The two main shad species used for Striped Bass Fishing in Arkansas are the Gizzard and Threadfin shad.
Shad are usually found in large,
constantly moving schools.
Shad are soft, elongated fish without sharp
spines.
They have a distinctive long threadlike last dorsal fin ray observed
on the back of the fish.
Shad
serve as the principal forage for Black bass, Striped bass, White Bass, Hybrids and
Crappie.
The scales on both species are small and come off
easily, and both species are relatively hard to keep alive in live-wells or
tanks.
Both species have a bluish gray back and greenish or silver
tinge overall, only threadfin have a yellow colored tail.
The upper and
lower jaws of threadfin meet in a pointed snout.
The gizzard shad has a
blunt snout with the lower jaw set behind the upper jaw.
Shad also differ in growth rates and maximum size with adult threadfin usually reaching five to seven inches, while adult gizzard shad can grow to well over 12 inches.
Gizzard and threadfin Shad start life
together feeding on plankton in open surface water.
Threadfin remain in open water during their entire life, moving
shallow to spawn or forced into shallow cover by predator attacks.
The preferred escape mechanism for threadfin is schooling where
protection for individual shad comes from hiding within the large
school.
With time and growth, dietary needs change and gizzard shad seek the bottom. Gizzard shad mouthparts are best equipped for foraging and filter feeding on algae and disintegrated or eroded matter that is siphoned off the sandy bottom avoiding thick weeds. Shad move in and out of shallow coves in an unhurried peaceful search for food.
For most people it is hard to distinguish between
the gizzard the threadfin,
Easy way is to look at the lower Jaw.
The threadfin shad's lower jaw protrudes out farther than the top jaw.
Also the threadfin with exhibit yellowing fins except for the dorsal .
Gizzard shad
Very abundant and common baitfish used in Arkansas. They are easy to acquire, but are a demanding bait to keep lively. Named for the gizzard which helps them process the microorganisms that they feed on, they typically range from 4-14 inches as bait. Larger gizzard shad can be found (up to 2 lbs), but only the largest of Striped Bass, 40 lbs and bigger, can manage to choke one of that size down.
Gizzard Shad can be caught on shallow, sandy flats or shallow, turbid (stained or muddy) coves off of the main channel. Don't be afraid to look in water as shallow as 1 foot. Key things to look for when spotting shad is the telltale flip that shad do on the surface when schools of shad are present.
Gizzard shad are very dirty baitfish. When first caught and put in live bait tanks, they will lose their outer coat of slime, quickly clogging any kind of filter. Also shad have what you might call a bowel problem if they have been feeding when first placed in tanks creating a large amount of fecal matter, causing ammonia levels to will build up to toxic levels and your bait will die.
More on Gizzard Shad
Spawning Characteristics of Gizzard Shad:
Gizzard shad begin spawning when water temperatures reach 70 °F and continue
to do so until the water reaches 77 °F.
Gizzard shad of all ages are extremely fragile, and handling them or keeping them in captivity for controlled laboratory testing is difficult even under the best of circumstances (Shoemaker 1942; Bodola 1965; Reutter and Herdendorf 1974); consequently, many specific habitat requirements can only be assumed from field observations, and few or no quantitative data are available for most habitat variables. Comprehensive life history and habitat information was given by Bodola (1965), Jester and Jensen (1972), and Miller (1960).
Conditions for gizzard shad populations are optimal in warm, fertile, shallow bodies of water with soft mud bottoms, high turbidity, and relatively few predators (Miller 1960; Zeller and Wyatt 1967). In fact, lacustrine habitats with these characteristics are the most likely to become overpopulated with gizzard shad. Factors contributing to this problem are the gizzard shad's high reproductive capacity, rapid growth rate, and efficient and direct use of plankton (Hubbs 1934; Miller 1960; Bodola 1965). Moderate to heavy predation by large game species, fluctuating water levels, deep clear water, and steep shorelines (factors that are less than optimal for many species) tend to be associated with lower gizzard shad populations.
Threadfin Shad
Threadfin shad rival gizzard shad in population. In warmer southern impoundments, they most likely outnumber them. Rarely reaching a maximum length of over 7 inches, common range is 3-6. This is a bait which schools so tightly sometimes that your cast net will come to a complete stop on a school of them. Quite often the school will blank out your depthfinder making it impossible to read the bottom. A semi-tropical species, they cannot survive water temperatures below 45 degrees. Thus, during harsh winters, massive die-offs occur.
As widespread as the gizzard shad, but perhaps more concentrated in certain areas at times. They will relate to deep water much more readily than the gizzard. Usually very available year-round.
Much of the time, threadfins will mix in with gizzard shad. They will seek warmer water as a general rule. Coves and inlets are good areas to look. Threadfin, like gizzards, perform the shad flip on the surface, making them easy to spot on calm days. From late spring to early fall, below the dams during times of generation is also an excellent place.
Somewhat delicate, if taken proper care of, threadfins do very well in a tank. They can be kept at numbers of 2-4 per gallon of water. Use salt for threadfin.
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