I put this question on the main board but want more local input. What is better, natural shad from the lake you are fishing or minnows from the local bait shop?
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I put this question on the main board but want more local input. What is better, natural shad from the lake you are fishing or minnows from the local bait shop?
Maj, the big drawback on Shad from what they're told me is they don;t last in your bait tank. If it's square, they'll swim to a corner and since they stay in that corner, they won;t get water over their gills and they'll die. I thought about that last year when I got my cast net and was told to not even try it
My on-board bait wells and my Frabil are round, think that would matter. If you could keep them alive would they be better?
NOt only what DD said but I have heard 2 other schools of thought on this. One, is the match the hatch theory, this one is self explanatory. Second, is get close to the hatch theory. This one may require a little bit of explanation. Close to the hatch theory is if you match the hatch your bait does not stand out, therefore a little subtle difference can make your bait stand out and make a difference in the catching. I have seen theory 2 work more often than theory 1.
That makes sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by tritonman
They are really hard to keep alive, and especially if they are caught in a cast net. Cant beat minnows. In the spring use small to medium,in the fall large.They are eating 4-5 in shad right now.
Dang, we on a roll today. Just us 3 ain;t it? LOL
Was us 3. Morning Jim
OOOOOO. I thought this thread was about something else. I prefer natural:D
Thanks Mr. Jim. Not going to buy a cast net now.Quote:
Originally Posted by jimfish
You got a chicken ranck in your part of the state????Quote:
Originally Posted by EmptyStringer
Those things are hard to throw right. I have on on my boat for when I WAS going to go down to the coast this summer. Just didn't happen thanks to the oil though. I can never get it to open up more than about 1/2 or 2/3's of the way
To keep shad alive you really need a bait tank that supplies the tank with constant fresh water. They loose ALOT of scales and will eventually sufficate if you dont either filter the water or keep it replaced with fresh water. I fished with a guide once on Pickwick and he had a tank set up and they stayed alive all day. We caught a ton of Small Mouth on em.
I agree with Triton.....gee that scares me just thinking about it....but yeh....use store bought minnows.
+1 NaturalQuote:
Originally Posted by EmptyStringer
G3, that should scare the coffee right out of you
ditto!!!:DQuote:
Originally Posted by emptystringer
I like natural myself, some of the store bought ones look too big. Oh, I'm sorry, this is about bait ain't it.
As many minnows that have been dumped in Barnett over the past 48 years, the ones you buy at the bait shop probably out number the regular shad.
I always pour my leftovers in the grass at the ramp.
I bring what few we have left home for the yard cat.
I'm with you Sat.