What is your method. I'm using a 3/16" castnet. I have to drift over shallow water to get them. My net doesn't sink fast enough in water over 10'. They get away except for the ones big enough to get gills stuck. It is a hassle and i don't try every trip. But when I do catch them I catch better crappie..

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call me and ill tell ya how i do it

alan

do you think adding a glow stick inside of a minnow trap would help catch?
just a thought.

(at night)

I learned quite a few years ago, that a 1/8" mesh net is better for catching Crappie sized Shad. I've got both sizes - 1/8" & 3/16" mesh - and use the 1/8 inch mesh one, for Crappie sized Shad ... the 3/16 inch mesh one, for Hybrid Striper/Catfish/Bass sized Shad.

If you've gottem in your waters, and you're handy with a long handled dipnet, you might try catching some Silverside minnows. That's those long, skinny, pencil shaped, light green backed little minnows ... that you sometimes see skipping/jumping out of the water. Back when I was a kid, my Grandpa made a dipnet just for catching them. It was about 8ft long, and had a wire basket net. The mesh was bigger than window screen, but not more than 1/8 inch openings. We'd put a lantern over the side of the boat, and I'd scull the boat along close to the bank. He'd dip them up, as they followed the light. You have to dip them "head on", 'cause if you try to come up from behind them ... they jump clear of the net, before you can get it out of the water. A five gallon bucket, 3/4 full of lake water, and a aerator pump is all you need to keep them. Even the recently dead ones will catch fish (I've even cut them in half and used them to catch Crappie )

Here's the critter I'm talkin 'bout :



Our dipnet was a homemade job, but they do sell some that would work just as well (if you're not a DIY'er ). You can put a light out over the side of the boat, right after dark, and use the TM on the slowest speed, and ease along the bank about 10-12ft from the water's edge ... if any are around, they'll come in and start following the light. I've even seen Shad do the same thing, but mostly only in small bunches. Silversides won't be in mass numbers, either. They'll come in 2's & 3's usually. Along a steep, rock bank, with nothing in the way of the boat, is usually a better place to try and catch them. And don't be surprised to see large Bass or Catfish right against the bank, as you ease along. Just be prepared for them to go nuts, when they think they're threatened ... I've seen 'em run into the side of the boat, then back up on the bank, and even try to jump over the boat (mostly the Bass). But, we were closer than 10ft from the water's edge, when that happened .... LOL !!

... luck2ya ... cp

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Excellent info on catchin them bait critters.

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Hardcore Slabber !!!!!!!!

Again, what tha? This last post seems out of place to me.

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Ain't nothin better than sitting on the lake during a sunrise catching your limit!

somebody shoot that guy!!

Darenme, this is a family board with ladies and children and post like that are not welcome. Jimmy S.

I have always used mono cast nets with plenty of weight. This is one of those situations where you get what you pay for. Get at least 8' net, but I prefer a 10"-12". The bigger the net the bigger the catch. Buy the heaviest (most pounds of lead weight per foot) that you can afford. This will make it sink fast and be easier to throw. A small 1/4"-3/8" mesh is the best. Too big of a mesh and you lose the crappie size shad. Too little and it sinks too slowly. Once you start catching shad, you will catch more fish and you will never buy bait again.