Get out on the lake this morning and quickly see a large flock of birds working. Birds circling, birds calling, birds diving. We're excited. My buddy is going nuts. We get up to them and kick on the trolling motor. My buddy is fan casting a slab. Sonar is covered up in fish - 15 to 40 feet is nothing but stacks of arches. We troll in the middle of the birds. Birds diving all around the boat. My buddy is still fan casting everywhere birds are diving. I see the screen covered in arches and I hit the anchor lock and start slabbing.

Nothing. Not a single bite. We change sizes, colors. Reeling fast, reeling slow. Threw everything we had at them. Nothing. We followed the birds for a while and would see big schools of fish on the sonar pass under the boat. Finally gave up and went home.

Never seen anything like it.

Try dead sticking with small bait (crappie bait or fly) above or below slab.

That's frustrating. Sounds like you tried a bunch of things. May add a soft plastic bait on a 1/4 jighead to your list

The fish are targeting 2 inch long shad. If you are using big baits, it will be hard to get bit. The water is cold and slow retrieve is also important. Were you north or west when you found the birds working?