On several occasions, I've witnessed bass heavily feeding on threadfin shad. I can throw everything I own and rarely catch one. Yesterday, it happened in 2-8 feet of water. The shad were so thick, I was hooking them.

Suggestions?

Sometimes you just can't get them to bite with all the available food sources. I usually throw a lipless or a topwater amongst other things.

Yellow Magic
Zara spook type bait
Jerk bait
Spoon

Throw a weightless fluke out there and work it real slow

I always keep one of my custom spinner baits tied on just for that occasion.
- 3/8 oz. small willow bladed - heavy Diamond Dusted to represent the scales.
- Hologram skirt heavily scented in Minnow Extract.

I can run it at the depth that works. Sometimes the big Bass are under the school taking the wounded bait that floats down to them so try slow rolling it.

When that happens I usually start working a fluke or top water, maybe a rattle trap real fast. I try to keep them from getting a good look at it. They get really keyed on the look of the bait I think and you have to keep them from getting a good look at your bait

Schools of fish feed fast sometimes, are you sure you're not getting bit and just don't feel it? Agree with the others, love a flutter spoon in these situations (and the a-rig). Also lately have been putting a fluke on pony-head jig (or underpin) Matching the physical size or apparent size of the shad school with your bait could help.

A spook
A fluke, run it fast and kill it
A white weightless senko

In my experience, the spook usually does the trick.

Were you able to tell if they had any size? Had this happen many times, more than times than not its been a bunch of little ones. Either a 1/4 oz chrome trap or tiny spinnerbait will usually get r done, or at least tell you what size fish is in the school.

Got into them tues schooling picked up shad colored chugbug threw on top of them never got a blowup so threw a fluke and after few misses caught one then picked up my 1.5 KVD sexy shad and started laying the smack down on them caught 3 in 3 cast never had to throw more than 2-3 times without them hammering it caught my first dbl too 3lber an a 1lber it was fun even switched up to the 2.5 and same result.

Fluke or cast net

Try a fluke. Experiment With you retrieves. They will bite. Also try and match the hatch and close as possible. You may have to Down size to a fluke Jr. Or even a white road runner. Or a white sassy shad. The bite can still be tuff this time even when they are schooling!

Some good advice. I actually asked the Lewisville guys what size shad they have been seeing lately because of something related. For the last month the bass have been feeding on 3in-ish shad. This last week I've had a hard time finding a bite again. I've been seeing schools of fish feeding on very small shad, around 1 inch. I threw a little george threw them on wednesday and caught around 20 fish before i had to head in.

Sometimes it's all about matching the hatch.

+1

1oz lil George Wall Mart...Just sayin....