Silly question I know, but is there such a thing as a shad thats too big? I went out with the cast net today and caught a bunch of gizzard shad in the 4-8 inch range, but also caught 6 or so that had to be over 15 inches, I mean it was to the point that I thought about trying to catch them with a pole. Aside from chunking them up, what am I going to do with these?

Make some BIG chunks. This way you know the little fish aint gonna get them. You have some good bait there!

Use the fillets off of the big gizzard shad.

if your bait is too big your fishing for too small of a fish a 10lb blue for flat can eat a massive bait if a catfish can get it in its mouth its food

Good point Brando,
I caught and cleaned a 10lb blue a few days ago that had 2 shad in its gut well over 12".

Wow guess I didn't realize that a fish that small (10 lbs isn't small but its eating over 10% its bodyweight in one gulp...and it did it twice?) would eat something that large. Thanks for the info guys!

i have caught 5lb flats on 12inch bullheads before its really not all that uncommon for a fish's stomach to be larger than its mouth

next time you think your bait is too small think about how big the mouth on a 30lb blue or flat is and then think to yourself can a fish of that size fit this bait in its mouth

The thing that makes sgad such a great food source is the fact that they are skinny compared to other food like sunfish. I would think even a 5lb fish would try to eat a 12" shad, and ive caught 12" cats on those 4-6" baits

While also, I will say, that doesnt mean all they eat is big bait. My pb blue, 23lbs was caught on a 2" gizzard shad, so u never know.

Caught a 38lb flathead that had remains of a buffalo that weighed 4.5lbs in the stomach. also, the guts on shad that size are great for smaller channels and blues.

Hands Only, you brought up a question I had, I used to buy shad gizzards by the pint or quart in the Lake Limestone area and haven't seen them for sale in a while. Anybody ever seen it for sale or lately? Used to be so easy to go sit on the pier as a kid and catch a mess of fish without worrying about catching bait.

I would use a 15in shad live for flatheads for sure

My favoritwe bait is a 15-17" shad head in the winter, but I will use them anytime I can get them, after a while you can take scizzors and trim them just a little to freshen them up to get the oil to flowing, and use them some more

Ive caught several cats that could never fit the bait I was using in their mouth, they see it as food if they think they can get it in their mouth.

my bigger flatheads have came off about 4-5 inch perch but my biggest blues come off the biggest chunk of shad i can put on.. my pb blue was 36 lbs but when i cleaned it it had a tube sock that i had filled with soured miloe and threw out a week before in its stomach.. it was crazy