What are your favorite techniques to imitate shad, specifically Gizzard Shad. 

3/4 oz RatLTrap

5” Basstrix

Baby Bull Shad

 

Lots of 5” & 6” knock offs of the Bull Shad design that should work good.

Tom

9" Bull Shad SS

When I need a break from throwing that heavy joker I'll throw the 6" floating, 6", 7", 8" BS SS, or Spro Chad Shad.

I like to bring a swim jig through the vegetation. 

 

Minimax in Spot Remover or Gizzard Shad with a 3" Armor Shad or 3.5" Spunk Shad trailer 

 

1/4th-3/8th Buzzbait with a Shad swimbait or shad colored skirt  

 

Rapala Rocco 5, SPRO Little Jon 50 Type R, and really a dozen other cranks....lots of baits I would happily throw in the crank category. 

 

Megabass Vision 110/Jr/+1 line of baits in GG Threadfin and MB Sexy Shad

 

I have far more success this time of year on downsized profiles than bigger ones......exact opposite of what I find to be the case right after the Spawn where I can't throw a big enough bait.       

As stated above

Arigs

small swimbaits 3.3-3.8 keitech fat swing impact

spinnerbaits

crankbaits square bills/Roccos/frittsides/DT6-DT10

Rapala Shad Rap 

4in. Storm WildEye Swim Shad   https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/storm-wildeye-swim-shad

They also offer a 9in. version.