Ok, so I'm not looking to find out the ingredient list of professional baits, but rather to swap some ingredient lists between fellow trappers that make their own "home brew".

Most years I mix sardines with molasses and a touch of vanilla abstract. Also been known to put in some cheap maple syrup or bbq sauce. Some times I think I get carried away and mix in too many...lol I have been using corn flower to thicken it, but not real happy...would like to figure out how to make it more "gummy". I usually add in some glycerine to help keep it from freezing. Most sets have a fish oil trail as well.

I've had decent enough success with this mix to not look elsewhere, but I feel I could be getting better results. Who knows, it may be cheaper or the same price to buy pre-made baits....just so many to choose from.

Tried cherry, scent/bait never had any luck with it at all.

What do you guys use?

Fish

Asian carp ground course cup pickling salt to every gallon of fish,one quart of cherry drink mix,pint of glycerine ,pint of honey those measurements are for 4 gallons of ground fish

Fish

4 gallons of pelletized fish food, gallon molasses and 4 oz's anise or persimmon oil. Mix together. Great in DP's and the pellets hold their shape well without turning to mush, unless they get rained on a lot. I use this mix a lot in cages and it works equally well on opossums, skunks and ground hogs so be forewarned.

Cheapest dry cat food I can find, add fish oil, honey, and red fox urine till I can bareley smell it. Seems to take the bigger coon in DPs.

Raccoons will sell their soul for a nice edible sweet, sticky bait with a lot of odor.

This is pretty much mine exactly except I like peppermint oil.

I used to buy the starlight peppermint candies and crush them up, but they are a mess in DPs after rain.

It's interesting to note that different baits will get a different response as well as different presentations.
While I was studying raccoon behavior at my bait stations I found that chunk baits of fish and meat brought out the most aggressive behavior and yet the animals would spend the least amount of time at the set. The coon upon finding the chunk bait down a dirt hole went into thief mode and snatched the bait and scurried away from the set into nearby cover. He was very careful to look all around for a hidden threat and would sit back the farthest from the hole and reaching across the trap site to snatch a morsel and retreat. Even the big coons showed this behavior, so I new it was in relation to the bait. When a large bait such as a whole fish was placed on the open ground the reaction was the same, grab it and get away so you don't get caught steeling it or have it taken from you.Not quite sure what there reasoning was. Now when grain in this case sunflower seeds were used in place off the meat baits they came right in shuffling around the trap sight in a much more relaxed state of mind. They would get comfortable and work the bait for hours sometimes leaving for a while only to return and many stayed until the bait was gone or after sun up. Over the course of my study the numbers kept increasing and at one point I had 11 raccoons at one time enjoying the multiple bait piles and holes in a ten yard circle.
Some "one old boar in particular" were more aggressive toward others if they invaded his space, and 4-5 ft was the safe zone. Others, adults perhaps from the same litters were much more tollerant. Also of interest was a grey fox that would make an appearance and enjoy the seeds as well and the raccoons would always leave but as soon as the fox left they would return, so I assume they just went up a nearby tree. They didn't seen frightened of the fox just showing it respect. Just some observations to share and some new things to think about.

number one bait ive ever found for coons is crawdads. grind up whole fresh crawdads. let sit out overnight. put in containers and freeze. thaw what you need every night for the next day. simple as that. closet thing I ever found to crawdads was kaspers shellfish bait and he aint making it anymore

Meow Mix seafood blend catfood and smoked oysters Tex coons love it.

I make a good sticky bait with one large can of cherry pie filling, one container of powdered fruit punch, some cheap anise extract from walmart, boiled together with a packet of liquid pectin. Its a nice paste that can go in a DP or a pocket set, and works well. The best part is that it doesn't freeze. IT's super sticky though, to the point that it's hard to scrub off of stuff. But kids love the taste

Here is my recipe:
2 pint cans Mackerel
4 oz. Sardines
3 eggs
3/4 cup fish oil.

Very interesting. I wonder if a fish smell/paste type bait causes the same reaction.

I have been having pretty good luck with cracked corn (chops here in the south) with a squirt of fish oil. It's pretty durable and best of all the fire ants don't clean out the DP's like they do with any other kind of bait. About 1/3 are caught by both front feet.
Morris

I find for me a sweet bait will out preform over fish for coon. I call it the chocolate chip cookie concept

Never tried it but ground bananas might work.

has anybody ever used DDG dried distillers grain pellets in a bait its cheap bought a 50LB bag today for under 7 dollars and coons coyotes and skunks usually come in at night and clean up what the calves drop under the feedbunks and it puts off a loud smell

yes I have and no it isn't a good bait.