# Stink bait story



## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

Here is another story from the Sunbeam trivia mill.

As I have said before I learned catfishing and trotlining at the age of nine.

My family moved from oil boom town to boom town. The first time we lived in San Angelo. TX there was an old retire Santa Fe engineer that lived across the street from us. His name was Earl Ayers.
Earl befriended me and would take me fishing with him to the local lakes and streams. He was a grumpy fellow and I believed he liked me since I did not argue with him. Next to my dad he was my hero.

We fished for catfish with trotlines using live bait and Rod & reel.. The rods and reels were Red River or Pfluger direct drives and square steel rods. Black braided line. The R&R baits were either snails (another story) and a home made terribly foul stink bait on a sponge.

This bait was so smelling that my mother would make me get naked and wash with garden hose and P&G laundry soup in the back yard after each fishing trip.

Earl put the bait up in quart fruit jars. People were always wanting it but only a few friend ever got any. It was treasured by the locals as the best in West Texas.

We moved away after a year or so. The Spreyberry boom in the Midland -Odessa area lured Daddy away.

When I was a Freshman in high school we returned to live in San Angelo. My family lived there for many years after I graduated and joined the Navy. 
On our returning I was sad to find that my mentor, Earl, had died. 
My much younger sister went to school with his grand-daughter Judy and are still best of friend 50 years later.

I was surprised a few years ago to learn that Earl Jr., Judy's dad, had found a jar of old Earls famous stink bait is some junk in their barn. Evidently Junior had the idea to have it analyzed in a lab so he could reproduce it for sale. 

I laughed to hear that every one thought that there was a secret formula to making the bait.

I jokingly told my sister I had helped make several batches and knew the recipe. Earl Jr offered me half interest in his new to be company if I would give up the secrete.

I said I did not want in the company since I was sure that he would only make one batch. I doubted if he could finish even that first test run.

Here's the formula as best as I can remember it.

1. Get a nine year old kid to hold the shallow end of a 20 feet minnow seine while catching a metal five gallon bucket half full of shad and perch. All shad if possible.

2. Put a window screen wire cover over the bucket to keep out the fly and leave it it the back shed for about a week or more.

3. Uncover the bucket and add a little water. Use an big ugly electric drill with a paddle ( most likely it was a paint mixer) to stir the rotten shad in to a soupy paste.

4. Strain the paste though a 1/4" piece of mining wire to get out the bigger bones.

5 Stir again and strain through the screen wire to get the smaller chunks.
Are you squeamish stomachs still with me?

6 And a one ounce bottle of pure oil of anise and stir again. It now has the consistancy of gravy. 

7. Put up the mixture in fruit jars with tight lids.

8. Go home and get naked with the garden hose and a bar of P&G laundry soap.

As far as I know Earl Jr never made his test batch. He also worked for Santa Fe but as a clerk not out on the locomotives. Probably not as tough as his old man and that curious nine year old that thought the grumpy fellow could walk on water.


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## Sea-Slug (May 28, 2004)

Thank You for sharing an interesting story. My Grandpa used to can chicken and turkey livers in shad oil, and put rotten eggs and anise in it to. The livers would get kinda hard and stay on the hook pretty good. I wish I knew his exact recipe, because it worked really good. I remember he would boil the rotten eggs before he chunked them in pieces and threw them in there with the livers and putrified shad and anise. I think he put vinegar in it also and said it needed to set 2 years in the storm cellar canned in a ball jar before it was ready. The livers would get kinda rubbery, and boy howdy did it get ripe! Like I say it was deadly on channel cats and mudcats. If anyone else has an old family bait recipe please share with the rest of us. Green to you for an interesting story.


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## GoneFish'n (Jan 8, 2010)

*Thank You*

Sunbeam, although I've never met you, I feel like I already know you pretty well.

Thank you for your words. Your sharing story touched familiar chords about Earl and him being your mentor. The recipe you shared is absolutely priceless. Not too sure my neighbors will go for me bringing home some fresh shad to "cure" but your guidance in this recipe is too good. Guess I'd better look to see about finding some good P&G Soap....(yah right)

thanks again Sunbeam...I sure hope I get a chance to meet you June 19 at our "get together"

GoneFish'n
Charlie:rybka:


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## Shotgun Slim (Jun 9, 2009)

Great story Sunbeam. I always enjoy your post as they reflect on your years of wisdom. Keep um coming. Thanks again for sharing a moment in time about the great outdoors we all love.


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

That story realy stinks, literaly. Thanks for another great story Sunbeam, keep them coming.


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## flashlight (Jul 9, 2007)

Real nice story but I don't need catfish that bad..


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## seattleman1969 (Jul 17, 2008)

Brings back memories for me too, my dad would purchase gallon buckets of coagulated cow blood from the local slaughterhouse in Liberty, Tx. we'd take it home, slice it into 1.5x1.5 inch chunks, salt it heavily (eavy enough to keep flies and anything else off it), and let it dry in the hot summer sun for 2-3 days. That was his favorite bait for eater blues on trotline.


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## BuckCarraway (Jan 5, 2010)

Thanks! I love stories from the past!


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## Fishin' Soldier (Dec 25, 2007)

NIce story sunbeam.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

SB, when people book a trip with us who are 2coolers(either registered or lurkers) one of the first things they ask about is how well do I know you, your stories fascinate people. 
And they want to know more about you, so I tell them you are an enigma, lol! And that in some ways you are kinda like people in Galveston who are BOI,(born on the island) except that you are HBL, (here before lake) and have that unique knowledge of the area that people who are HBL have about river/creek bottoms, old ponds/communities etc... under the lake. Along with first hand knowledge of many places on the lake that you worked at, on, etc... And that you are one of the most honored contributors on the site.
Thanks for another great story. 
I have a hard time emptying the live well after I forgot there were shad in it a day later, no way could I use the real stink bait!


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## RAYSOR (Apr 26, 2007)

Thanks SB, I agree with SS, always enjoy your stories and look foward to them.


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## Blastn & Castn (Mar 11, 2010)

X2 , SB.. Great memories that u are sharing with us. Sounds like Earl was lucky to have u around.


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## seattleman1969 (Jul 17, 2008)

shadslinger said:


> SB, when people book a trip with us who are 2coolers(either registered or lurkers) one of the first things they ask about is how well do I know you, your stories fascinate people.
> And they want to know more about you, so I tell them you are an enigma, lol! And that in some ways you are kinda like people in Galveston who are BOI,(born on the island) except that you are HBL, (here before lake) and have that unique knowledge of the area that people who are HBL have about river/creek bottoms, old ponds/communities etc... under the lake. Along with first hand knowledge of many places on the lake that you worked at, on, etc... And that you are one of the most honored contributors on the site.
> Thanks for another great story.
> I have a hard time emptying the live well after I forgot there were shad in it a day later, no way could I use the real stink bait!


This makes me want to meet you even more beam! perhaps we need to get the wives together for a Pinoy feast!


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

Good read again.


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## poncho n' lefty (Sep 21, 2009)

Just recently have gotten the bug for catfish, don't visit here to often, but that a good story, reminds me of a old man that lived down the street from me when I was a boy. Great story?


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