Another Bait Question

I think a shad is a shad. I always take perch caught from a lake with me just incase I can't catch any bait where I'm fishing. I do like to use bait from the water where I'm fishing, but I wouldn't say that it is crucial to success. Have caught too many fish on bait from elsewhere to come to the conclusion that it is a waist of time. Better to have some bait than get there, and ya can't catch any.

Blue Bruiser said:

Ok guys I have a question that I have been trying to get answered for quite sometime. As far as bait goes, Is it necessary to catch bait from the waters you fish. In other words, I have a local lake that I can land 50-100 shad close to a pound a piece with one throw of the net. I hear various comments about this. Most sway to having to catch shad from the river. Will these shad from the local lake work just as well or am I limiting my catch?

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You are not limiting your catch. Those lake shad should do a fine job for you.

This is how I look at that situation, if you are able to keep the bait fresh then your in good shape no matter where they come from. I too go to a local pond and throw my net to catch Shad/bluegill, but I also tow my boat down there next to it, fill the bait well up with water from the pond, turn the aerator on and then head for the river. The shad and bluegill are as lively as if I had just caught them on the river. Now if your just throwing them in a bucket and it's an hour drive till you get to the river and then by the time you get the boat in and anchor at your spot they've been sitting in a bucket for a couple of hours then I'd rethink getting your bait from the pond.

they will work fine !

I do exactly that, catch at one place, fish at another (dead of course). Doesn't seem to make a difference

I always catch mine from the same area that I'm fishing from..It gives me more time to look the area over and see if anything has changed and if the fish have moved..

Shad caught in a lake and used in the river have worked fine for me. I have always went straight from the lake to the river, so they were still pretty fresh.

Same here...catch bluegills locally in ponds. Toss 'em in my shad tank, and head for the lake. I catch the shad in the lake I fish in. You can, however, catch the shad anywhere close, if you have a shad tank, properly maintained. It's hard to keep the shad alive if you don't have the tank, and for cut shad, I much prefer killing the shad myself, rather than using one already dead. Fresher blood trail, I think.

i have a small dam across a small river that i cross on the way to the arkansas river.when its up and running good i can fill an icechest full with shad in a few cast.ive always done just as good as the ones fishing with shad that they caught at the river.

AS long as it's fresh(12hrs or less),it should be just fine.A shad is a shad,after all.Good luck.

My personal experience with bait is no rule applies to too two different bodies of water....what works one place may or may not work at the other.
Ive had good luck using a bait source that may not be available in one river.
Smell and vibration along with water level on rise is pretty important.

Here in Nebraska, what live bait is used has to come from that body of water you are fishing or bought from a licensed bait dealer. You have to show proof, if aproached by a game warden, where the bait came from. If bought, have your receipt with you. There is a season where you can use a cast net to acquire your bait. To answer your question, yes, a shad is a shad. But, size of the baitfish, coming from a paticular body of water might not always work somewhere else. Best to match the hatch.

Hope this helps.

Mark

Kris if you do not havea tank to keep them alive I would get a cooler ice them down right after you catch them seems to help keep them from going soft. It also lets them bleed out some when used for cut bait if you just put them ina bucket they get soft fast. Hope that helps.

If you wait as long as I do to get a bite, the bait soak up the smell of the body of water I'm fishing in any way. The first cat to come by might care, but the second one won't! lol :crazy:oooh::smile2:

I don't think it matters one bit where your bait comes from. I am a firm believer that if a blue swims by your bait in other words if your in the right spot at the right time hes gunna hit it.

Welcome to the BOC Christopher...

it should be fine, but like everyone else says the freshness makes the difference. its ok to use bait from a small lake in a river, but dont do it vice versa. thats how invasive species are spread.

I don't really think it is necessary. I use skipjack in plenty of waters in which they are not found in abundance and I have good success with them.

transportation of bait from one body of water to another is illeagal in illinois the only way to do so is from one water to your own private water!:wink: