How do you "cut" your cut bait?

[bigrob2530]

i like to use them whole then cut of the tail so the swim around all or i will use cut bait i like to use the head or the mid section with the gut section hanging out i catch alot like that to also

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[Junior42]

I cut the head and tail off and use the center. I usually use shad.

[ccat]

I have a bunch of shad frozen from this past fall. I have caught several on jugs this spring with the whole shad. I cut a slit down from just under the dorsal fin all the way down thru the belly (to let some smell out).
I hook it first thru the back towards the tail and then bury the hook point into the top of the head of the shad. It curls the shad a little bit, but stays in place with the hook in the head.
It seems a lot of these replies are saying to cut the tail off. I will try this next time.
Good luck with this, and hope it helps.

[One Legged Josh]

On large shad we fillet. Small we cut and use center with gut pocket.

[Creaz93]

I cut its head and tail off and throw away the tail.

[youngbuck]

I cut in fillets or cut the head and use the bodie.

[skidog]

I am glad you asked that I was going to ask the same thing. I have not had any luck with the heads.

[boswifedeb]

That is a great question! I have never used shad before, usually nightcrawlers. But since I seem to be pretty good at catching bluegills, I might just give it a try. This is my first year going after cats, so we'll see what happens!
Deb

[JRicker]

With a knife:smile2::smile2::smile2:

[LoneStarCatter]

The way I have always done it, as I was taught, was to use fillets for eater size channels and for blues and larger channels, cut in half and use head with some of the guts, or partially fillet one side from the tail until you get into the guts then stop. Just enough to let the gut juices seep out.