What fish(bait) is this?

[birdgod]

me and my friend is fishing at Hillsdale lake yesterday in the afternoon. Didn't catch any fish, we noticed that there is alot of school of bait fish in the water arround us no matter where we go. from top down they look like minnow. At lease that is what we thought. And finally my friend can't stand it no more he took the fishing net and slamp it in the water trying to catch some of it, well as you can see in the picture he did it. It have a black spot close to the head, and I think it was gone after sometime. We then hook one on and throw it back in the water. A fish took it fast and was gone before we can set the hook...... so here is my questions.
1) what is this?
2) there are alot of them in the lake everyplace we try fishing.... big school of them
3) if it good to use as bait?
4) if yes, what fish nomally goes for it?
5) what setting should i use if using it as a live bait?
6) it is any good to use it as a frozen bait?

http://forums.iboats.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=69852&stc=1&d=1286522879

 

[gonefishie]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Those are shads. The balls look like black clouds in the water right? were your hands smelled extremely fishy after handling them? As the water gets cooler this time of year the shads tend to school up on the surface. They are the primary forage in most bodies of water so any predator big enough to eat them will eat them. They're excellent bait but the problem is you're not allowed to use them as bait in most places. Check with local DNR to see where you can legally use them.

 

[birdgod]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Those are shads. The balls look like black clouds in the water right? were your hands smelled extremely fishy after handling them? As the water gets cooler this time of year the shads tend to school up on the surface. They are the primary forage in most bodies of water so any predator big enough to eat them will eat them. They're excellent bait but the problem is you're not allowed to use them as bait in most places. Check with local DNR to see where you can legally use them.

ok, thanks
I did a search on the kansas DNR and here is what it read:"
Bait fish
Bait fish: Minnow or carp family (Cyprinidae), sucker family (Catostomidae), top minnows or killifish family (Cyprinodontidae), shad family (Clupeidae),sunfish family (Centrarchidae), excluding black basses and crappie, which may be used only if caught by hook and line. Bait fish exclude any of those fishes specifically named by regulation as Kansas threatened or endangered species. "

I guess it is time to buy casting net

 

[18WCmerc]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

definitly a shad

one of the best catfish baits around if you can keep them alive. Shad tend to "commit suicide" once you get them in the bait bucket by ramming nose first into the side, you will see them with their faces all busted up.

shad are a pretty potent bait and usually covered in slim.

big ones are best, a 12" shad isnt too horribly uncommon near a damn or any source of very oxygenated and colder water.

growing up we had always caught them in the cast net for catfishing, we stored them in large circular trash cans with ice water and multiple pumps to keep whater flowing.

also common around SW ohio to see schooling and jumping out of the water in the earlier colder months, usually when i crappie fish i will keep a watchfull eye out for them breaking the surface. crappie tend to go crazy for the baby shad.

 

[18WCmerc]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

opps, and to answer your question about using them dead, we freeze the ones that dont make it, thaw them out and used as cut bait for channel cat fishing. they are so thin and fragil you can tear them apart with your hands making a very desirable peice of cut bait.

its never a bad idea to stock a few zip locks of various side shads in your freezer.

I have been catfishing the Great Miami River in ohio since i was a kid. A catfishermans life revolves around a full day of throwing the net and gathering a selection of live bait. Isreali carp, various breads of suckers, bluegill, small largemouth from time to time, shiners, imbred goldfish (somehow get in farm ponds) we call them carpies. i have used large quillback up to 14" for bait on a fiesty night. and the infamous shad. what tops the charts of flathead bait is baby yellowbellies...

just to fish 8 hours thru the night rollin a log jam or back eddie and occasional riffle.....

hope some of this helps.

 

[birdgod]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

it is good for other fish beside cat? the one i got is about 2-3" long and I was hopping to get stripers. Atleast that is what I thought they are feeding on.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

I don't think any freshwater game fish can resist a threadfin shad in front of their face. Except the vegetarian ones of course.

 

[xeddog]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Out here in Californicated, the threadfin shad is one of the prime baits for striper.

