Big bait for cats on Oconee

[MrShangles]

I’m getting into catching big cats on Oconee, I’ve been using cut bream, but sometimes don’t have time to go catch fresh bream, I got a trow net but have only been able to catch small shad, is there a large type shad in Oconee or another big bait I can catch with a net if so how? Thanks for help 32# flathead is my largest so far.

 

[Liquid nails]

Big gizzards. Need to Find you some. Never fished oconee but they have to be in there. If not go buy a few?

Remember, if you toss out some cut bait and the wake doesn’t come back and rock the boat, well, it isn’t big enough?

 

[Liquid nails]

 

[jiminbogart]

Are those big cats good eating?

 

[MrShangles]

I don’t keep any, catch and release. those little 5 pounders are for eating

 

[antharper]

Are those big cats good eating?

The flatheads are delicious , the bigger the better in my experience

 

[Mexican Squealer]

As stated above, big gizzard shad.

 

[Dennis]

Throw net on some of the mud flats that's where I've found some of the bigger gizzards early in the morning

 

[LittleDrummerBoy]

Oconee has big gizzard shad.

 

[Fletch_W]

Your post reminds me..

Over the summer I went on an Oconee catfish trip, the dock was covered up in bluegill and I had crickets. The night before, I considered going ahead and catching some for the morning, but thought "nah, they're so thick, I'll just catch a few in the morning".

Well guess what.

The next morning I couldn't catch a bluegill on a live cricket to save my life.

Moral of the story- Don't pass up an opportunity to stock up on bait. And the larger life lesson is to "strike while the iron is hot" and "make hay while the sun shines". I got cocky, prideful, thinking "I'm an expert, I can catch bluegill with live crickets off this dock like I'm Jesus" and then God called me on it.

 

[Wire Nut]

I catch a lot of cats on Oconee. I use big gizzards. Sometimes they want them live, sometimes dead and sometimes cut. They always hit gizzards

 

[Jim Thompson]

Your post reminds me..

The next morning I couldn't catch a bluegill on a live cricket to save my life.

Moral of the story- Don't pass up an opportunity to stock up on bait. And the larger life lesson is to "strike while the iron is hot" and "make hay while the sun shines". I got cocky, prideful, thinking "I'm an expert, I can catch bluegill with live crickets off this dock like I'm Jesus" and then God called me on it.

It happens to us all from time to time. Me more than most

 

[Thunder Head]

I havent had much luck with gizzards on oconee. But i havent fished it much.

In other lakes ive had the best luck in the backs of muddy creeks.. If the shad are deeper than 7-9 feet. It gets real hard to catch them during the day.

Also,
Whats "big"

To me a big gizzard is in the 15" range. Granted i dont fish with many of these cause there hard to come by. But i do much better with gizzards in the 7 to 9" range.

 

[Wire Nut]

I like gizzard shad 10"+. I always mix cut and live bait and they'll let you know what they want. Sometimes they like small pieces of cut bait, but I always use gizzard shad

 

[MrShangles]

Thanks for information everyone, I went today and found gizzard shad and it worked

 

[Liquid nails]

Heck yeah man!!!