ADC’s dp bait is the way to go! I’ve tried homemade corn, mackerel, sweet and Smokey flavors. Jamie’s blend just out produces my own and every commercial bait I tried!

I have used dry cat and dog food no luck. Wet stuff too . I go back to cut skipjack or shad (free bait.) I start catching coons. But I wanted to find something that dont rot. Arkansas weather has alt of warm days in winter.

I also did really well one year with a cotton ball under the trigger and a shot of fish oil into the cotton ball to soak it up. You can do the same thing with a good coon lure on the cotton ball. Just need to give them a reason to stick their paw into the DP opening to grab the trigger.
Jim

One of my friend's dad owns a fish house. I can get alot of used fish greese. Could a person use it like a lure?

I put a glazed donut on outside of trap then fill trap with candy corns.

I put a glazed donut on outside of trap then fill trap with candy corns.

I use ADC's Cherry Bend Over by Jayme. All fall and Winter long. By far the Best Bait I have EVER used. Works in Pocket Sets and Dp's

DO NOT try to look up ADC's Cherry Bend Over on google!!! Seriously.

Who knows where to buy, not on google.

Location Location if there aren't any coon your not going to catch them no matter what you use.
When I'm fur trapping I won't set a DP unless It's right In a beat down coon trail. I just don't set traps to be setting traps.
There will be a DP on both ends of the culvert and there will be a 160 set on both sides of the road about 15 yards from that DP up and down that trail. DPs aren't the magic bullet and you will have coon walk right by them no matter what you use for bait.

Fruit Loops and Wildlife Research Hard Core. For the fishy thing, salmon dry cat food and some really loud shellfish oil. Coons love 2 things very well. Fishy or really sweet.

As I’ve previously posted (maybe on a different thread), our DNR doesn’t like prebaits that might attract and concentrate deer. The regs say no corn, grains or derivatives (flour) and no fruit or vegetables. This is restricted to the counties where chronic wasting disease has been found.

Okay, I tried the kitten food, Smokin aces / persimmon oil/ molasses and anise mixtures and found them to be mediocre when our season rolled around. Did better with calf starter with a couple drops on the DP rim of Moonshine or Smokin’ Aces. Banana Supreme held its odor and thus coon catching power much better.

In the past, I’ve used wool under the trigger but it got pulled out a lot. At the recommendation of Ron Jones, I used stiff fiberfill instead and I liked that better. A dollop of Banana Supreme on the fiberfill kept the mouse action to a minimum. Any left over after the season came out when I took out the fiberfill.

The locations I pre-baited, before having to pull the pre-baits, didn’t produce at all. A warden friend said distemper affects certain areas, mine included, leaving us with only very large coon. I think I got one small one all season. The vast majority were over 22 pounds. Of the last 10, I think the smallest was 4X. Apparently living in groups isn’t good when distemper is in town.

If you don’t live in an area of chronic wasting disease or DNR restrictions on prebaiting, or distemper in the flock, prebaiting does work. Murse/Wade Ryan proved that a couple years ago. He used liquid smoke and dog food. I’ve found liquid smoke oil is better than grocery store liquid smoke (in water) because it holds its odor much longer.
All in all, the prebait mixtures would have done much better if A) we didn’t have to contend with distemper and B) there were no chronic wasting disease restrictions in place.

I tried this with conibears last night, we will see how it works, I was getting tired of messy stuff.

pieces of black twizzlers
mini marshmallows
premium dry cat food

Bigfoot, Captain Crunch with a good sweet lure works too. The Wildlife Research Hard-Core is hard to beat for sweet lure. A few drops in the DP and a few above on a branch.

Hard to beat 'Floating (catfish) fish food' , but any dry (small pellet) dog or cat food, especially anything with salmon flavor, work extremely well.
You can use wet canned pet food or fish products like king mackerel , works great, unless you're in freezing conditions.
Horse feed with granulated molasses ? You bet !
Sweet ( kids) cereal isn't too bad and cheap enough from the Dollar stores and an 'off brand' or imitation.
All of it works, we just need a better market !