Free Catfish Bait???

By Chad D. Ferguson

Gizzard Shad and Threadfin Shad

Shad are an excellent option for all types of catfish. They work well on rod and reel, jug lines and trotlines also. Shad are abundant in all of the area lakes and with a little time invested in learning to throw a cast net, you can have all the free bait you want.

Cast nets are large round nets that are attached to a long rope. The net is thrown in the water and allowed to sink, and then the rope is used to "retrieve" the net, which cinches up when you pull the rope in. These nets run around $20 each and are available at most tackle shops.

There will be instructions included with the net and the best advice I can offer is to read the instructions and learn to throw the net BEFORE you go to the lake and expect to catch bait. The cast nets are somewhat cumbersome and difficult to manage at first, but with a few hours invested in learning to throw the net, you will be throwing like a pro.

Shad can on occasion be difficult to find, but the easiest way to locate them is to go into the shallow waters around lights, just before first light. Most of the marinas will have good quantities of shad in the area congregating around the lights early in the morning just before the sun comes up. If you watch the water closely you will usually see small flashes of silver on the top of the water while the shad are feeding.

You may see me out on the water lobbing a cast net, and you will know me when you see me. I'll be the 6'6" lanky fella' spinning around on the bank like a six year old ballerina hurling a net into the water.

When fishing with shad, it is best to use either fresh live or dead shad, or catch your shad the day before and keep them on ice. You cannot buy live shad at most bait shops because they are very difficult to keep alive.
Many bait shops sell frozen shad but they are often hard to use because when they begin to thaw they do not stay on the hook well. The frozen shad are also not anywhere near the fish catchers that live or freshly dead shad are. Something happens in the freezing process that changes things. I do not know what it is that happens but the frozen shad simply do not attract as many fish.

Shad should be hooked with a good sharp hook through the tail or below the dorsal fin (I prefer the tail) and then threaded on the hook so a fish can not snatch your bait easily. They can also be cut with a knife a bit to help attract fish..

When handling live shad make sure your hands are clean and having your hands wet when you handle them will keep them alive longer. The less you handle them the better off you are. If you are not keeping them in the water you need to have an aerated live well or bucket. One thing to remember if you are trying to keep your shad alive is that the live well must be round or oval. You cannot keep shad alive in a square tank, because they will congregate in the corners, and ultimately die for the lack of oxygen that they create for themselves.

They do not have to be alive to work, so I have never worried much about keeping them alive..
Just make sure you have a cooler full of ice and ice them down on fresh clean ice and they will stay good for 24 hours.

For more information on Catfishing and to get local fishing reports log onto www.whiskerkitty.com or call Chad Ferguson at 817-306-0325