Beaver Lake Live Bait

[Champ188]

Why would someone need to go to Grand or Table Rock to net shad? Beaver is brimming with shad. I know it is because every time I say otherwise, I'm corrected by those smarter than me.

[Feathers and Fins]

James they are easier to get on both Grand and Tablerock is why, only so many shallow mud areas on Beaver and most are close to boat ramps and heavy boat traffic. That and a lot of guys in the areas netting makes it hard.

There are tons of shad in Beaver true BUT GETTING THEM is the problem. I wouldn't say smarter than you people just people who spend more time on the lake than you by your own admission you are on the Rock more than Beaver.

[Champ188]

Just pickin' at you guys, F&F. Your explanation makes sense. The striper guides at Ouachita drive 2 hours to the Arkansas River a couple of days a week to net shad.

[Feathers and Fins]

James there is also some not so nice live bait laws when it pertains to commercial use in NWA and fees to go with it.

[bfishn]

How so? The law simply prohibits selling bait taken from public waters, a seemingly no-brainer. The only reg between you and raising shad to sell is a $100 fish farmer license.

[bfishn]

...The striper guides at Ouachita drive 2 hours to the Arkansas River a couple of days a week to net shad.

...and some have a dedicated bait crew/facility. One former customer had a 70x150' drive-thru, with 16-5x10' concrete tanks run on well water. They keep >100 big gizzards in each one, and the bait crew indeed makes 2 runs to the River a week to keep them full. They built a 1/4" plate 8x22' aluminum bait boat that held 350 gallons of water (on the trailer), had LOX, the works. The net man was a freak of nature, a real brute. If bait makes your business, that's how it's done.

[Green236]

Top Gun (rip) had one heck if a set up for keeping 100's of shad alive near ouchita. And that shad boat you are talking about was probably his or a copy.

The shad I caught below Pensacola Dam at Grand were just stronger shad than what we have in Beaver. Maybe because they live in the current. I've had Grand shad live in my 200 gallon Zero Milk Tank for. 3 months during the winter. ROT is 1 shad per gallon. I usually kept 100 in there.

Some of the shad were so strong, I could put them back in my blue water bait tank after trolling them for a couple hours. As long as there nose isn't red, they could care less if you stuck a hook through nostrils and drug them around the lake.

[bfishn]

Top Gun (rip) had one heck if a set up for keeping 100's of shad alive near ouchita. And that shad boat you are talking about was probably his or a copy.

That was him. I didn't know he passed, (thank you) he was quite a guy.

[bfishn]

...The shad I caught below Pensacola Dam at Grand were just stronger shad than what we have in Beaver. Maybe because they live in the current. I've had Grand shad live in my 200 gallon Zero Milk Tank for. 3 months during the winter. ROT is 1 shad per gallon. I usually kept 100 in there.

Some of the shad were so strong, I could put them back in my blue water bait tank after trolling them for a couple hours. As long as there nose isn't red, they could care less if you stuck a hook through nostrils and drug them around the lake.

River shad are definitely stronger. How you handle them for the first 30 minutes determines how well they'll keep. You've obviously figured that out.

[Kyle R]

If I'm lucky I can net a few large gizzard shad for catfish or gar in beaver. I throw a cheap 4 ft net. I tried to upgrade to a 6, but I can throw that easily from the Jon boat, so I only throw it from the dock or stick with the 4. I went fishing last Wednesday and saw plenty of shad up shallow. Especially young gizzard shad. Are they spawning now? Seems a little late for them. I managed 3 good shad, about 12" or bigger, after I was done with the crappie. I'm froze them in anticipation for a good night to get some catfish or gar.