I found lots of shad with a channel and shallow water nearby. Will the catfish be were the shad are? What is the best way to find the fish in a large area of baitfish?

If the shad are thick the cats , crappie , bass , etc. aren't far away . Put a shad on a hook and throw it out , you'll catch one of 'em within minutes . BTW , this will work with other baits as well .

Well,

This time of year, there should be all sorts of fish in or near schools of bait fish. Many times, catfish will lay up under schooling sandbass. Most of the time, it seems like they're eating the broken up bait fish, the bait fish that scattered away from the pack, or the occasional small game fish that's schooling. You can use a drift rig under the schools, or just fish bottom. Sometimes the sandbass even feed off the bottom this time of year.

When large catfish feed on schools, the shad can get broken up in staggered schools, which are close to eachother. It's also typical to see a floating crappie, sandbass, or bass from a gar or catfish attack. At least, this is what I've seen.

I think your best bet is to fish the schools, it's a better chance than somewhere that's unknown.

Well I have found where I fish in the river that the shad get so thick that I have to move down or up river to get out of the super dense schools to do and good pole fishing. Now trotline sets in a bend in the river where the shad schools are stacking up can be super. I guess it's all to how thick the shad get where you fish. They get so thick in the river you can ride for a mile at night with a Q-beam and the water will just come to life with shad every where you shine the light. I catch bait in those spots and ride till they thin out to pole fish and do really good like that. It get really tough at times though. The fish you catch will have shad in there mouths plus the one you had on the hook. It crazy.

"When large catfish feed on schools, the shad can get broken up in staggered schools, which are close to eachother."

This is what I found. Lots of smaller shad schools scatter around but within the same general area. By the way these are pretty good sized shad.

I need to go hit this spot again. My problem was I didn't find all of this until a little before dark and I had to get my six year old home. I did put one shad under a cork and within a few minute something took it but I missed the fish so I am not sure if it was a bass or catfish.