Catching bait

[Hewhofish]

I have a cast net and always use it on the ocean to catch my bait when I stay on the beach, I would like to start using some live bait on Cumberland, but am not really sure how to go about catching some shad or shiners for bass. Any help with this is greatly appreciated!

[tacoma]

In Cumberland the most used technique is to put a light out (or use one around a dock that's all ready out) at night and wait for the bait fish to move in thick. Then Shut out the light and throw the net with extra string attached and let it go very deep before you yank it cosed. Repeat until you have enough bait to use. On Dale Hollow they use booms on house boats with square framed nets attached to a hand wench. They lower the net into the water, put a light out and crank it in when they get thick. Throwing a net in the day is hit or miss on Cumberland. The Shad can be scattered and hard to catch in the clear water. Most of the guides get bait at night at lighted docks. Now if your at Barren or other stained fertile lakes it is no trouble to catch them just by throwing a net on shallow flats and coves where you see them surfacing. I've had trouble hauling the net into the boat at times at Barren, they can really be thick.