I know fresh cut Gizzard Shad is the best, frozen is the 2nd best and Buffalo 3rd on average. I was looking into alternative baits and found a place in Nebraska that mails fresh caught frozen Skipjack Herring packed in ice for +/-$1.50 a pound and $7.00 shipping. This is from what I am told is a very oily fish and is a huge bait choice for big cats on the rivers. Any one used these???

Nope, but let me know if you order any. I will get in on that!!!
The guys in the Ohio and Arkansas area say that skipjack will out produce gizzard shad 3 to 1.

Would you mind sharing the source? Website or phone number? I would like to order some!

1-402-560-6800

http://www.fishinfreddies.com/index.php?...=1&Itemid=1

They ship Mon-Wed and prefer to ship to a buisness.

I've used skipjacks in Tennessee. Top bait for blues. We cut the gut pocket out, then filleted the sides. Put gut pocket on one hook and filets on another. Half the fun is catching the skipjacks below a dam. Use light spinning and tie on three or four jigs and have at it. Can catch a five gallon bucket full in just a matter of a few minutes. Keep them fresh as possible.

I'll take one skip jack over a net full of big gizzards anyday. Best blue and striper bait I've every used I got one froze right now in the freezr here at work that I caught durning lunch. I like to cut them into steaks and use a 4/0 khale hooked through the bottom/gut pocket they have a hard ridge that runs down their belly and that will allow you to cast much harder if you are fishing from the bank in current.

Just ordered 10 skipjacks 12"-16" about 1.5 lbs each total price was $30.00. I'm so excited to get to try these out!!

I ordered from them a while back...never got my skipjacks. Hope your experience is different.

Did it over the phone and got a FedEx tracking #. Sorry to hear about that.

I have made several trips to catch skipjacks. They are a good bait but in my experience they arent any better than big gizzard shad. From now on I will use gizzard shad that I didnt have to drive 6 hours or more to get. Hope you do better with them than I have.

They are great bait, fun to catch and certain times of the year you might get some big stripers while fishing for them so hang on! They do get mushy, we would wrap ours in newspaper and freeze. I don't think a big blue will swim past a fresh slab of gizzard shad any faster than he would a slab of skipjack.

I bet ladyfish (very similar to skipjack herring) would also be a good catfish bait. I catch plenty of those every trip to the coast.

Great Bait! On the Big Muddy and the Red

I have heard so many mixed reviews, I wish a guide would chime in and let us know his experience with them. Basically someone who uses them often and could really give us a good review.

I dont even have a lead here due to it being 50/50 that the skipjack is better. I will keep peaking in on this from time to time.

-Z

if they were in the waters i fish i might use them ... but they ain't ... plenty of other bait available that is as good or better ... why go to all the trouble ... i have not heard of any catfish guides importing skip jack for bait ... there is no reason to do so

when we fished the cabelas king kat classic, 2 years ago in the ohio river, we spent a whole day driving across kentucky to catch skip jack below another dam ... the fish woudln't touch the skip jack ... all the fish we caught was caught on cut perch that we brought with us from oklahoma

Skipjack????? when i go to the cost i can get a tun of them next time i go i'll have to keep some for home.