Wayne

 

[birdgod]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

cool, will give it a try

 

[Silverskeeter]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Hey Birdgod ! I also normally fish Hillsdale. Was out last weekend and the shad are definitely jumpin around .Take those shad out to the Kansas river near I -435 and the channel cats are on it !Good size and clean lookin cats !

 

[birdgod]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Hey Birdgod ! I also normally fish Hillsdale. Was out last weekend and the shad are definitely jumpin around .Take those shad out to the Kansas river near I -435 and the channel cats are on it !Good size and clean lookin cats !

cool, when do you normal go to hillsdale? Would love to learn form you. I have no idea how to fish at hilldale.......

 

[jtcarter]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Those are Gizzard shad. My home lake Old Hickory is full of them right now. So much so you might as well throw a casting net and get a mess of them, then hook and bobber and have a blast.

 

[Silverskeeter]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

cool, when do you normal go to hillsdale? Would love to learn form you. I have no idea how to fish at hilldale.......

Where do you normally fish?
I usually go on the weekends cause I live in Olathe and work 6 days a week !Do you fish walleye? If so go to the northeast side by the bridge and work the north shore starting at the bridge east to west.Did this 2 weeks ago. Walleye are fun to catch and some are pretty good size !Let me know sometime and we will go out there. Ttyl

 

[birdgod]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Cool, me and my friends are going this sunday. we will be there at arround 3pm. I maybe going by myself earlier to wait for my friends. Yes, we are trying to catch walleye but have no luck. what rigs do you use?

 

[Silverskeeter]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

Probably won't make it this sunday.Trying to move back to Shawnee.The weather is gonna be kinda cloudy also.I use lindy rigs w/minnows and rainbow spinners.Try about 12-15 feet down and work it from there. Good luck !Let me know how it goes.Oh yeah get pics of course : )

 

[gonefishie]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

. Walleye are ambush predators and they have huge eyes !

I thought they are roamers, chasing open water bait fish. If they are ambush predators than what are they doing out in open water?

 

[Silverskeeter]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

I thought they are roamers, chasing open water bait fish. If they are ambush predators than what are they doing out in open water?

edited by me.....sorry to upset you guy.

Walleye are found in all levels of the water column. "Bait" fish usually find obstacles and cover to hide behind and next to i.e. concrete pillars,docks,brush and logs.So that being said if I was a little bait fish i would not be out running around in the open water.I know some do I give you that.With the majority of bait fish looking for cover the Walleye will go where they do to feed on them being that is the greatest density of poulation.Maybe the term "ambush" was wrong to use,maybe I should have said that Walleye like to hide behind obstacles,boulders and what not and jump out and get the bait fish........seems like easier hunting to me........maybe check out walleyehunter.com,Gameandfish.com, just a couple for ya.

 

[birdgod]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

I thought they are roamers, chasing open water bait fish. If they are ambush predators than what are they doing out in open water?

nope from what i read they are ambush predators. that is why they like underwater structure that they can hide and wait in the summer. you locate the structure you locate the fish. in fall they come closer to surface but still like to look for a sudden drop in the water to better ambush. Well that is what I read on the internet.

 

[Silverskeeter]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

nope from what i read they are ambush predators. that is why they like underwater structure that they can hide and wait in the summer. you locate the structure you locate the fish. in fall they come closer to surface but still like to look for a sudden drop in the water to better ambush. Well that is what I read on the internet.

Have fun fishin on sunday.They do have big ol eyes and use em .So cloudy overcast days have work for me their better eyesight gives em an advantage in these kind of situations. Walleye chop is when the water is as said "choppy" and is also a good time to go out if your boat and you : ) can take it!Let me know how it goes for ya ! Oh yeah, sorry to jack your thread and start arguments......Pm me if ya need to.

 

[gonefishie]

Re: What fish(bait) is this?

nope from what i read they are ambush predators. that is why they like underwater structure that they can hide and wait in the summer. you locate the structure you locate the fish. in fall they come closer to surface but still like to look for a sudden drop in the water to better ambush. Well that is what I read on the internet.

Well, I guess they can be considered ambush predator. They hangout behind boulder and other structures because those are current breaks. They can stay there without spending a whole lot of energy waiting for foods to come by. If you're on a lake with no current and casting to covers, you won't be catching any eyes cuz they aren't there.