Where I live I have a tough time finding bigger shad or minnows at the bait shop. I've seen Craigaria have tremendous success with bait he's caught on his own and I'd love to know some tricks to success when trying to catch baitfish in my home lake.

I've never tossed a net in my life, so I'm really looking for some good, basic advice. Types of gear, finding the fish, keeping them alive, etc...

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan  

If the water temp is cold, the bait should be schooled up in deeper water. You have to use your fishfinder to locate the shad. You will have to cover alot of water to find the bait school. On your finder, the bait will look like a ball if your boat is moving fast. Slow down and go back over the area, and the bait will almost black out the screen when you are above them. When we found the bait school the other day, it was fooling the fishfinder into believing it was only 5 foot deep. In reality it was really 17 foot deep. Once you are over the bait, now is the time to throw the net. As far as casting the net, it isn't too hard with a little practice. Do a search on youtube on casting nets, and there are a few good instructional video clips on there. Be sure to buy a good quality net. The one I have is a Bett's 8 foot net with 1/2" mest. It was $65 at bass pro. If you get a good cast into the school, you will catch way more bait than you need. You can be selective and keep only the biggest shad and throw the little ones back. You will need a sorting bucket and a bait tank to help keep them alive. I use a 5 gal bucket for the sorting tank. The sorting tank is necesary because the shad will regurgitate plankton when you catch them, so this bucket allows them to do this without ruining the bait tank water. Put about a handful of rock salt in the bucket and fill it with lake water. Dump your net into the bucket and pick the best shad and put them into the bait tank. Leave the shad in the bucket for a few minutes before putting them in the bait tank.  It helps to have a round, aireated bait tank so the shad can swim in a circle, or else they will swim into a corner the whole time and kill themselves. Also the water temp in the tank should be less than 10 degrees differant from the lake water, use ice if necessary to cool down the tank. For the bait tank, use water out of your hose at the house. Depending on the size of the tank, use 1 to 2 handfuls of rocksalt, and a chemical like shad keeper, which they have at BPS too.

Now for the fishing part When the bait is schooled tight like this, the bass won't be far away. You can actually see the fish on the finder if sitting still, they will look like horizontal lines moving throughout the school. Rig your pole like a carolina rig but use a 1 oz weight and about a 3 to 4 foot leader. You can use whatever hook you like, but we were hooking up better using a treble hook. Drop the rig straight down and count the depth your are putting the bait at. Use multiple poles and vary the depths on each to find where you are getting the most strikes. It helps to have rodholder, or else you might lose your rod and reel

The hardest part is finding the bait, depending on how big your lake is it could take hours. Keep in mind too that I have just started fishing with this technique, and I am telling you what I learned from my friend who is a guide. There are many other ways to go about it, but this is what we were doing to take advantage of the cold water bait schools. As the water warms up, the big schools will break up and move to shallower water, so this technique probably won't work as good then. Sorry for the long post, just trying to tell you what I have learned so far... 8-)

I guess it doesn't help you much since your getting yours from a lake, but if there's a nearby creek/river etc. etc. I've always caught my minnows with a big ol' pickle jar, a screen on top with a hole in it and some crackers. Most of my fishing is done on a small river so I stop and catch some minnows, use em up and then go back for more whever i decide to stop at.

The biggest shad were catching the biggest fish. These were threadfins, and the biggest were 5" to 6"  long. We caught fish with the smaller shad too, but they weren't as big

I had the same problem as you with the bait.  I was using the live bait for catfish, but the same general principle applies to catching live bait for bass as well.  Run by your local Wal-Mart and pick up the 3.5' or 4' radius casting/throw net for about $15 I think.  It comes in a box with a page of directions on how to throw the thing.  As for where to find bait, I suggest going to a stream/creek/shallow river that leads into the body of water you'll be fishing so that the bait you catch will be a native species.  Wade out into the pools, most of your large minnows/shiners will be in the deep spot right at the end of the riffle sections.  This works pretty well and you can usually cast right back in after your first batch of fish comes out of the net and pull up another net full of fish.  If your net gets hung up on the bottom in some rocks or sticks, jump in and untangle it by hand because the mesh will tear and ruin the net.

Craigaria,

I really appreciate you going into such detail. Largemouth are only half the reason I want to catch shad. My home lake is supposedly a good lake for stripers, and I hear native gizzard shad are the way to go when targeting them.

Thank you to all for replying!

Dan

What about shiners?

