Thread: Shad for Bait

My Grandparents used to, but they used a long handled wire mesh net (homemade), but I don't remember them catching any more Crappie than we did with minnows. Their running buddies used to cut the Shad in half & use them, lifting their lines every now & then to keep the "bait" moving (& probably to shake off the "smell" into the water).
I've done it with a cast net, but mostly for Hybrid Stripers. I really don't remember catching all that many Crappie, though, when I did fish for them with the smaller Shad. I used a 3/8" mesh net for the Hybrid Striper size bait, and a 1/4" mesh net for the Crappie size bait.

The biggest problem is keeping the Shad alive for any extended period of time, which usually requires more than just a 5gal bucket and a bubbler

In some states, you have to have a permit, to be able to catch them. So read up on your states laws.

If you watch Richard Gene as i do, you will often hear him talk about how important the presence of shad schools are with regard to Crappie.
In fact he stresses looking for them first in the area you plan on fishing.
So is he referring to minnows?
Ive also seen him cast net them and use them as bait.

I enjoy Richard’s videos a lot. He’s a great fisherman. He is speaking about schools of actual shad (juvenile size - about 2-3”). I would guess that is probably the natural forage for most lake / river crappie, while pond fish probably eat minnows, baby bluegill, or whatever else they can fit down their throat. Just wanted to see if anyone uses shad for bait consistently and if so, how well it might work compared to minnows.


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Well if they are simply juvenile shad then at some point they become adult shad which im familiar with.
But im not aware of any shad in the lakes i fish here in Florida. I am aware of shiners, which are targeted here on some of the lakes i fish by commercial shiner fishermen using bait and cast nets.
I do know that the places i buy minnows get them from out of state, which surprised me.
So maybe the bait schools i see are small shiners, or are they simply shiners?
Meaning the only minnows in the lakes are the ones people like me release when it’s time to leave?

You’re going to have a hard time keeping the shad alive long enough to use it. The striper guides that fish with shad have special rounded, large, bait tanks and are constantly fiddling with them, adding salt, cleaning the filter, etc.

Anyone ever try to keep them alive in one of those jumbo minnow trolling buckets? Or one of those floating laundry baskets? Seems like that might eliminate having to fuss with the water quality. Maybe I just need to go out and try it and report back, lol.


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Posted3/29/2020
A 5 gallon plastic pickle bucket with the lid from Berger King makes a great bait tank and the price is right. Most fast food Berger joints will usually give to these buckets, some might charge you $0.50 or so.

Actually water quality IS a real big deal when it comes to keeping bait healthy and alive in all summer bait tanks and livewells. The magic inside the best bait tank IS the water quality inside the bait tank.

I think the best bait tank is the bait box that will keep shiners, shad and other baits healthy and alive all day every summer when environmental water gets into the 80’s and 90’s F.

We all know that most live bait fishermen may say they never have any bait problems in the summer, they can manage their water quality and never overstock their bait tanks. Some do have serious problems every summer because they cannot maintain minimal safe water quality and overstock their bait tanks depleting the dissolve oxygen quickly. Their bait catches the red-nose, gets sloppy and dies in short order.

About Livewells, bait tanks and water qualityhttp://oxyedge-chum.com/livewells-bait-tanks-and-water-quality/

How does anyfisherman make great bait tank water quality?

1. Always have plenty dissolved oxygen
2. Add a little salt to aid osmoregulationand electrolyte balance
3. Change the bait tank water a few timedaily to control dissolved CO2, acid water, excess ammonia and nitrites and thebig chunks of feces, scales and urine
4. And don’t overcrowd the bait tank with bait.

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Plenty oxygen does not mean plenty air or plenty water pumped through bait tanks/livewells with high volume water pumps. Don’t be confused between air and oxygen. Insuring minimal safe dissolved oxygen saturation is absolutely vital.

That’s about all there to insuring great water quality in any brand bait tank, ice chest or 5 gallon plastic bucket.