Pacemaker Fishing Forum

Thanks

There are threadfins in fourmile right now in the 2lb+ range

You know what Ernie..you're right, I was mearly going on the dorsal fin trailer....forgot about size! They were in fact gizzards!

or you can accidentally snag them suckers like I did....

A gizzard (mud) shad is a bait fish. You only catch them by mistake. Capt. Mike likes to use them for blue cat bait but he gets his with a net.

Go here and look around: http://md.water.usgs.gov/

Every dot is another river/creek station

LOL I managed 3 bass today man, it was deff slow but not dead, ran into alot of gizzards but had enough self control to not try and set the hook...I had enough slimey shad at the end of my line the other day!

yeah not the easiest fish to get a good grip on....I would just hold the hook up and let gravity take them off....but sometimes you have the ones that are hooked good and must get dirty....

captmikestarrett wrote:

I will need you to cut one up and smear the smell all over your hands and pants.. Hmm gizzard shad...

Now you will smell like me after a day of cat fishing.. The girls will love your new perfume.

His boat is all about that smell.....luckily, the last time I fished with him, he had a fresh and lively supply of Black Salties!

Fishin4Food:
Spawning shad normally come into the Fletcher's area when the shadbush are in bloom. Since these shrubs are not plentiful and most people do not know what they are, just look for dogwood trees.  When the dogwood bloom, the hickory and white shad, herring, white perch and stripers are in the river. Gizzard shad are resident year round and may be caught at any time.

Pacemaker:
Gizzard shad are relatively easy to catch. I love to fish for them at Blue Plains Sewage Treatment outflow. Just toss out a 1/4 oz. Silver Buddy on ultra light tackle and let it fall. As it tumbles through the clear water discharge, the shad will pick up the flashing bait and it is on!  These fish run from 1-3 pounds and are a real fight on 4# line and ultra light.  While most anglers think that you have to snag them, these fish actually take them fully in the mouth.  They make drag screaming runs and jump like a smallmouth and you can catch one on every cast.

Thai:
To eliminate the slimy smell, don't touch them.  In spite of catching 50+ per trip, I never touch one.  I take a four foot length of parting bead (1/2"x3/4" wood molding) and staple a 4"x4" piece of hardware cloth to the end of it.  When I bring the fish next to the boat, I use the hardware cloth to snag the loose treble hook on the Silver Buddy and give it a quick jerk.  This dislodges the hook in the fish's mouth, releasing the fish with no slimy smell or residue on boat or on me.  In the event that a large (3#) fish grabs all three tines of the treble hook, it becomes necessary to grab the shank of the treble hook and twist sharply.  This will normally dislodge the most stubbornly ingested hook.

All:
In addition to gizzard shad, this method also results in largemouth bass, channel catfish and striped bass being caught. If you think a nice big gizzard shad fights hard, get a seven pound striper on ultra light. That becomes more fun than anything else I can think of.  If the weather will ever start cooperating, I will be out there after the shad.