Shad/Skipjack

[jaycee]

I need help on how to acquire skipjack for catfish bait. I got me some sabiki rigs to try.

Never used them. Any help would be appreciated.

I also have a casting net. Not very good with it. Where should I try to catch skipjack below say Nickajack?

[aero320]

Below Nickajack, you should be able to find Skipjack along the edge of the current as it exits the wing wall next to the turbines. They are usually along that current/no current region and usually can be seen flipping. Use the Sabiki rig. Sometimes you can find them in the current.

[Reel Tune]

I would like to know this question for around the Nashville area also. In the winter I take a 5wt, and Ultra Lite to the Steam Plant, but during the summer I have no clue. I'm itch'in to bring in a big cat on the kayak, and think skipjack might be the answer.

[txnative]

There are multiple ways to use a sabiki rig. The easiest is to attach a weight to the terminal end and launching it as far as possible to cover more water, then burning it back. This works great if the skippies are feeding competitively. More often, though, some variation is needed. I like to use a 1 oz flat weight in summer. This weight planes on the surface with a quick retrieve and the rod held high. This causes the flies to dance on the surface during the retrieve. Skippies will get airborne trying to get the flies. This works best for smaller 6"-8" skippies.

For larger fish, use a bank sinker. Cast out, retrieve at a medium pace with a lot of lift/drop thrown to give some erratic action to the flies. If you want to specifically target large skipjack, buy sabikis with size 4 or bigger dropper hooks and leave only 3 on. Trying to crank in 4 or more 1 lb + skipjack in current sucks, trust me.

Another option is to add a crankbait to the end of the rig. This works awesome in slow(er) current, as it pulls the sabiki down while making the flies shimmy...very productive. Plus, larger skippies will slam the crankbait, enabling you to catch multiple sizes on a single rig. A jighead/curlytail combo works, too, and is better in heavier current, just make sure you have enough weight to get the rig below the surface.

All this being said, i'm sure there are other retrieve styles that are effective, these are my personal faves. Old Hick Dam should be lousy with skippies and shad right now, Jeremy. Fish the h'ville side. Early and late are usually best, but full-on skippie blitzes happen anytime. Take your 5 wt, too...lotta fun, plus you learn to steeple cast out of necessity (traditional backcast slams your fly into the rip-rap).


Cautionary note:
Take more than 1 sabiki rig with you. Besides snagging hazards, i've had monster stripers demolish my skippie-loaded sabiki as i was reeling it in...guess the striper thought it was a school of stunned, panicky bait.


Chris

[Reel Tune]

Thanks for all the great info Chris. I'm thinking cut bait for catfish soon.

[tjustin]

Do you guys freeze them ? I got a couple bags in the freezer but when i go to use them i just dont think there as prooductive as fresh caught / cut skippies . If man was to keep some fresh cut skippes over time could he keep live skipjacks in an aqaruim or something like ?

[txnative]

Best way to preserve 'em is to vacuum seal & freeze em. You can buy a portable, battery powered vac kit at wally world. This way, you can steak/fillet the skippies as you catch them instead of doing it when you get home. Skippies get "mushy" FAST after they're dead, so sealing them up and tosding the bag in a cooler will help keep them fresh longer.

Also, try to keep the bait frozen as long as possible. Keep them on ice in a cooler until you put the bait on a hook. Frozen fillets work better than thawed ones because the fillets will release a ton of amino acids as they thaw, and if they are still frozen when they go in they water, then they leave a better scent-trail when they thaw. Granted, getting a frozen fillet on a hook is hard, the benefits outweigh the difficulty.

Keeping skippies alive is tough. I know of a striper guide who kept his alive in a concrete-lined pond in his yard. He had high-powered aerators, O2 tanks, and a refridgeration system. This should illustrate just how hard skippies are to maintain. Catching/filleting/sealing/freezing makes more sense, especially if you are using them as cutbait.


Chris

[TNtransplant08]

MidTNKayakAngler~Another technique you can try, that I've had great success below OH Dam with is to tie on one of those syrofoam bobbers that have a concave top and a weight in the bottom (I forget what they're called). You can buy them at "The Bait Shop" on Gallatin Road. Bass Pro Shops sells ones that comes with a steel leader, but I cut those off. Than tie on a 2-3 feet leader and at the end of the leader tie a straight shank worm hook with a 3 inch slider worm in white. Heave that sucker out as far as you can and on the retrieve, pop the rod, causing the bobber to make alot of commotion (just like a popper lure). Vary the retrieve speed and intensity of the pop to figure out what the skippies want. This works particularly well for me when you can see alot of skipjack activity at the surface. They go crazy for it and some days you get one on every cast. When the lock is releasing water while a barge is locking through, be READY! That extra flow of water with all the stunned baitfish really seems to turn them on. If the bite seems alittle sluggish, sometimes simply dipping the little paddle tail in chartruese can make a difference.

Also, as a bonus, you will likely catch a fair share of LM Bass and White Bass as well.

[Reel Tune]

MidTNKayakAngler~tie on one of those syrofoam bobbers that have a concave top and a weight in the bottom (I forget what they're called).

Popping Cork? Thanks for the tips. I'll have to start going down there more often since I live just minutes from the dam. I don't make it down there much due to the heavy flows don't make it much fun in the kayak.