Shad as live bait offshore?

[dodger]

For trolling, or bottom fishing, compared to mackeral and sardine, are they worth catching and using ?

[benniejordaan]

For trolling, or bottom fishing, compared to mackeral and sardine, are they worth catching and using ?

Good for catching sharks

[WalkersKiller]

Not an offshore Guru Dodger, but Shad are good live bait for a few species, not as good as mackerel IMO!

[tkei]

Shad a re great live bait for bottom fish. Coppers (when we were allowed to catch them) love them, not quite like mackrel which they snaffel like smarties, but they are definately 2nd choice.
Black steenbras are also rather partial to them, but so is the grey steenbras, so you do get a few of them. Big rockcod etc also dont say no.
I havnt used them for game fish so no cooment there.

[Capt. Hook]

Mackerel and Mozzies will far out perform shad, and for bottoms those little red sand soldiers ork like a charm.
I almost never use shad, and only do if I have nothing else.
They do make good flappers, and are ven better on the braai. Fry them in garlic butter with a little lemon pepper and they taste awsome. 
 

[CASTSA]

Hi Dodger

Shad is always good, sometimes not as good as a mackerel but in some cases it can be. I like using shad when targeting Cuta in green water especially by river mouth etc, Mackerel tend to turn the colour of the water and in the greenish murky water they tend to vanish and to be to honest lay rather still compared to the glowing active vibrating bait used in clean water . Which mean no visual and no vibration NO BITE!......always keep an eye out on the elements, and whats going on....

The shad have a different virbration in the water and will appeal to different species, at different destinations at different times of the year,

So rule of thumb, always make sure you have a shad or two in amoungst the shoal of mackerel. This is mainly for KZN, Tkei - Mozam

First prize Makkies, second shad.........................good luck

[TUNAMAN]

Dodger I fish the two differently however my reasons differ from that of Castsa. I believe Shad are more visible and vibrant when fished top water or mid water. They get lazy down deep and blend to well when on the bricks.

Macks I fish on the bricks. It seems they do not like it down there and find them to be more lively and visible as the lines on their backs give them away. Fish them the other way around and your strikes will halve.

Now there is some very good info for you.

PREGO are you watching?

[CLS]

Garrick love a shad .
 :SBOKS:

[Prego]

Yip I to prefer mackerel and Mozzies to Shad too, but there are days that the game fish only want shad so its good to have that variety in the live well, for example the day we came across YFT they did not want nothing to do with mackerel or Mozzies but as soon as we dropped a shad in all hell broke lose.

So always be prepared for all situations.

When we start we will have a variety down on the menu & when eevr the first strike comes we change all on the menu to what was taken which usually ends up being mackerel or mozzies.

[dugong]

Mackerel and Mozzies will far out perform shad, and for bottoms those little red sand soldiers ork like a charm.
I almost never use shad, and only do if I have nothing else.
They do make good flappers, and are ven better on the braai. Fry them in garlic butter with a little lemon pepper and they taste awsome. 
 

For targetting couta I disagree, shad and mackerel go out long before mozzies!!

[shagnrelease]

I would rather swim a live shad than a dead sard!! any livie is good if bait is scarce!!

[Capt. Hook]

I would rather swim a live shad than a dead sard!! any livie is good if bait is scarce!!

For sure

[TUNAMAN]

I personally think that a mozzie is mostly because of the size of the bait. Anglers get some tuna on them. Fish at times target a size due to the prevalence of certain bait in the water over a given period (applies to lures as well).

They all have their merit and as shag says Livie first.

[Cam Mundy]

I'm always happy to put out a live shad I think its a great bait especially when close inshore or behind the backline.

[dodger]

 :shre:  It's amazing how much knowledge is available on this board :shre:

[Bwana]

Guys Shad work well as both live and dead bait, just have a look at the latest episode of Citation Angling Experiences and see how many couta they caught on live shad at Mvoti High Points (40m+ depth). I say horses for courses it depends on water clarity, depth etc. For big cracker and coppers a shad flapper bait is also deadly....


Check out how many croc couta have been taken on shad in Tunaman's thread : http://www.ultimateangling.co.za/index.php/topic,4962.msg62426.html#msg62426


But if you want fish for sure then mackerel are  baits!

[Rory mundy]

in my opionion there is no better bait than a 1kg shad for couta fishing and no game fish is going to swim past a shad and leave it if they hungry.

[Cam Mundy]

Personally I always have a chat with the lads throwing spoons on the beach while we launching so I can release any Chad Fish they may have caught deep in the ocean were they'll be safe.

[Prego]

Personally I always have a chat with the lads throwing spoons on the beach while we launching so I can release any Chad Fish they may have caught deep in the ocean were they'll be safe.

With some new bling bling!! 

[TUNAMAN]

Nothing like a fashion statement!!