Ive been getting to fish a lot latley i went sat, sun and yesterday. Fishing so many days i didnt wash or even unload the yak. Sunday and yesterday i noticed it smelled real bad. Just thinking it was lots of fish slime. Once i got to shore yesterday it was just...so extra. I back the truck up to the yak to load up and when i get out i smelled the truck smelled as bad as the kayak. Looked around the kayak and under the seat is 2 gizzard shad all smushed up with maggots in the most disgusting mush ever. I was sitting in it all day yesterday and didnt notice as bad because there was some good wind. Its all in the seat of my pants, seat and truck...and by the way is a company vehicle. Now im scrubbing with every thing i can. Check your seats.

Man I hate that! That's the big downside to fishing with live or cut bait. I've had that happen with a few shrimp that somehow ended up in my center hatch. I found them about a week later

Once in my Pro Angler I had some shad fall down in the rod holder tubes. Same result as you had.

I had something similar happen. I put shad in my bait well. I went to fishing. Cleared it out at the end of the day and drained it. After a few days with the boat in the garage my wife starts complaining that the garage and her car smells. First thought was I forgot a sandy in the well. It ends up being some shad were small enough to go down the overflow drain and get stuck in the fitting. Maggots were just flowing out of the hole and pieces of shad goo.