Gizzard Shad in Indiana'

[phatkat]

Anybody have any suggestions on how to get shad we have used a throw net and only come up with small shad is there a way to use a hook and line if so what bait would you use .

[rodpod]

Anybody have any suggestions on how to get shad we have used a throw net and only come up with small shad is there a way to use a hook and line if so what bait would you use .

I have heard you can catch them with a sabiki rig, but i have never done it. I havent seen very many big shad in the ohio river this year. Just lots of small ones. Where are you from?

[RIVER-RAT]

Phatkat, Gizzard shad are schooling fish and school normally with other fish the same size. Find a school of larger fish and your in luck. As long as they fit on the hook, they're good to go.

rodpod I think your thinking of skipjack....gizzard shad feed on plankton and a jig wouldn't catch a shad. However I could be wrong.

[rodpod]

Which is why ive never caught a shad on rod and reel. LOL Ive just seen people on the board say they have caught them on rod and reel with those rigs. And yes i have tons of skipjack in the freezer. I know what they like. But i do think you are right. All the shad I catch are the same size. But when there arent any small shad, i'll get luck after my 50th tired throw and catch a big one or two.

[phatkat]

rodpod im from centrall indiana crawforsville area I fish wabash,and racoon mainly and surrounding lakes and cataract.

[fwmud]

you're right, you won't catch gizzard shad on r/r. they won't hit lures/hooks. You'll have to cast net them. The american and hickory will hit a sabiki rig or shad darts.
You can try below dams and spillways for them.Always check your local regs on them. Most places hickory and american are considered game fish which imposes limits on them.
hope this helps ya bro.

[frogman]

New member, first post, are winter killed shad okay to use if you gather them right after ice-out and freeze them till summer, you see alot of big ones along the bank.

[Rat]

Frogman, after they've been dead in the water and you freeze them, odds are when you thaw them for bait you'll have mush. If that's all you can get, keep them mostly frozen when you put them on a hook, cast 'em out and leave them till you get a bite. Let them thaw in the water. They should stay on the hook for the cast when they are still partially frozen.
Rat

[Jagal]

I've caught shad on rod and reel and so has madkatter however they were mostly snagged...lol

[Fishgeek]

Welcome to the BOC Frogman! This is a great place!

Guys, just a reminder to help keep you out of trouble, gizzard shad (and carp)may NOT be used as LIVE bait in Indiana (except at Brookville Reservoir where live shad may be used). I know its a crazy rule since gizzard shad are all over the place...but its the rule.

[beaneye46]

the way i figure, if your going to use them as cut bait, than you could put more than one on a hook.

i caught one on a rod and reel once, with a little minnow, i didn't know what is was at first, it was the biggest shad ive ever seen it was all veiny, nasty.

[casey]

Phatkat Don't Turn You Nose Up At Those Small Shad They Are As Good A Bait As You Can Use. Give Me 2-3 In. Shad Anytime. I Cut Their Tails So They Bleed Out In The Water. Hook Them Whole With The Barb Thru The Eyes. Very Deadly.

[Jamey]

I have heard you can catch them with a sabiki rig, but i have never done it. I havent seen very many big shad in the ohio river this year. Just lots of small ones. Where are you from?

I've caught quite a few on sabiki rigs, but come to think of it, they WERE running pretty thick and likely foul-hooked..

[flathead20000]

Glad to see that you caught them on a pole. I don't know where everyone is saying you can't catch them on a pole. I live on the tippy, and be as it may I don't catch alot of them but I do catch them. They have to eat just like any other fish, and they will take a bait. I've caught them on nightcrawlers, I've caught them on rooster tails, I've caught them on white mister twisters, hell I caught one on shad guts on a limbline. So saying they can only be caught by net is nuts. It is probably the most effective way, but not the only way. Not ragging on anyone just sharing info!!!!!!!!!!!

[goose1]

go to bryant creek

[Fishgeek]

Flathead:

Do you know what a mooneye looks like? I'm not saying you didn't/couldn't catch gizzard shad on twister tails & rooster tails but its extremely rare. Gizzard shad eat zooplankton. Mooneyes tend to look an awful lot like shad and they are predators (they eat small fish & aquatic insects). I've caught goldeyes (similar to mooneyes, they're the only two species in the family Hiotontidae) on spinners in Kansas. I thought it was a shad too! Next time you catch one check to see if it has a lateral line. A mooneye will have a lateral line, gizzard shad don't. Also, gizzard shad have the long filament off the last ray of their dorsal fin, mooneyes don't.

[bsu_catfisher]

Fishgeek,

Are you one hundred percent sure on the fact that you can't use gizzard shad as live bait. If I remeber correctly that you can't use them in Brookville because they are not in the resivoir and they do not want them in there. I believe you can use them anywhere but there for the fact that they are in most of the other waters of the state.

[bsu_catfisher]

My fault....fishgeek is correct on not being able to use gizzard shad.....oops I have always read and heard wrong on that one.

[Fishgeek]

Yes BSU.

Here's the exact quote from the fishing regs: Page 42 at the bottom of the second column under the heading "Bait Fish and Crayfish"

"You may use wild fish as live bait as long as the fish was caught legally and meets any size, catch, or possession limits established for that species. Goldfish may be used as live bait. Carp and gizzard shad cannot be used as live bait, except at Brookville Lake where live shad may be used."

[bsu_catfisher]

Does anyone have any idea why we cannot use them live where they live already. That just doesn't make sense to me.

[Fishgeek]

Yes, its kinda' a crazy rule especially when, like Eaen eluded to, gizzard shad are all over the place anyway. But, the DNR spends a fair amount of time & money trying to keep shad (and other species) from getting in waters where they don't currently exist. The DNR also, at times, will draw down lakes when feasible and kill the shad to get rid of them. I think the rule is to prevent shad from getting back into these waters and prevent the "Oh! Gosh, I didn't know there weren't shad in this lake. There used to be shad in here."

[bsu_catfisher]

I guess that kind of makes sense.....but what about the Ohio River. They aren't going to drain it down and kill the shad off....can't happen. Even though I have used plenty of live shad in the river many times, and everyone I know uses them if they can keep them alive for more then five mins. Normally I use them dead because the dang things die quicker then anything I have ever seen. It just sounds like one stupid rule to me.

[bsu_catfisher]

Opps I forgot to say this before. Maybe this is something some of us can look into about getting fixed. If we put enough pressure on the state I am sure we can get the rule fixed to be more feesable.

[flathead20000]

You are absolutely right about the Moon Eyes. Now I feel kind of like an ass. I caught what I thought was a Shad yesterday and showed it to my neighbor. He told me it was a moon eye. I apologize if I offended anyone in my first post. I guess this is why we are on this sight, to learn from everyone. Thanks Fish Geek for calling me out. I would have never known the difference!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fcrnnngbck25]

when i fish sugar creak in crawfordsville or the wabash i juss throw out the cast net when i spot them near the creak outings

[Fishgeek]

No problem Flathead! I'm glad I could help out. You been catchin' much yet over there...besides mooneye, LOL!!?

[flathead20000]

Channels are really starting to pick up. Pretty much catching them on anything, but been doing best on shad guts I bought them so I know they are not moon eye guts, Ha Ha. Walleye and Sauger are starting to pick up pretty good as well. Caught two Sauger and one Walleye on Saturday. Only one smallmouth so far but really haven't targeted them yet, but I look for them to start hammering with the spawn right around the corner.