What methods do you use to catch them?

PS>  I can't throw a cast net because of my mistake shoulder.

I'd like to know about the shiners too.

Dont worry avid i have 2 good shoulders ill try to catch enough for both of us. If I can go without tangling myself up in the net!

What about shiners?

What methods do you use to catch them?

PS>  I can't throw a cast net because of my mistake shoulder.

If you bring a friend with you to a creek, then you can use a seine net to catch plenty of nice sized shiners.  These things take some practice too, but it would only require the use of one of your shoulders and one shoulder of a friend.  Remember, the best place in a creek to get the shiners and big minnows is right at the end of the riffle where it dumps into a little bit deeper section.  Also, scoop the seine net into the current, across the bottom, and all the way up the face at the drop at the riffle's end.  I'll bet that you'll probably pick up tons of crayfish doing this too.

what about parking in a cove or other spot on a small lake, and drawing the shiners to you then catching them with small hooks and light spinning gear.

I hear all kinds of things, like crakers, dough balls, oatmeal, even dog foood, etc.

what do you suggest?

avid,

The best place for you and me to catch live bait is a bait store! I have a success rate approaching 100%.

Avid!

Buy a minnow trap!  A little cage with holes on each side, add a few piece of bread and a old donut.  Throw it into a creek, river, pond over night.  I catch chubs, minnows, shad, and crawdads that way.  Be sure to check the rules and guidelines of where you throw it first!

I went back to the lake today to fish with artificials. I figured I'd take a 5 gallon bucket in case I found the bait. I was only going to keep a few shad and give them a try. Well guess what, I found the bait right off the bat and first throw I netted around 400 or so shad The bad part was that they didn't live in the little bucket I knew I should of taken the bait tank. Skunked :  Go figure...

Craig,

I was wondering if I, could hire you, to take me "SHAD FISHING" for bass on your home lake? You know, maybe show me a thing or two about live bait fishing... ;D Nah! I'm just kidding! Lets hook up and go catch some hybrids soon. I'm tired of catching all those big bass!! : NOT!!! I hope all of this cold air holds up, sure is making it easy to catch bait and bass!

Good fishing,

Kenny

Avid,

 I catch shiners on a cane pole with a piece of white bread.you have to take several slices.Pinch off little pieces of bread,roll them into balls and toss a few in for chum.You may have to try a few locations till you see the shiners popping at the bread balls.

 I use a # 10 tru-turn hook with a small bobber abot a foot to 18" up.Just lift the rod slightly when you get bit.If you set the hook too hard you come back with just shiner lips.

Craig,

I was wondering if I, could hire you, to take me "SHAD FISHING" for bass on your home lake? You know, maybe show me a thing or two about live bait fishing... ;D Nah! I'm just kidding! Lets hook up and go catch some hybrids soon. I'm tired of catching all those big bass!! : NOT!!! I hope all of this cold air holds up, sure is making it easy to catch bait and bass!

Good fishing,

Kenny

This is the man that showed me the ropes of live bait fishing No charge guided trip for you ;D I am definately ready for the hybrids too. Jason and Ryan want to g also. Maybe we can take a couple of boats and gang up on them. Good luck at Varner this weekend! I'll give you a call Sunday 8-)

Oh, BTW, This is Craig ;D I am on Blue eye's computer and didn't realize I was signed in under her ;D

Avid,

I catch shiners on a cane pole with a piece of white bread.you have to take several slices.Pinch off little pieces of bread,roll them into balls and toss a few in for chum.You may have to try a few locations till you see the shiners popping at the bread balls.

I use a # 10 tru-turn hook with a small bobber abot a foot to 18" up.Just lift the rod slightly when you get bit.If you set the hook too hard you come back with just shiner lips.

this sounds great.  I love the simplicity of it.  I don't own a cane pole, but I do the same thing with my little ultra light spinig rod.

thanks, it sounds like fun.

I like the minnow trap idea too.  I think I may go for that.

Rw I used to buy shiners, but in the canoe there is no live well so I have the "bubbles" thingy and a big bucket.  My canoe is so crowded as it is, I'm loosing valuable equipment.  I think I'll stick with a "catch em as I need em" approach.

Here's a link for a mini bait tank:

http://www.kayaksportfishing.com/shopping/store_baittanks.htm

And here's a link for components to make you own bait tank:

http://www.kayakfishinggear.com/catalog/bait_tank_components_375374_products.htm