Drop-shoting Shad

[EastCoastAngler]

A local golf course that I fish at is LOADED with big bass. After fishing this pond for a little while last spring, I noticed baitfish moving around. Upon further notice, I found a couple threadfin shad, that had been partially eaten by birds, laying on the bank. I had the idea of drop-shoting some of those shad that are typically used for catfishing just to see what would happen. It seemed to make sense because that is about as realistic as a dying shad suspending in the water. It started raining as I was trying this out and left without any answers. Has anyone ever tried this? 

[Choporoz]

Drop shotting dead shad?  Much has been written about how bass will avoid dead fish.... maybe catch some live ones, and let them swim under a float

[jr231]

Agreed ^ or just free line them . If I was doing that id hook it through the lower jaw and out a nostril. 

[J Francho]

I don't know about dead, salted shad, but we used to catch bass all the time fishing for crappie, pre-bass season using fat head minnows on what would later become known as the "drop shot rig."

[TnRiver46]

I have caught lots of nice bass on dead shad. They work good on a jig head too

[WRB]

Bass are individuals and do what they want, however eating dead bait isn't usually a good idea.

I spent about 10 years in the 60's fishing all types of live bait including live Threadfin Shad.

If the bait died you could soak it all day without any strikes, unless a catfish found it. Stripe bass will eat dead bait.

The key was not only does the live bait need to be alive it needs to be lively and fresh to be effective.

Fly lining (no weight) using 4lb to 6lb mono or FC and nose hooking a live Shad with a light wire drop shot ( Mosqiuto ) hook is very effective method. Adding a small split shot to gain more casting distance is OK. Threadfin are not easy to keep lively, they need good water circulation and aeration in a large bucket. Definately bass candy!

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

I fish a 3 way rig for catfish and wipers during the winter with live or fresh dead shad. I've caught some really nice bass doing it, even on dead or cut shad. 

[z7master167]

Never heard the theory of bass not estimg dead bait.. was fishing Florida last year with shiners and they would eat them dead or alive. Alive did get more bites but the biggest bass of the trip came on a dead shiner at 8.5 lbs

[WRB]

39 minutes ago, z7master167 said:

Never heard the theory of bass not estimg dead bait.. was fishing Florida last year with shiners and they would eat them dead or alive. Alive did get more bites but the biggest bass of the trip came on a dead shiner at 8.5 lbs

I agree some bass will eat dead or even cut bait, my point is lively live bait is your best choice, fresh dead is less effective than arcticial lures in my opinion based on experience.

Occasionally someone catches a big bass on fresh cut fish when cat or striper fishing, last week a 8 lb + rainbow trout was caught on cut mackerel and another big bass on a cheese ball by a trout angler. These are unusual catches and I doubt that they will be repeated by those anglers in thier lifetime.

Tom

[jr231]

I agree with Tim. I think slightly crippled is the best though. Especially if using larger live bait. 

[J Francho]

Another anecdotal experience: when I use a Hopkins spoon for smallies, I'll run into tons of gobies.  I smack them off the hook rather then touch the slimy things, and this usually kills them, leaving a trail of dead gobies in the area.  After a couple dozen gobies, if there's smallies in the area, yu can see them gobbling them up.  Sometimes ignites the fish in the area.

[kcdinkerz]

I've used them for hybrids but not the prepackaged stuff. Net some live ones if your allowed. 

[RoLo]

 

Absolutely, dead shad is a dynamite bait, and some might even refer to it as cheating.

 

Your question takes me back several decades, when my wife & I vacationed at Dale Hollow

to sample the bronzeback fishing. The proprietor asked me how we were doing,

and I answered "very well". We came to learn that we were the only residents at the lodge doing well,

and were awakened the following morning by thumping on our cabin door!  

As it happened, Lois & I were using a "jig & dead minnow", with minnows I caught on a small hook.

 

Roger

 

 

 

[Angry John]

its funny how fishermen can have such vastly different experiences doing the same thing.  I see it happen here all the time and if you keep your mind open you will find that there is never a correct or perfect answer just people doing things to make it work for them.