Shad: Rotten or Fresh

[jawbreaker]

Think about it , what would you want if you was hungry ? With exception of maybe vultures , most critters prefer fresh food . when someone tells me they catch on rottin stuff , they just happened to be at a great spot and they were feeding well cuz most certainly it will work , critters live in a tuff world and at times they eat what they have to .to survive .

[Pragsdale]

The Fresher the better, Fish Eat Fish!!

[coolbreeze70]

Fresh is what I use. Besides, rotten would be hell to keep on the hook.

[tncatin]

Fresh Shad is hard to beat. The old stuff goes to the chum grinder.

[catoon]

fresh they stink when setting in sun :rose-dead:

[crackers]

You aint fishing, you aint Stinking..Or is it the other way round.been so long i bout forgot.

[playin4funami]

Hmmmmm...... I have to wonder how many that said fresh only live in areas where ice covers the lake for a couple months at a time, if they do then they should know that soured shad is unbeatable as the ice goes off the lake, the rest of the year the fresher the better. If you don't have hard water I can understand fresh being #1. givem what they want, in early spring around here we could fish identical rigs with your shad being fresh and mine soured and you would sit there all day without a bite while I pulled them in one after another, no secrets here.

[boombalaty]

Imo fresh is much better for bigger cats but rotten stuff will work for eaters if you can keep it on the hook.

[kyleco55]

I voted fresh. I prefer to use fresh bait, no matter what it is, or what I'm fishing for.

I DO however keep all my un-used shad, and throw them in a blender (NOT mommas kitchen blender), then mix that in with some cat tails, and other "secret" ingredients to make a punch bait.. farm ponds and other smaller ponds, this bait is dynamite for 1-2lb channels!

[Pip]

Far as channels go....

Warmer month's.... fresh is best.

Dead of winter, I don't know about plain rotten, but I'll stick with my twice frozen gills, shad, or what ever I got that will have a good scent. When I'm able, the majority of my fishing is drifting in the winter months. I like that scent trail. Also winter kill comes into play.

It is just what has worked best for me over the years.