I was out last friday and schools of baitfish where in clusters all over the surface. I threw my cast net right on top of them perfectly and could not catch them. It is 1/2 with 1.5#'s per foot. I let it drop until about 20 feet and then pulled hard and brought in fast. I just could not catch them. I could not actually see the fish, just looked like little swirls on the surface. This was in front of spence Island about an hour before sunset. I would really like to learn to catch them, buying them gets expensive.
Tom-
Chances are those were small shad (either threadfins or gizzards). Most of the bait that you will see on the surface in the fall/winter are shad that range from about an inch long to three inches. They are very hard to catch when in open water. If you can find a school “flipping” in the back of a cove or along a shallow bank you may be able to catch some with your net; I have had some success with this in the past. You would probably be better off with a 3/8" mesh, but if the shad are at least a couple of inches long you may be able to catch them.
If you do catch the smaller shad be sure to downsize your hook; I’d use a 1/0 or #1 hook (but not a light wire hook, for obvious reasons).
Well, thanks again master
yep thats shad the crappie love the ones about an inch.