away!

Yummy Yummy.


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## KyuZo (Apr 14, 2008)

I think that they weren't eating at all because the weather haven't been warm enough.  starting this week tho, things are really going to heat up. 
and i tried nightcrawlers too, but they didn't eat it even though it was right next to it.


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## smoment42 (May 6, 2013)

*fishing with dubias*

well there are alot of local river s and water ways around my house, i can hit up all kinds of different fishing holes, but i will fish with dubias somtimes to try somthing different i really load them on the hook though it doesnt matter if they die or not i do river fishing and ive come to notice if you can put aboout 3 roaches on a good size hook and sum weight and about 1ft from the hook and cast in a slow current and let sink and wait do not reel in at all, well the areas i fish in is swift current river and if you reel you will get hung so if you have to reel fast. i do get a few good bites sum good catfish, but if your looking for an actuall fun quick fishing trip i reccomend throwing sum fish chum in the lake upstream from where youll be fishing. as for the river though DO NOT REEL IN YOUR LINE,

also some of you like to troll the river roaches float and troll really slow up river and somthn will snatch it off the top of the water :sarcasm:


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## donald cunningham (May 10, 2016)

KyuZo said:


> anyone ever try using roaches as fishing bait?
> does it work well?
> i am thinking about using them for catfish this sunday.


don't know about catfish  but  I grew up using cock roaches for bait to catch bluegill. if its a body of water that has trees overhanging or in it, its the best bait I have ever used. the black wingless are the best and will catch the biggest fish and will catch fish when no other bait will work. catches all types of other fish, including catfish but have never used it just to target catfish. while fishing for bluegill you will catch all types of fish but mostly bluegill. My grandfather fished only with a cane pole and in a boat. Would have a paddle in one hand and the pole in the other and scull around dropping the bait in and around cyprus trees or any  type of cover. Rarely did he not catch bigger and more bluegill than any of the other fisherman we would see. One of the best things about fishing this way was you never knew what was going to take your bait.


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## BQC123 (May 10, 2016)

I planned to try Dubias. Only got to twice, and both were ice fishing.
Fishing smaller nymphs on small ice jigs, I was about dead even compared to an identical setup with maggots. They did drown very quickly, and were robbed from the hook way more often. 
I caught sunfish, crappie, and perch.
Casting with a fly rig would probably work well in warmer weather when fish are feeding on terrestrials.


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## Smokehound714 (May 11, 2016)

roaches are a fantastic bait, but drown quickly. they're great for catfish and larger sunfish.  young bass tend to prefer insects and crustacea over fish


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