Fishing Sea

I mainly fish in Lake Dallas and have been using shad and minnows on my hooks. Whats the best way to hook a shad or minnow? I was taught to stick the whole fish in the hook from mouth to tail with the hook still being covered, basically killing the fish. How have most of you hooked live bait and what do you think works best?

I use hook size 2 and 5, with a leader and weight on the end. I believe the hooks might be too big but in the end I'm just a beginner and don't really know. Initially I thought it would be better to hook the fish through their mouths so that they would stay alive. please advise.

A size 2 hook might be a little large unless you are using minnows of 4" or larger. For the smaller crappie or chub minnows a size 4 hook either through both lips or right below the dorsal fin might be better for you.

2007-06-05 15:01:21 by Abhi

We are using shrimp, how do you hook it on?

Through the head(not through the black spot)

2008-04-04 13:57:18 by Carrie E

I want to go northern or walleye fishing today but I dont have any live bait and I cant get any for a little bit yet because my dad has to get it and he is to busy to fish right now. Anyways, is there any hooks that I can use that dont require live bait on them that will still catch a northern or walleye?

Try a leadhead jig or a drop shot rigged with a Berkley Gulp minnow. Pro walleye anglers all use this bait.

2007-05-13 11:44:45 by Jessica

I've heard a lot of people using fiddler crabs to catch sheepshead, flounder, catfish, and trout (I'm fishing out of brackish water to explain the mixture of salt and freshwater fish). And I live on a river and behind my home is a bank and a marsh and both are loaded with fiddler crabs. I'd like to use them as bait but I can't imagine how to hook them being that they have that shell. Or atleast hook them and still use them as LIVE bait.

I googled the mess out of it, but no site I found really addresses how you'd go about hooking them. And I know people do this all the time, so I decided I'd come here for the answer.

And I'd like a link to a website that explains it or a link to a picture that explains it. But if that's not possible, detailed information would be great.

Thanks.

This site is very informative. I also hook my crabs in the furthest corner of the shell, however they are not hardy on the hook.

2008-08-03 09:50:23 by Beast@Life

yea they have big teeth



NO

2008-02-02 08:51:07 by stbrngrl28

I like to use live Shad caught with a cast net.
Whats a good rig as far as where to place lead weight and hook on leader.
Also where do you hook the shad to stay on the hook.
I like to tight-line at night for catfish.

Flylining. Light line, no sinker, just a hook.

Hook the shad through the nose or just behind the "thread" of the dorsal fin. Don't cast it out, all you need is a light flip of the wrist and he'll land in the water safely and unharmed. After he starts taking off and heading for cover, let a little line out. And there you go.

You can also use a float with a shad on about a 4 foot leader (none of that flourocarbon BS) just tie directly to the main line with the float about 48" above the hook. But then the little piece of bait starts hauling the float all over the place.


This is how I fish live shad for bass, for catfish I have no idea. If you're using American shad, I would think rig them the same way you would a live shiner or sucker.

2009-05-05 23:15:47 by mike p