- How to bait a hook with threadfin shad. Baiting a hook with whole shad. The whole threadfin shad is a staple bait for targeting blue catfish and can be a very effective bait for blue catfish. This video walks you step by step through the process of baiting a hook with whole shad for bait for blue catfishing. Knowing how to bait a hook with shad is a fundamental tecnique for catfishing.