Shad for bait??

[try'n hard]

I have always used minnows but my crappie schools are following the shad and I assume eating them although I've never found a shad in one. So does anyone use shad for bait? Talking about an average size of 3".... Like these

[DockShootinJack]

I have but they are hard to keep alive. A shad fished below the school of shad or just outside of it has proven deadly for me. On the lake I fish the crappie stay full of shad.

[shipahoy41]

two inch minnows or soft plastic baits for me.

[Luvfatslabs]

The lakes I fish shad will catch plenty of crappie, but as already mentioned
Keeping them alive is the problem

[kickingback]

Even using "Shad Keeper" you only keep them alive an hour or two more. They just die too easily. Minnows are preferred and they are natural bait for the crappie.

[huntinslabs]

To keep shad alive you need a very large round fully replenishing water flow. A 55 gallon drum cut in half with a bilge pump in water pumping in and an outflow up top will keep em for a long time. Quite a hassle to deal with though.

[UTVolGatorHater]

Shad are hard to keep alive but if you have the right set up they can stay alive for days and if not to hot outside a week or longer. If you are serious about it look into buying a Super Bait tank 2, EZ FLow, or a Bluewater Bait tank. All are about the same but on the expensive side. Shad are nasty so you have to have a real good filter system or they will get their scales and other stuff caught in their gills and won't be able to breathe and die.

[Brian Stucker]

I'm going to try it this spring. I have a Super Bait tank on order. There is a 10 week wait for one. They are hand made by one guy. And expensive! I have pulled some 6" or larger shad out of some of the bigger crappie I have cleaned. I think they would be deadly in the spring.