Strawberry jello mixed into cornmeal till cornbread consistency then mix flour. In until it stiffens up to a playdough consistency. Bury a hook in a nickel sized ball and gently cast it. Let them run with the bait a bit before setting hook.

Excellent fighters with the added bonus of good size potential.

I think most people shy away from eating them because they're "Bottom feeders." There are probably farm ones that are raised, they're a different story. Same with catfish I believe.

There are some 3.5-4'ers hanging out in a hole under the bridge near our house. My son and I tried catching them the the other day with some corn, but they weren't having it. We used to eat them growing up in the Czech Republic...it's a Christmas tradition and they sell them live on the streets out of huge tanks that they set up. Some folks take them home and let them swim in the bathtub for a couple of days to clean them out before butchering them. It's really not bad eating, but very bony. Those were farm-raised, though...I've never tried wild caught.

Brother in law used to love to fish for them.

Years ago he knew an old guy in town that would buy all he caught for a buck a piece if he brought them by his house on the way home.

He said you just had to know a couple tricks of how to clean them and they could be pretty good.