before swapping out for a fresher piece? specifically cut bait for blues (sunfish and shad).

Depends on how much bait I have, whether the are biting or not. Usually no more than 30 minutes. If I have plenty of bait or fish just are not biting, I'll change some around 15 minutes. If the fish are biting the old bait I usually keep it own until it gets beat up.

20 to 30 minutes and i change out for a fresh piece

30 minute rule for us.

I like to let it sit out for at least an hour. I fish from the bank though.

Depends on water temp. Hot days.....no more than 10 min. Cold days you can stretch to 30 min.

This is the single most important topic in catfishing IMO. Shad loses its appeal quickly and if you understand that and utilize that information then your catch ratio will increase ten fold. I cut my shad while they are alive and if they are not bitten within 10 minutes during the summer then they are discarded. Period.

Fresh cut shad is like candy to a catfish. They will not turn it down EVER.

I disagree 100%.....I always have different fresh baits out at one time and somedays shad doesnt get any attention.

About a month ago i posted a question about using Dead Red and i havent tried it but it is basically used to soak and refresh bait that has lost its blood and scent, as the warmer months aproach it might be a good time to give it a try.

I disagree 200%. If you are not getting bit on FRESH cut shad then there are no blues in that area period. If they are not biting your shad then they are diseased or tarnished with chlorine odor or something. A blue catfish by instinct MUST eat a fresh bleeding shad. We can argue about this all night but I know for a fact that I am right just from experience. After ten minutes then you are correct. They may get passed up. Fresh bleeding nerves still twitching. NEVER.

I have had many days especially in the winter when they wont touch shad but will tear up buffs,drum and other special bait!

Why would a catfish not eat a shad?

The thousand dollar question!

Like I said. This can be argued for days but when I am catfishing I am always confident in my bait and that bait is always live cut shad. If I am not getting bit it isn't because of my bait and because I know for fact that they work ALWAYS. Bluegill and cut buffalo and carp work too but I have no need to throw them because I load the boat with FRESH cut live shad. Are you guys cutting your shad live?

I think the fresh bleeding quivering bait gets the bite every time. But have had lots of occasions where a bait was untouched for good long while and was just hammered. Just saying. My experience with the blue cat is very limited at this point so again just saying. I count on you guys to keep me pointed in the right direction.

You touched on the key here. When a shad or brim or whatever is cut while alive and thrown in the water it puts off scent from blood and oils into the water that catfish can taste all over their body. Afterall, a catfish has taste buds all over its body. When they pick up the scent of a still freshly bleeding bait, instinct kicks in. It matters not if they are hungry or feeding or whatever. They will eat it every time. Only the scent of fresh wounds will trigger this instinct though. After 10 minutes in warm water only the hungry feeding blue will hit that bait. That's fact. It cannot be debated.

When I am out catfishing I don't fish for hungry or feeding fish. I fish for all of them and fresh LIVE cut shad catches all catfish ALWAYS.

Now flatheads are a different story. LOL....I guess they have different instincts than a blue maybe because blues have spent millions of years chasing shad while flatheads target different prey.