How does one turn a regular shad into cut shad? Is there a specific place where the incision is to be made? Do you have to cut it before the shad dies? Does dead shad work differently than cut shad? Is there a specific situation when cut shad should be used for stripers or white bass?

Cutbait works for Stripers best March thru November. It will catch fish all year long.I cut the shad right at the anus so the guts leak out. Fresh live shad work best. Bigger shad can be cut into smaller peices. Heads and the middle of the shad work. We chum the tails. Very often the fish we catch have the tails in their tummy. One time we even cleaned a chicken bone that we had thrown over out of a fish. Thats another post

Any shad cut will be a dead shad really soon. Fresh cut shad works much better than any that have been frozen. I mainly fish for catfish, but have caught many sandbass and hybrids on cut shad while drifting or anchored on points. An angled cut through the guts about midway back works best for me. The angled cut gives more surface area and distributes more scent. I usually throw the tail sections in the water for extra chum. Hook the shad head through the eyes and hold on.

-Strat 256

Thanks for the tips. From your info, I gather that cut shad is better than dead shad.