# Would Shad be a good drum bait?



## roostertail (Jul 7, 2012)

The American and Hickory Shad will be making their annual run up the neuse river near where I live anytime now to spawn. People eat them around here and the run is actually a pretty big deal. I see no reason to eat Shad because its not really considered a good eating fish but the locals around here just woof em down! They Love the roe too! There is even a Shad festival in the town of Grifton 10 miles from where I live. My question is is if I would catch these Shad and salt them if they would be a good spring drum bait? What are your thoughts?


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## oden (Jan 23, 2012)

I have used shad before. I usually just freeze them in quart sized ziplock bags and just take one when I go. Really any fish will work as decent bait.


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## Bullred (Mar 13, 2010)

Stripers love 'em. I've never tried them on drum but guess would be yes. Good and oily like menhaden.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

ive done ok with fresh herring, not done anything the few times i have tried hickorys, and usually we are bringing them down from va so not tried american. from exp tho, much like any really oily fish including fatback, it doesn't freeze well no matter what you do to it, esp on a surf cast bait. The heads i suppose you could freeze


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## roostertail (Jul 7, 2012)

I'll probaby try chunking and salting a few and see how it works.


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## redhorse9902 (Jan 5, 2008)

Going in late march and intend to carry a few american shad with me then. Figure what the heck.


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## sand flea (Oct 24, 1999)

I've found that herring are the best striper bait you can get during the spring run, but never tried shad for drum. Try mixing up the spread with bunker/shad and see what gets picked up. No better way to answer your question than experimenting.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Never used them myself. Always frozen mullet or fatback (menhaden).. I do know they eat herring in early spring here in Hatteras.. Also,have had a few freinds tell me they have fished with shad and it has worked.. As NTKG said though,freezing them could be a nightmare,especially if they are anything like menhaden....


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## speckhunter80 (Oct 3, 2011)

FYI, in the Neuse River and it's tributaries you are now only allowed one American Shad a day.


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

if I remember correctly, herring possession is illegal in NC too. I wonder how that works if i bring them down? I think the last person I talked to said that since I couldn't prove I got them from VA, that if they were in my cooler in NC i was in possession of them...


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

NTKG said:


> if I remember correctly, herring possession is illegal in NC too. I wonder how that works if i bring them down? I think the last person I talked to said that since I couldn't prove I got them from VA, that if they were in my cooler in NC i was in possession of them...


I thought it was illegal every where to posses Herring ? Anyways we were told that you need to keep the receipt if you buy them as the tackle shops were allowed to sell off what they had in stock .


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

Maybe I am wrong but it looks like Herring possession has been illegal in VA since 2008 ? Either way its illegal NOW .
American Shad CAN NOT be kept for some states and only 1 in NC 

Next up is a ban on Mullet and Bunker


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## NTKG (Aug 16, 2003)

hengstthomas said:


> Maybe I am wrong but it looks like Herring possession has been illegal in VA since 2008 ? Either way its illegal NOW .
> American Shad CAN NOT be kept for some states and only 1 in NC
> 
> Next up is a ban on Mullet and Bunker



Negative. It was not illegal in 2008. You are correct in that it is illegal now. Last year was when the new regulation was enacted.


http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/virginia-sets-ban-herring-fishing-jan-1
Moratorium on Possession of River Herring

It is now illegal for any person to have river herring in their possession—this includes blueback herring and alewife. All river herring inadvertently caught by anglers must be immediately released back into the water. In Virginia, regulations regarding the harvest and possession of river herring are set by the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC). On January 1, 2012, VMRC enacted a regulation which makes it unlawful for any person to be in possession of river herring in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Anglers with concerns or questions should contact the Virginia Marine Fisheries Commission (VMRC) in Newport News at 1-800-541-4646. Additional information can be found on the VMRC website.


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## Dr. Bubba (Nov 9, 1999)

I believe Atlantic herring are still legal to possess though. We've been seeing them more and more lately. Usually mixed in with bluefish in the early spring.


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## pysgod (Jan 9, 2013)

Shad are a protected species over here.

They run up the rivers in their masses messing up our salmon and sea trout fishing.

I was working on a construction project close to a river estuary a few years ago, all piling and excavation work had to stop for three months during the spawning season due to noise!


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

In NC you are allowed to have herring under 6 inches because we are allowed to net them in the freshwater lakes here. Unfortunately you would not have a way to prove that you got them from inland waters so it may not be worth the risk.


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## Ryan Y (Dec 1, 2005)

Shad for drum bait...Yes.

I used several years ago on Ocracoke when bait was short around here here and there in the spring. Bought some from a local seafood stand here and wilmington and took them along for the ride. Did really well that 24 hours too. Never used any other bait.

They do not freeze good though. They turn to mush quite easily.


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## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

If pickeral, brim, red eye and crappie heads work, don't see any reason shad wouldn't also.
I wonder if the gamefish aren't gbbling up the baby shad as they make their way back out to sea...Are perhaps immature shad actually silversides? Not to sound like an idot(that's easy) but anyone know what baby shad look like?


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

dirtyhandslopez said:


> If pickeral, brim, red eye and crappie heads work, don't see any reason shad wouldn't also.
> I wonder if the gamefish aren't gbbling up the baby shad as they make their way back out to sea...Are perhaps immature shad actually silversides? Not to sound like an idot(that's easy) but anyone know what baby shad look like?


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## hengstthomas (Mar 11, 2006)

NTKG said:


> Negative. It was not illegal in 2008. You are correct in that it is illegal now. Last year was when the new regulation was enacted.
> 
> 
> http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/virginia-sets-ban-herring-fishing-jan-1
> ...


I was going by this .. I dont keep up with other states regs , its hard enough following the ever changing regs here 
http://www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/new-regulations-for-herring-in-southern-tidewater.asp


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## Oyster (Jun 28, 2000)

I think that fresh hickory shad would make decent drum bait. Another option would be netting a cooler full of threadfin. In the spring, here in Richmond (on the fall line of the James) the threadfin come up the river with the herring and shad. We refer to them as “Rockfish Candy”, but I would bet those little buggers would also make good drum bait. I have used James River threadfins to catch Roanoke River rocks with much success. All this begs another question. I wonder if those nasty, slimy gizzards would make decent drum bait? I know the big blue cat hunters swear by them. The gizzards are also thick at the fall line a little earlier in the spring, before the whites, hickorys and herring have come in strong, and could easily be netter or snagged.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Oyster said:


> I think that fresh hickory shad would make decent drum bait. Another option would be netting a cooler full of threadfin. In the spring, here in Richmond (on the fall line of the James) the threadfin come up the river with the herring and shad. We refer to them as “Rockfish Candy”, but I would bet those little buggers would also make good drum bait. I have used James River threadfins to catch Roanoke River rocks with much success. All this begs another question. I wonder if those nasty, slimy gizzards would make decent drum bait? I know the big blue cat hunters swear by them. The gizzards are also thick at the fall line a little earlier in the spring, before the whites, hickorys and herring have come in strong, and could easily be netter or snagged.


 Have caught them on threadfins,that is what they chow down on in early spring here...


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## chris storrs (Aug 25, 2005)

think hes talkin different threadfins kenny...and far as the gizzards, a friend of mine has caught on them...ive tried a few chunks for the last few falls,when fishing slow, or bait supply is short for me, i catch em in some of my "fresher" water mullet holes...ive never caught on em, but they do work...


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