Preparing skipjacks as bait for catfish is not a complex process. For most catfish anglers targeting blue catfish the best bait is going to be fresh shad or skipjack herring. Some anglers keep skipjacks alive and prepare them for use as bait … Locating fish by watching for sea birds feeding on surface bait fish and then trolling past or casting onto the surface should be effective when targeting Skipjack Tuna. Skipjack herring is one of the popular tuna species that would roam open gulf streams in large schools. As long as you know when and where to catch them, you will have no problem and won’t go home empty-handed. Skipjack Herring. Anglers know it by many nicknames, including nailrod (my favorite), river herring, golden shad, river shad, skippy and blue herring. Using River (Freshwater) Herring as Freshwater Bait Believe it or not, most species of freshwater shad found in America are actually members of the river herring grouping. Jump to Latest Follow 1 - 19 of 19 Posts. It is the best catfish bait you can find, so good luck! Fortunately, it is very easy to catch skipjacks in a large quantity. Anglers go fishing for skipjacks with casting nets, and they catch enough to use as bait for catfish. We catch TONS of them doing this. I’m talking about large American shad, gizzard shad, Alabama shad, blueback shad, hickory shad, and skipjack shad. T ... We, my sons and I , used what they call a bubble rig to catch the fire out of Ladyfish and I have applied the parts of this rig to my skipjack fishing. Apr 10, 2012 - Rig for catching skipjack herring to use as catfish bait. The right bait, the right presentation in the right area at the right time and then the magic happens. Catfish anglers can catch skipjack herring on Sabiki rigs in areas with clear, shallow running water. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! The next things to focus on are the lures and strategies you should follow to attract them better! A recurring theme from both the Mississippi and Tenn-Tom anglers is the importance of using river herring for bait when attempting to catch catfish, particularly trophy-sized blue cats. Last time I was there, I caught a dozen fish in 3.5 hours. Christine if the best! Apr 10, 2012 - Rig for catching skipjack herring to use as catfish bait. Anglers know it … Great for skipjack herring, white bass, crappie, black bass, stripers, hybrids.Available in 7 different colors and three different sizes.All are made from Stainless Steel with quality, sharp hooks. The foundation of that success is having the right catfish bait. And while the catfishing part of the trip was fun, the bait catching was even more fun. Catching Skipjack Tuna requires a medium to heavy action 6ft rod paired with a reel that has a smooth and strong drag of more than 15lbs. The skipjack herring (Alosa chrysochloris) is closely related to shad and alewives. Skipjack lures. When seen skipping across the water, pursuing the small fishes that comprise most of its diet, its symmetry and color catch the eye. Get the best deals for skipjack lures at eBay.com. The skipjack herring (Alosa chrysochloris) is closely related to shad and alewives. Skipjack is always available for you to catch and will make delicious meat. There’s a lot that goes into being successful catching blue catfish.