Preserved Bait?

[MTCOMMER]

 
Ill be heading out to the river tonight to do some fishing, mostly drifting a Lindy with a shiner/shad on the end.  Has anyone ever used the preserved bait they have in the plastic packs at like Fleet, or Cabela's, or anywhere Sporting Goods store.  The reason I ask, is no bait shops in Winona (there might only be 2) carry shiners and I want to use larger minnows for the river, since the fish are feeding on Shiners and shad. So im thinking about picking up a pack of the preserved Shad.
Anyone have any experience with them, I know they smell bad, but thats about it.  Do they work well, ive read mixed reviews.  I know the fish on the river with pretty much eat anything big that looks like a fish!

Any help or comments are appreciated, Thanks Guys!

[BiggA]

never tried them myself but I know the guy ice fishing next to me this winter was catching BIG fish on dead bait on a tip up.

[Mayfly]

How about Gulp?

[HD]

I've used them for catfish, and they worked pretty well.

  But, I think a cat will eat just about anything.......

[MTCOMMER]

Well, I went out and bought some preserved shad and went out, I ended up losing 3 Lindy spinners and caught 1 white bass on it.  I did also catch a skinny 27" pike and two Largemouth Bass, the largest being 15"
I think they would worked better if I wouldnt have gotten them caught on so many rocks!