Menhaden/Shad

MENHADEN BIO

Atlantic Menhaden
Gulf Menhaden

SCIENTIFIC NAME:
Atlantic species: Brevoortia tyrannus
Gulf species: Brevoortia patronus

AKA: pogy, pogie, shad, bunker, mossbunker, fatback, razor belly, alewife, LY, bug fish, shiner, whitefish, old-wife, chebog, greentail, poghaden, bony-fish

PROMINENT FEATURES:

The Atlantic menhaden is a herring indigenous to the Western Atlantic. It’s a warm-water baitfish commonly occurring from New England to North Florida, and throughout the Gulf of Mexico. This remarkable and very abundant bait is an important part of the inshore and near shore food chain because it eats plankton and ultimately converts those microscopic animals to baitfish flesh, which in turn feeds legions of gamefish along the Atlantic seaboard. Sizes can vary from 2” to 3” for the freshwater market. 4” to 6” and 6” to 8” for the saltwater market.

A filter feeder type of herring with a black spot on their shoulder behind their gill with several more along sides. A very oily fish. Menhaden are very stinky fish with bony flesh so it scares off even the most adventurous diners. Their smell is very distinctive and it is not hard to “smell” a nearby school if the wind is blowing your way. We supply both Gulf and Atlantic species of menhaden interchangeably.
Uses: The menhaden is not only a bait for all seasons, but it definitely is a bait for almost all marine gamefish. Offshore, everything from sailfish and kingfish, to cobia, blackfin tuna, cudas, sharks, tarpon and wahoo greedily eat menhaden. Inshore, flounder and redfish go nuts for pogies. Sea trout at times go for them (especially big trout). Even bottom feeders like black drum, whiting and croakers can be drawn to a fishing spot by using ground menhaden as chum. Plenty of drum are caught with strips of fresh menhaden cut from large baits. The Gulf and Atlantic species are used interchangeably. A favorite of tarpon fisherman in Florida. Black seabass cannot resist the oily menhaden. Makes an excellent chum both as a cut or ground. Favorite crab bait of both recreational and commercial fishermen, especially for blue crabs.
Menhaden are rendered into both oil and meal.

Menhaden oil is a very stinky fatty oil obtained from the menhaden fish. Menhaden oil is an excellent fish attractant either on it’s own or added to your chum mixture. BAITMASTERS Menhaden Oil is pure oil – not pressed or filtered – the fats and solids are evident in the bottle. This oil is an ideal additive to your homemade fish chum recipe and can also be used to marinate your bait or on its own using a drip dispenser. Pour some menhaden into your drip dispenser, set the valve on the drip tube so the menhaden oil drips slowly into the water. This oil slick can attract fish from miles.

FISHY FACTS:

Menhaden are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and are used to produce odorless, tasteless, and organic fish-oil supplement capsules.

PACKAGING FORMS:

Whole fish – 1 lb bag
Whole fish – 5 lb boxes
Whole fish in bulk boxes

Ground as chum in 7 lb & 25 lb boxes

Menhaden Oil:
* 8oz dispenser bottle
* Quart bottle
* Gallon bottle