Shad. A huge food resource of well, seems like every fish...

 

We have so many options on what lure to mimic this fish with.... Crank baits, jigs, plastics, spoons, spinner baits....ect...

 

Personally I'm a plastic and jig fishing kind of guy. I throw crank baits every now and than, but with minimal luck...

 

So what type of bait are all of you guys using to play copy cat of this oh so familiar fish??

 

How many of yall are still using spoons? I'm tempted to just go back to basics and play around with spoons trying for green backed friends.

YUM Houdini Shad

Squarebills with sexy shad in color, however there really isn't to many shad up hear, but it works. Biggest forage is yellow perch with crappie coming in 2nd.

ZOOM Fluke's.

If you're wanting to go back to basics, take a white or smoke colored grub, rig it on a 1/8oz darter or ballhead jig with the hook exposed, cast and reel.  If they are a bit deeper, count it down to the proper depth, then retrieve.  If the fish are in shallow cover, rig that thing weightless and reel it in just fast enough to where it is making a small ripple on the surface.  

 

No one throws grubs anymore and it's just about the best shad imitator there is.

 

For hardbaits, there is no better shad imitation than a jerkbait.  I like different ones for different seasons, but for this time of year, you cannot go wrong with the Rapala Original Minnow.  I like gold or silver, both with black backs.  Throw it to any shady pockets, especially if there is cover in the shade, and let all the ripples settle after it has hit the water.  After about 30 seconds, give it one twitch, then wait another 30 seconds.  Twitch it twice.  Let it sit another 30, then one more twitch and a few second pause.  If no one hits it, move on and find another piece of shallow, shady cover.

 

Good luck!

Zoom Super Fluke.

 

Keitech Swim Impact Fat.

 

Lake Fork Magic Shad.

 

Spro BBZ-1 Shad.

 

5 inch Bull Shad!

 

By the way... where is heck is Illernois?

Xcaliber XR50

Shadrap, fluke, spinnerbait.

4" Bass Assassin Sea Shad, Red Eye Shad

Some good options there. Still haven't remembered to throw my spoons in my boat for an outing but planning on it in the near future.

 

Got out last weekend and was slaying them on a Bagley shad colored crankbait. First good luck I've had on a crankbait in awhile.

Oh and Jay gee, you've never been to good ol illernois? You know, the state just bordering Missouri and Indiana?

squarebills, rattle traps, swimming caffeine shad, 1/4oz blade baits.