Belews Creek help - how to fish bait balls

Hey guys, I live on Belews Lake and right now there shad bait balls everywhere. Occasionally I'll see bass bust them on the top but for the most part the forage is relatively unharrassed. I've gotten up close enough to them to see that they are huge bait balls (ranging from 1 to 5 yards wide squared) with millions of what I guess are shad but all about 1 to 2 inches long.

There MUST be fish under these bait balls right? Whether bass or crappie or anything. (I've been told Belews doesn't have hybrids or stripers). How the heck can I catch anything off these bait balls? How would you guys fish them to catch ANYTHING? It's baffling to me. I've casted to the either side of the bait ball, ran my bait through it, plopped my bait directly in the middle of it, etc. Tried flukes, tried crappie jigs, tried spinner baits, tried grubs, tried crank baits....I even let them sink down under the bait ball.

Any ideas? I guess the fish have so much real/natural food that they have no need to look at lures?

throw a cast net over bait ball, let it sink to bottom. You will immediately know what is under. If you did not get what you wished, there is no fish chasing them.

LOL yeah i guess that's one way!

I was out again today (Friday). Saw about 10-12 boats crappie fishing. No one catching. Nice day though.

I live in stokes co. By belews lake myself. There is a great population of crappie. But the spotted bass and the largemouth work the bait balls mostly. There is a significant amount of catfish as well so the fish near the bait could be varried. Unless you see something busting in the bait. They could be just schooling up. Depending on your electronics on your boat you may be able to telling more detail what is there as well

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