# Skips, shad, and moon eye



## a.c shiner (Mar 11, 2012)

Hello all I'm new to river fishing for catfish and just recent built me a nice pontoon setup strictly for cat fishing. My question is what is the best way to catch bait I mean is there a special place to target shad I know skips are usually at the dams and moon like fast water as well. So I'm asking if there is any special things I need to know maybe to keep me from wasting time and gas if there is any pointers please let me know. Also what about like bluegills and chubs or yellowbellys things like that do they work good most river videos everyone uses shad and skips so I was unsure.if there is any tips you can give a rookie Id be glad to hear them


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

Best bet for skipjack are the dams in the spring. You can catch them in the summer now but they aren't as thick as when they first start coming through in the spring. You should start to see a lot of the smaller skips from this years hatch showing up and you can catch them all over the river. I have best luck for shad in feeder creeks and marinas are great places to look. Just be courteous when you are going in a marina and follow any posted signs. Mooneye like to sit on the current seam. When you catch a mooneye there are usually more in the area.

As for gills and what not they work but its hard to beat the main 3 baits with shad, skipjack, and mooneye. If you throw a gill or a chub in front of a hungry catfish they are going to eat it haha


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## a.c shiner (Mar 11, 2012)

Thank you for the reply I have a good place to get shad but it's not on the way to the river and I didn't know how easy they was to get on the river but I guess till I get the hang of it ill goo get some and then try my luck getting more on the river.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

Shad move around too, you might find them in one area in the spring and a different in the summer or fall and again in the winter. Just got to keep trying in different areas and look for them popping on the surface. Sunrise and sunset for the skipjack.


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## Skip2myalou (Apr 2, 2013)

I like fresh bait over frozen. I'll take a fresh shad over a frozen skip. But if you don't mind frozen, make a run in the winter down south to Cumberland City. You are allowed 100. So take wife, kids, friends, whoever. Get 300-400, freeze and be done with bait for the year.


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