Cut-bait?

[BigCatDreaming]

I have fished with bluegills, but in most northern illinois lakes the channels just want livers. I am considering going to fish rend lake in illinois soon and i need to know where i can find fresh shad or that other bait (i'm sorry i forgot the name) the use on the website films. Can anyone help me?

[flathunter]

You need to get a castnet and get you some fresh shad, try shallow water around your lakes, or spillways if you have them

[BigCatDreaming]

Then with the shad do i just want to use the mid-section and the head? I heard somewhere that the tail is useless to cats.

[Ghoulscout 13]

I have had most success on their heads, but if you have big enough tackele to use them live then thats the best way to go, just scale em or cut em a little before casting them out, that way they get more of a smell and blood in the water to get the cats attention

[Dwednuts]

I have heard that there are some nice Flatheads in that lake. I would also bring along some live bluegill in the 3' to 6' range just for that reason. Shad will work also, I generally hook them whole through the eyes and slice the gut pocket open to get the scent out better.

[flathunter]

I have caught fish with all sections of shad, but the head has worked best for me.

[LarryW]

First off welcome to the BOC. Liver should work good in rend lake for chanels. I think you will find most of the bait shops on the west side of the lake close to the camp grounds over there. Been a while sense I have been there so don't know if there are any new ones around. What part of the lake are you planing to fish, and do you have a boat?

[BigCatDreaming]

Thanks for the greetings! I am still in the process of really sitting down and scoping out area's along the map I have of the lake. Any suggestions? I will be shore fishing and a camp ground would be nice.

[Baitkiller]

In Lakes I've had good sucess with cut Gills etc. You are right in looking for Shad though!!

Good Hunting

[LarryW]

Camping should be no problem, there are campgrounds all around the lake. Mostly set up for campers but they do have some nice tent camping sights on the east side of the lake.
For bank fishing it is good in a lot of areas around the tent camps but two wpots I would recomend to fish are the old road way off of rout 37 on the east side and in the spillway at the south end of the lake.
The spillway has eazy access on the east side. There is a parking area and an observation platform there and stairs leading down to the water. Go down the water way just about to where there is a fork where the water dumps into the big muddy. Ther are some nice holes there and good chanels and blues. The old roadway of of 37 is nice but I always liked it after dark, and it depends on how high the water is as to whether you can get out onto the old road.

Good luck and hope you catch a bunch. Larry W

[BigCatDreaming]

Does the Spill way have some really fast moving water or is it just like a simple river current? Just curious so i know what kind've weights I'd need to bring.

[IL Hunter]

I cut the tail off the shad then cut the rest into chunks. I hook it all the way through right under the back bone. You can catch some pretty good sized ones that way. If its monsters your after but the thing on the hook whole.