How do I need to hook shad for trolling?

[kunes]

Which lake is that in IN? Is that the one that they drained last year and then killed all the shad and filled it back up this spring. West Boggs?

Patoka Lake was another example of the DNR getting rid of the Gizzard Shad before the lake was filled. But somehow Gizzard Shad returned to Patoka Lake in 1996. I find Gizzard Shad in the strip pits that I fish which is hydrologically connected to the Ohio River Via Pigeon Creek and Blue Grass Creek during times of flooding.

I have also read that Gizzard shad are easily stressed and very difficult to keep alive in captivity.

Lots of people use cast nets to capture them in the River and then use them for bait. I suppose they are using them for catfish bait by cutting them up and putting them on the hook.

Are Threadfin shad hard to keep alive like Gizzard Shad? I am just curious if anyone knows anything about keeping Threadfin Shad alive?

Striper fishers on Lake Norman NC keep shad alive to use as bait. They used to have alot of info on the subject on their message board but I could not find it this am. Here is a link with some good info. www.arkansasstripers.com/keeping_shad_alive.htm

[Moose1am]

I deal with a lot of the same things when I keep crappie in my small aquairum. That reminds me. LOL It's time to change the water in the Aquarium.

It's important to exchange the water with fresh water to reduce the ammonia and Nitrates that build up from the fish waste. This ammonia can build up very fast.

I didn't know about the foam being a problem but that makes sense. And who would have thought that milk would help aleviate that problem

Salt in the water Never heard of that but thanks for that tip. Actually I have used a salt bag to help soften the water. My tap water comes from Wells and it's very hard. It contains a lot of calcium or magnesium. (SP?) The water softening bag is rejunivated in a salt soln. I found out how to mix the proper salt soln somewhere. I know that salt is used in water softners to remove a lot of the ions that make water hard. Soft water is easier to adjust when it pertaines to pH of the water.

And pH is also a very important paramter. The same chemicals that can remove the chlorine and Chloramines can also adjust the pH of the water to neutral 7.0

Striper fishers on Lake Norman NC keep shad alive to use as bait. They used to have alot of info on the subject on their message board but I could not find it this am. Here is a link with some good info. www.arkansasstripers.com/keeping_shad_alive.htm

[crappie66]

I was referring to West Boggs. I am sure you see all the posting on the other message board about the midnight stocker search reward. I didn't realize the shad were such a problem in the other larger reservoir/lakes. I have seen some of these shad get pretty big, over 18 inches. At that size they are almost too big for musky and flatheads to feed on. I guess it is a good thing that a major portion of their population is killed off each year when the lakes get cold and freeze over.

[lswoody]

Thanks for the info guys. On keeping shad alive in a tank you also must not put to many shad in one tank, I would say a 20-25 gallon tank minimum. Mine is a 35 plus gal. home made tank. And the tank must be round or oval, no corners. The shad will all bunch up in the corners and will get bloody noses and will die quickly from that, and/or from lack of oxygen from not being able to keep swimming in a circular motion. For keeping foam down you can use non-dairy coffee creamer. Make sure that your recirculating pump is no to powerful, this can kill them. I use a 360 gph pump and it works great.
lswoody

[redear]

I have fished west boggs about six years(that was three years after complete renovation) the redear and blue gill size and numbers was outstanding,however three years ago shad began to show up and now,the population is still high,the size is small 4to5 inchs compared to 10to12inchs and larger. it is very sad to see a fine fishery die and thats exactly what happened. (In my opinion),the first thing that happened to boggs was all the coontail was killed,then the shad were put in. There has been no complete renovation,since about ten years ago.In an attempt to control,the shad, the lake level has been dropped about 9or10 feet the past two winters in order to winter kill them. I drove to boggs in january of 2004 and there was a tremndous shad kill,hundreds of thousands were laying dead on the banks of the lowered lake,the seagulls were having a feast. I went back to fish for gills and reds but sad to say the large schools of shad were still there and of course short of complete draining and renovating the gill and redear size will not make the 140 mi. round trip worth it,for me, I used to fish this water 4to5 times a week. I will go back maybe once or twice this year just to see how things are going. Maybe.

[unknown 5]

I would say you have a better chance hooking into a big cat instead of a crappie trolling with a shad. I am on a catfish board as much as I am on this board and no one over there has a good way to keep shad alive.

[FalconSmitty]

live shad tank here is a easy tank to make and it works. we made one like it several years ago.

[CrappiePappy]

I think the only problem with your technique, was that you left the Shad on the hook way too long ! You should probably have changed to new Shad about every 10-15mins. If you were "drift" trolling - hooking thru the back or lips should be OK. If you were "speed" trolling, trolling under electric power (even very slowly), or "drift trolling" (wind power) at a good speed .... you probably would want to lip hook the Shad, or run the hook in their mouth and out thru/between the nostrils. Shad will "drown" pretty quickly, if dragged sideways (back hooked) or backwards (tail hooked) for any length of time.

Some things you can do, especially with the dead or dying Shad : use them for "chum" -- cut them in half and put them on tightline rods, jiggling the rods every now & then (good to do when tied to a tree or anchored over brush) -- put one on a jighead and cast it to shallow cover (use the thru the mouth/out the nostril hookup method). You can also use a live one to cast this way with ... just don't try to long distance cast, use a "pitching" or "lob" type cast so that the Shad doesn't sling off or land on the water's surface too hard.
One inch to three inch long Shad are excellent live bait for Crappie ...... just be aware that Bass, Catfish, and most other predator fish are going to take a liking to them, too ...LOL!! ..........luck2ya ........cp

[lswoody]

Thanks for the info Pappy!!!!! I don't care if I do catch other fish. They are all fun to catch!!! LOL!!!!

[Rookie1]

Hook shad through the soft spot in their nose and they will just about live all day in the winter. During warmer months they will die quicker on the hook. They are pretty easy to keep alive in the winter as cold water holds more oxygen. I can hold about 4 dozen in my 20 gal. livewell in the winter. In the summer it really helps to have a bait tank that aerates and filters the water. It's real important to keep the water temp. stable, plenty of 02 in the water and the water clean. The shad lose their scales easy and they get caught in their gills and kill 'em. Best bait there is though. Good luck with 'em.

Rookie