Python - a bytes like object is required, not str

Question

I'm moving my Twitch bot from Python 2.7 to Python 3.5. I keep getting the error: a bytes like object is required not 'str' on the 2nd line of the code below.

twitchdata = irc.recv(1204)
    data = twitchdata.split(":")[1]
    twitchuser = data.split("!")[0]
    twitchmsg = twitchdata.split(":")[2]
    chat = str(twitchuser) +": "+ str(twitchmsg)
    print(chat) #prints chat to console

Answer 1

try

data = twitchdata.decode().split(":")[1]

instead of

data = twitchdata.split(":")[1]