What size hooks for Threadfin Shad?

[BrandonA]

Just getting into this striper fishing and not sure what size hooks. The guide I went out with was using circle hooks but I wasn't sure on the size.

[Smart]

We fish threadfins from 2.5-5" depending on the bait we net.....preferring the 4-5". The real question is how big of stripers do you expect?

I like 3/0- 4/0 Kahles for open water like Texoma...... 5/0-6/0 for fishing the woods at Tawakoni. If I'm fishing for big fish with bigger shad then its 5/0 or bigger no question.

We hook them through the eyes as well so that no vitals are harmed. Kinda makes them do crazy thing running around blind.

[Texas Grown]

If the shad are really small, I'll use multiple shad eye hooked on one hook. Hook size from #1 to a 4/0 (pending shad size) with a 1/4 to 1/2 oz slip weight above a swivel. If I'm using bullnose shad 4"-8", then it's a 5/0 with a 1-oz slip sinker. When fishing shad vertical or horizontal, I also use a 2'-3' leader with the slip sinker above a swivle. This works well for cats too. Perch also work well with this set-up.

[BrandonA]

What do you mean by mutliple shad eye hook? The fish that we have been catching are 3-7 lbs with an occasional one over 10lbs. The shad that we have been catching are 3-4". Catching them is a whole experience itself, got to get better at that.

[Smart]

What do you mean by mutliple shad eye hook? The fish that we have been catching are 3-7 lbs with an occasional one over 10lbs. The shad that we have been catching are 3-4". Catching them is a whole experience itself, got to get better at that.

he meant running more than one shad on the hook if they are small ....running the hook through their eyes.

Personally I wouldn't use anything smaller than a 4/0 with those sized fish.....particularly the upper side

[Texas Grown]

Sounds like your catching schoolies from the size. If the shad are less than 2" then I thread multiple shad on a hook (2 to 5 shad at a time), through the eyes. Makes up for size of bait when small bait is all that can be caught. Eye hooking shad also makes them harder to pull off and most game fish swallow their pray head first, hence the eye hooking the shad. And havieng multiple tails out there wiggling around don't hurt either . With bullnose shad, I have also used a double leader with one hook behind the dorsal fin and one through the eyes. If you ever get in to a "soft bite", where the fish are really cautious about take-n the bait, lettem run with it for 5-10 seconds before setting the hook wont hurt either. They won't always "slap a rod". I use a bait clicker with free spool when they are on a soft bite. Schoolies are usually good rod slappers though. If you can get a bait down past the schoolies, you can sometimes cath bigger fish below, who let the smaller ones do the work.

Hope this helps ya some Brandon .

[BrandonA]

Smart
What about the circle hooks or what style would you recommend?

[BrandonA]

Sounds like your catching schoolies from the size. If the shad are less than 2" then I thread multiple shad on a hook (2 to 5 shad at a time), through the eyes. Makes up for size of bait when small bait is all that can be caught. Eye hooking shad also makes them harder to pull off and most game fish swallow their pray head first, hence the eye hooking the shad. And havieng multiple tails out there wiggling around don't hurt either . With bullnose shad, I have also used a double leader with one behind the dorsal fin and one through the eyes. If you ever get in to a "soft bite", where the fish are really cautious about take-n the bait, lettem run with it for 5-10 seconds before setting the hook wont hurt either. They won't always "slap a rod". I use a bait clicker with free spool when they are on a soft bite. Schoolies are usually good rod slappers though. If you can get a bait down past the schoolies, you can sometimes cath bigger fish below, who let the smaller ones do the work.

Hope this helps ya some Brandon .

TG

you don't know how much it helps. Any suggestions or tips for catching the shad?

[Smart]

Smart
What about the circle hooks or what style would you recommend?

I've always used the Kahles or "widegaps" because we lose a lot of fish/tackle in the deep timber of Tawakoni and they are cheaper. I will defer to somebody else on circle hooks.

[Texas Grown]

I use a small throw net (6-8foot dia.) for rivers and creeks when the water is running. It helps keep them from getting snagged. For open water, use the largest you can handle(I use a 12). Bullnose can sometimes be found along rock ledges and bluffs. They can also be found in very deep pockets or pools, in the backs of creeks. Finding threadfin is mostly just getting out and lookng for sign, like shore birds working a bank, and watching a graph. They can sometimes be found/seen along the edges of banks in the early morning hour. They will be right up against the edge of a bank. Most shad stay in a warmer thermalcline and seek warmer water in the winter, like warm water discharges. They also need to be moving most all the time as thier bodies produce great amounts of ammonia. That is why it's important to keep the water fresh and circulating in the bait well. I also try to use a round bait well. Shad will find a courner in a square or rectangled well and bloody thier nose and kill them selves swimming into it. Fresh lively bait is very important to have when fishing for stripers. The more lively the bait, the better your chances of a catch.

[Texas Grown]

Course ghost minnows, aka glass minnows, work very well to. But they are so slim it's hard to catch them in a throw net . And it ususally takes multiple ghost minnows on a hook. I used to use a sein (sp) to get those up