Ky Afield TV show

[Tube man]

Did anyone see the ky afield tv show this past weekend?They were shellcracker fishing on Barkley lake.I have never seen shellcrackers that big I have always wanted to try that on Ky.lake but never have.Doh Does anyone know very much about shellcracker fishing on Ky. lake?Like the best bays to fish or any good info

[CrappiePappy]

I've seen two KY Afield shows on Shellcracker (Redear) fishing at KY/Barkley. (the one you're talking about, and one prior to that ... last year, or year before ? )

Here's the "cracker" video segments of both shows:

YouTube - ‪Catching Redear on Barkley‬‏.

YouTube - ‪Redear and Bluegill on Lake Barkley‬‏

Wouldn't be too hard to make some of those "jigs" that Jim Doom uses (in both shows) ... as they look to be small Beetle Spin Grubs (black w/yellow stripes) with yellow rubber band legs.

I have caught some "hand sized" ones from Cedar Creek ... fishing from the bank, with a piece of nightcrawler.

... cp

[mepperson]

I make those jigs but I have a custom mold for the bodies and put rubber legs through them. Last year I started tying the jigs and attaching the legs on them. They work just as good and you almost never have a bait fall apart. The gills and crackers can sure tear up the plastic baits. I usually tip mine with a Berkley Gulp maggot or ascot. Most people tip their bait or hook with worms but I catch my fair share with the artificial and my boat stays much cleaner.

[M R Dux]

Go into the areas that are traditional bluegill spawning areas and work the deeper areas. Your best bets will be large bays that have a large creek flowing into it with a gravel/sand bottom. I tell most folks if you are catching bluegills casting toward the bank in these areas, you are probably sitting ON TOP of the redears. They will be in anywhere from 3-10 feet of water and it seems that their beds are smaller but more concentrated. Most guys who get onto a good redear bite keep it much quieter than crappie fishermen ever thought about being. Constant pressure will ruin a good bed and many guys I know ALWAYS release the big females back to spawn. The females won't be as brightly colored and will have a more yellow cast to the breast where the males will be gold/bronze/brown. This fishery has been growing big time for the last 15 or so years and we now have some pushing 3 pounds but the bluegill fishing on KY and Barkley is no slouch either.

[Tube man]

Thanks mrdux, that's some good info...!

[Tube man]

One of these days we will have to give this kind of fishing a try.Thumbs Up

[CrappiePappy]

One of these days we will have to give this kind of fishing a try.Thumbs Up

You bet !! .... maybe sometime around the first full moon in May, down at Cedar Creek, perhaps ??

... cp

[Tube man]

That sounds good...!Thumbs Up

[kycreek]

That had to be a blast. Feeling something that big tugging on your line. Can't get enough of seeing that cork go down.

[Bronson]

There's a lot of ways to catch them. My favorite is throwing a small crawfish colored tube and pinch the tenacles off right behind a 1/32oz. jig on a #6 or smaller hook. Other times I will use a 1/2 a nightcrawler or red wiggler and use either no weight or as little as I can get by with.

It's surprising how big the can get and maybe the best fighter for it's size that swims. Some get so big you find yourself constantly looking in the livewell just to see it finning there. Beautiful fish!