This is my neighbor's "Secret" recipe for making a doughball for bottom fishing Carp and I modified it for Catfish. This stuff really works great. It stays on the hook really well and will not dissolve too quickly in the water.
ingredients:
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 cup white flower
Vanilla or Anise liquid flavorings

Step 1: Mix the cornmeal and flour in a bowl by hand with just enough luke warm water to fashion it into a ball.
(hint)-leave it a little on the dry side, enough moisture just to hold it together.
Step 2: Form doughball into a pancake shape about 2 1/2 inches thick.
Step 3: Wrap cake in an old rag and secure with twine.
Step 4: Place in pot of boiling water for 4 minutes on each side. (time is crucial for end result)
Step 5: As soon as you remove from boiling water unwrap and place into the same mixing bowl and cut into smallish sections. Pour Vanilla extract over the whole mess and mix back together into a ball by hand while still warm. Re-wrap in the rag and place in the fridge to cool for about an hour and it is ready to go!!!

For catching Catfish substitute Anise flavoring for the Vanilla. We have caught Cats on the vanilla but have found that the Anise scent does much,much better for the Catfish and that Vanilla works much better for Carp.

Over the years we have tried many other versions of a doughball for bait but I have found this to be the absolute best method of making one. It is cheap to make as far as cost is concerned and by boiling the mixture it stays together very nicely. It will keep good in the fridge for about a week.

When you are out fishing on a hot summer day and the doughball seems to be drying out just wet the old rag with lake water and keep the bait wrapped up and out of direct sunlight.
The exact opposite holds true as well, if it is a bit on the wet side and the consistency is too loose just form it into a ball and let the sun and air dry it out a little bit.
I hope you and your kids have as much fun with this as we do!!!
Happy Fishing!!!

interesting. i might have to try this out next thursday afternoon.

thanks

Just made one of these last night after sunset and it is chilling out in the fridge waiting for me to clock out of here this evening. My boys have called me twice already today at work. I think they are a bit anxious and so am I.
We will hit the bow range for a 1/2 hour or so and then it will be fishing until dark.

I am trying this tonight! I hope it works will post picks if it does!

I made some and fed them to our guests as an appetizer.