Thread: Catching shade?

Stupid phone shad not shade

When most people say shad they are referring to Gizzard shad . You're gonna need to get a cast net and learn to use it to catch them efficiently. They are algae feeders and are not readily taken by a hook.If there's a way to catch them conventionally with bait and hook I am not aware of it. Same goes for Threadfin shad if you have those in your waters.

Herring and Mooneyes...people have local names for these...skipjack etc. The Mooneys have teeth...the herring look like baby tarpon and fight about like them. You can catch them on Sabiki rigs ( need to learn to use them look on their website) and a variety of curl tail , tube jigs, small spoons and spinners. They can be picky some times like other fish. What works one day may not be the hot bait next time. Best to have a variety and experiment. Caught a lot on black and white tube jigs...chartreuse variations and smoke glitter curl tails and small chrome spoons,rooster tail spinners etc. What worked one day below Kentucky dam might not be the exact ticket a week later in the Ohio with a little different water color and they might be feeding on something a little different. You can also snag them with a treble hook if they are thick enough in the right place.

You have to find the places they congregate. I net gizzard shad on lakes by finding them on fishfinder and when they are shallow enough to see. And I don't mean shallow water necessarily...they may be right on the surface to three feet deep over fifty feet of water certain times of the year and you can sight cast your net at them.

You can catch gizzard shad (bull shad) on rod and reel.. if fishing from a dock with lights on the water they school up and swim in circles under the light. I use a small crappie rod with 4 lb flouro and a size 16 gold or silver treble hook. Some may say I am snagging them but in actuality they strike the hook out of aggression.

Sent from my Z982 using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app