I mostly bass fish, but there is a small lake (SE Texas)nearby that is known to hold some good blues. While bass fishing the other day, I was trolling a crank bait and hook a 20# pound blue. Well, now I have an itch to go back and try for some more.

Most of what I read points to using shad, either live or fresh dead. There is a good population of threadfin shad in the lake, and I plan on trying to cast net some. But for a backup, what do you recommend and how do you rig it?

You can use cut bluegill or cut carp for backup. As for the rig, from the reel add a 1.5-2 oz no roll sinker, bead, swivel, 18" leader, and then the hook. Place a small cigar float 6-8" above the hook. For the hook selection, it is hard to beat a good circle hook in 5/0-8/0 size. This is how I rig, and I use 65 lb braid with 30 lb mono leader. Some like to use all mono in 30-50 lb which works great also.

Cut shad has always worked for me! Also as already been mentioned cut Bluegill and cut bait in general work well also.

Good bluegill population in the lake too, so that will work. Thanks

Harring we can just killed every lake we went to this winter on haring when we rand out of haring i use bluegill

I have had good fishing with squid. Stays on the hook better than anything I have ever used.

Natural/minimally processed/organic chicken breast. Not pilgrims pride or anything like that. The bloodiest, "not kitchen cooking" chicken breast you can find. Cut it into 1"-3" strips and cubes and hook it on. Don't buy any sprays or anything else. Just plain bloody chicken breast. If they're not biting, you're in the wrong spot. Good luck!

Definitely a bonus read. Thanks for the posts.

My advice would be to use whatever the abundant bait species is in the lake your fishing whether it be bluegills, threadfin shad, or gizzard shad. Generally any of those will work great but I've always seemed to do best with whatever I could catch in a cast net when I get out there. I do like to get my hands on a couple of big carp during the year and chunk it up, salt it then freeze it just in case catching bait doesn't work out for some reason.

2in chunk of carp works pretty good but nothin beats live or fresh dead shad for that size fish

Cant go wrong witha "few" Arkansas skip-jacks.....Tell drawout well be crossing the red river with a couple soon

Squid huh?

I picked up some mackerel from the Asian store the other day and did not have any luck. The fishing was just tough dont think it was my bait.

But I saw the fresh squid there and though that might work well.... Hmmm maybe next time.

The mackerel had the smell I wanted and was oily as heck like I wanted; however the smell was so strong I could not hardly wash it off after two days and once it started to thaw it did not say hooked too well.

Squid might be what I try next ha ha.

**I know shad is the best but I cant get any now.

THE SQUID ID NOT FRESH IT IS JUST THOWED BEFOR BEING PLACED OUT IT WILL WORK BUT NOT LIK HARRING I HAVE PROBLEMS TROUGHT A CAS NET SO I USE WHAT I CAN GET SO FAR AFTER SOME RESEARCH HEARING IS THE TOP BAIT FOR BLUES BEIGN REFERD TO AS CATFISH CANDY YOU CAN GUY IT ON LINE

Live or cut perch of any variety will work great for blues. Fresh shad of any variety both cut or whole will always work. My pb blue cat of 22lbs came on a 2" gizzard shad.

1.5-2 lb drum for the big boys

Go to a Hispanic grocery store and buy a buffalo from them and use it as bait. Especially the rib cage!!