If you want cheap catfish bait just find a bridge that goes over a small stream usually you can look below if you see some minnows it should be a great place to go chubbin. Some people use saning nets or minnow traps but that would be too easy. I use a little fishing pole like an ice fishing pole. Find as small as leadhead hook as you can find put a little worm on it lower it in the water and if it's a good stream it should be Wammo! as many free chubs as you feel like catching. Don't get down if you don't catch any in the first stream you try, you might just have to move to another bridge or another stream. It's a little bit of work but nothing beats free.