Cut shad and whole shad is one of the most popular and effective catfish baits there is for catching blue catfish. Since I started Learn To Catch Catfish I have received countless questions about threadfin and gizzard shad, their use, how to bait hooks with them, how to cut them, what kind of hooks to use and the list goes on and on with related questions. I am going to try to start working my way through all those questions and would have preferred to put everything in one article but I am short on time and long on work right now so I have to call it quits with this first article and catfishing video.
Cutting shad is something that many people have some strong opinions on in regards to the best way to do it. There are some who will tell you that filleting or following other specific techniques for cutting them into cut bait will get more bites but I have rarely every noticed a difference.
I do however have two specific pieces of the bait that I prefer to use and a specific technique that I like to use to cut the bait that works really well for me. I didn’t go into great detail in this video on why I like to cut at an angle but will cover that more in a future article.
If you plan on fishing for blue catfish you have to learn to throw a cast net, find and catch bait, and catch them consistently. There is no option, there is no substitute and there is nothing else that will work as well (or better) except for skipjack in areas where they are native. We don’t have skipjack populations in north Texas so we use shad.
Make sure you leave a comment below, click the “LIKE” button and let me know what you think and if you fish with cut shad, what you do and what works best for you. I always appreciate everyone’s comments!
Good info on using large Shad
good video
Thanks, more coming soon. I have been on a real video kick!
You cut shad much like I cut mullet for surf fishing. On the Texas coast.Not all things cross over from salt water to fresh water but cutting bait seems to cross well.
Many things do. You would be surprises. Every time I get salty I bring something back to freshwater.
thanks chad. i never thought catfish new the difference between a fancy cut piece of bait and a chunk.
Thanks for all the videos.
Thanks for all the videos, very helpful.
Great video,
Thanks!
Live in Laredo,Tx. I fish the Rio Grande(Bravo) whatever. I love to fish for cats and your right the quicker you get a hook in the water the better. Take my nephews and son we have a blast only thing is homeland security but oh well at least I know they are doing there job.
Like your videos especially the one on how to repair your castnet. It helped!!!
Thats funny. I guess at least they are doing something. I have some clients that come from out there to fish with me and they tell me they do well with yellow cats on the river.
I’d like to see how you put the chunks of cut bait on a hook.
Jeff we have a video up. Do a search in the sidebar bait a hook with cut shad
would you cut bluegill (bream) the same way, or would you scale them prior to using them as cut bait?
Yes you can scale them and cut them the same way