Quote:
Originally Posted by RUGER
I was directed to this site from a friend. He said you were a wealth of knowledge on panfish.
I am an avid bream fisherman but I am struggling to catch shellcracker in my local TWRA lake, Garrett Lake, in West TN.
There is a good population of big shellcracker there but when they are not on bed I can't seem to connect like I have heard stories of.
Very light line, small weight and redworms fished on or near the bottom is the tactic I have been using lately.
Any other tips you could offer ?
Thanks !
|
Welcome to the forum...great bunch of guys on here. Well I fish a lot for panfish that's for sure....don't know that I am a wealth of knowledge but will try to help you out. You are doing the right thing. I fish the Trout Magnet because that is what I use and it works for me. Shell crackers love a small piece of night crawler slowly retrieved along the bottom. I would try to get some 1/32 or even 1/16 ounce jig heads with a #8 or #6 hook. I would put the piece of night crawler on the jig head and once on bottom I would reel it as slow as possible and still be turning the handle....but always keep the bait moving. I only use 2# test line but 4# is good also. The key to catching shell cracker when they are not bedding is you have to have a lot of patience. They rarely...if ever....suspend. I don't know the make up of Garrett Lake but this time of year I would look for gravel...rock...a transition zone of something like where a ledge drops off...and it doesn't have to be a big drop either. They first and foremost love to hang around shell beds. Then it is gravel...rocks.....then comes weed lines. Right now they could be in 4 feet of water or 15 feet of water. If you have caught them off the bed in Garrett Lake fish out a ways from those bedding areas in deeper water for them.....they tend at times to not travel too far from where they bedded even though the spawn was months ago. I have read several articles that shell cracker will have a fall bedding period when the water temps get right around 70 degrees or high 60's so check beds where you caught them during spring spawn. I haven't been able to prove that yet but several fish biologist think so. Once you find them make sure you keep a log as they will probably be at the same place same time next year. The spot I am fishing now at Pickwick has held them in the same spot for the past 3 years. They just show up for what I call the fall bite. I would find an area you think they may be in and just start fan casting to cover the ground. Once you find one you are going to get more. Fishing for shell cracker when not bedding can require lots of time and be frustrating. I got lucky about 2 weeks ago and found them in 6-8 feet of water at VFW Lake and I found them by just picking a spot that I had known them to be in from the past and started fan casting and I hooked up with one, threw my marker over the side and fished around the whole area. Garrett Lake sounds like a lake I need to visit. It looks like there is some rock at the dam. Are you fishing from a boat?...if so I would try in the rock at the dam. I hope I have given you some ideas that you find useful. Not many of us pursue shell crackers this time of year. Many of the shell cracker guides in Alabama refer to them as "The Mystery Fish" this time of year because they don't know where they go. Let me know how you come out and if you have anymore questions don't hesitate to ask.
Regards