We might make a weekend trip down to Lake Calaveras in October. If you are fishing for Reds with bait (dead bait?), where do you get it from? Or will we be able to throw gold spoons and such?

I don't frequent the place but from what I recall, bait is not an issue if the bait is shad. Easy to catch.

I have used shrimp, cut mullet, cracked crab and shad in the past. TPWD's website says tilapia and crawfish works great. Any ideas?

I think most use dead shrimp. Head on vein in from any fish market/grocery store will work, fresh from coast bait shops are best. Live tilapia and shad can easily be caught with cast net and works for reds.

Thank you!

About 2 months ago I was killing them on either redfish magic spinnerbaits or thawed frozen shrimp. I went about 3 weeks ago and didn’t get a bite. Most of the people I talked to either use frozen shrimp or take a cast net.

+1 on the castnet. Cach all the bait you want next to the boat ramp. I prefer live bluegill 4 to 6 inches long or do like the guides and troll deep diving crankbaits in sexy shad color

Any idea what size/depth cranks they use? I’ve been wanting to try trolling there.

Pm sent

Get a cast net as mentioned and cast around the boat ramp preferably before daybreak and you'll catch plenty of bait. Mostly shad and talapia about 3" long and those make the best bait as they stay alive really well by just being thrown in a bucket.
The live talapia will be your best bait for the reds but cut talapia especially the heads work well.
Soft swim baits, gold spoons, crank baits, rattletraps work well for artificial.
Drive in the main gate and after you launch, head straight to the the dam area and troll there, and also directly across from the boat ramp is the 181 cove. You'll see the traffic on 181 and why it's called that.
There is a smaller cove between there and the dam that also runs up toward the hwy and it has a telephone pole standing in the water.
That is the old roadbed with a long sloping point.
That is usually the hotspot for trolling for the reds, and October is a great time to fish out there!

It's no secret because you'll know you are in the right spot from all the boats that will be trolling in circles out there.
Just look for the boats!

Oh! and it's not potlicking if everyone and their brothers dog knows about those spots!

^^ Everything you need to know about fishing for reds at Calaveras was just gift wrapped to you in that one post ^^

So, you're trolling with live shad? See as how you mention dead tilapia, do you do any bottom fishing?

The shad you catch are going to turn belly up as soon as you catch them unless you have some super duper live well or bait tank.
Talapia stay alive a long time, and I usually just put the shad in a gallon zip lock bag and then on ice.
Drift fishing the live talapia, or fresh cut dead shad, or find a spot and anchor up.
Free lining (no weight) live talapia is also effective either drifing or ancored up.
Don't be surprised if you don't latch onto some big blue cats on the shad and cut talapia, but you have a better chance on reds with the live talapia.
Troll the lures suggested especially around the dam where the reds congregate especially in October, they love the ends and along the riprap.
Like I mentioned, pay attention to the other boats where they congregate.
The guides communicate and let each other know where the fish are. Don't worry about potlicking because as soon as they see you catch a fish they'll swarm all around you even coming from across the lake.
Ever since they closed down fishing at the "crappie wall" those coves around hwy 181 are the hot places.
Don't overlook the "high lines" up the Chupaderas arm of the lake....Take a right after you launch and look for the highlines crossing the lake from the power plant.

These guys seem to do pretty well using Fish Bites on surf rods, depending on how you want to fish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3o4SPboQpo