I was fishing saturday morning and a few thousand shad were running through the 2nd bridge on 198. Should I use a top water or some time of crank bait in that situation? That was my first time to see a school like that and I didnt know what to use. I caught a couple of sand bass on minnows within minutes. But then nothing else besides crappie.

I would throw a sassy shad or rattle trap. But thats just me.

Thanks. Should I reel fast to keep it just under the surface or let it sink a couple of feet?

Hey Chad try a sassy shad or a chrome slab.

The chrome slab you can throw a mile.

The sassy's, (I think) you can get in bigger sizes to catch bigger fish.

But slabs are pretty versatile.

I mostly fish for whites, but letting it drop to the bottom and reeling it back up can be very effective.

Just try various things. Slow off the bottom, fast off the bottom, bumping back on the bottom, burn it on the top, or reel a couple cranks, let it fall, reel a couple more.

Try them all until the fish tell you what they want.
They'll let you know which one is best for that day and time.
And then keep using that technique.

HOLD ON!

thanks

And I love to slab them from straight under the boat.
Just drop a slab to the bottom, pick it up quickly a foot or two, and let it drop back down on a free line.

Deadly if you are sitting on top of fish.