Herring vs Shiners

[ng20corn]

Thinking about getting out tomorrow with some live bait and was wondering what the advantages/disadvantages are of using herring vs shiners. Are herring better for some species and shiners better for others?

[jimmythegreek]

in lakes/rivers where herring are the main forage, the local fish can be VERY picky and snuff their noses at shiners. Herring are a pain to keep alive and are very delicate, where shiners are tough as nails and can last days w no attention. Basically if you're bass/pickeral/panfishing shiners and fatheads are perfect no need for herring. If you are chasing walleye, wipers, trout, lakers, etc. they tend to only bite herring. Trick to herring is keep em out of the sun and have a good oxygenator, they need lots of room, the average bait bucket can hold 2 dozen max, usually a doz is best. Slowly change out water for lake water cause they release amonia when they are panicked, this kills em

[briansnat]

Herring are more expensive and die really easily. You need to keep them cold and well aerated. If it's summer and you have a live well that pumps in warm lake water or if you put your bait bucket in the water, you are going to have dead herring.

To keep herring alive I use 48 quart cooler instead of a bait bucket and I toss in a little ice now and then. I also have the bubbler going full time. No need for any of that for shiners. Well maybe the bubbler on and off all day.

[ScowardNJ]

I bought half a dozen herring from Franks (now officially known as Tackle and Field) Saturday afternoon, put em in a lunch sized cooler with an aerator. They where all dead by the time i got to Skunksville (10 minutes away). My guess is either the cooler was too small or i forgot what was used to clean the cooler last time(bleach maybe?). We had a dozen and half last all night at Hopatcong in a 40qt cooler with air. On hot days freeze a couple of water bottles and drop one or two in the bait cooler to keep the water cold.

[Eskimo]

.


I used herring for the first time last weekend.

I went to Spruce Run on Saturday. The reservoir was relatively crowded with a mix of anglers ranging from old salts in well-equipted boats to kids with brand-new kayaks strapped to the top of their mom's mini-van.

I noticed, with the exception of two guys in a canoe fly-fishing, I was the ONLY person on the reservoir not using herring.

I didn't mind though. The Channel Catfish were feeding voraciously and the crappie were biting pretty good, too. Despite the great catfishing, I was interested in catching some of those hybrid striped bass I was seeing other people catch with their live herring.

So I went to that bait shop on Route 22 near Round Valley on Sunday and picked up a dozen herring. I don't have room for a real bait bucket, so I stuffed all the herring in a small flow-troll bucket. The air was in the low 60's and the dragging behind the kayak kept the water refreshed so i never lost any herring this way.

Anyway, after spending $8.50 on herring to avoid catfish, do you know what I caught?

More catfish!



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[bunkerbuster]

herring run to corners and die, use a round bucket and they swim circles and live, air, cold water and little salt keeps them lively..no chlorine..

[catfishonthelake]

I have a tall, 7 gallon bucket that I run a battery-powers aerator into. I can keep 3 dozen herring a live in there for a long time. More for a shorter time.

[DRiverRat]

Anyway, after spending $8.50 on herring to avoid catfish, do you know what I caught?

More catfish!



.[/QUOTE]
Too F**kin funny The main forage will be attractive to all the species but your target is what you specify your bait to. If you want brids, stay with herring. My bait stays healthy and lively in a 2 gallon Igloo w/ aerator. I'm usually out for 4 hours.

[briansnat]

Originally Posted by bunkerbuster

herring run to corners and die, use a round bucket and they swim circles and live, air, cold water and little salt keeps them lively..no chlorine..

Not very smart those herring.