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Ok guys....I've been marking a lot of gizzard shad on the lowrance. Once I'm marking those fish, how do I figure out where to throw the cast net to get the baits? The transducer is on the stern in the center.
When I can visually spot the gizzard shad, it's not a problem but I'm having trouble throwing on top of them when they are down 6-7 feet.
Thanks for the help.
As quick as they are are you sure the gizzards arent swimming out from under the net before it gets to them?!? Just a thought...
I generally find the area the shad are in, and then throw the net out in front of the boat as far as I can if they are not deep. The boat will scare them even with a trolling motor. You have to keep moving. They are generally in coves here on wataree if they are shallow.
I hate to say it but in deeper water a heavier net will help. When that net hits the water the splash scares the heck out of them and the run.I've caught bait in 90ft of water by throwing ,let it sink a couple second then pull hard. Of course the bait was so thick I could almost walk on it.
If they are deep enough that you can't see them in the daylight, and they are right at the boat, they will outrun your net. In the dark, you can spot them on the depth finder, throw the net and catch them. During daylight just throw the net as far in front of the boat as you can and hope to catch a few. If there is a place with a lot of current you can catch them in the eddies during all hours. Hot water discharges are good places to try. Also, in really cold water, in areas not affected by hot water discharges, shad will gather in the very backs of the creeks in just a few feet of water. You can catch them easily there when the sun is up.
Use a transducer mounted on the bottom of your trolling motor on the front of the boat. Then when you mark them you know you are close. You can use a basic graph, doesn't have to be a high dollar one for this purpose. That's how I used to catch them at High Rock Lake years ago. As others said, if you can find a spring or warm water discharge of some kind, it can make quick work. I have found them so thick before that it literally took two of us to pull in an 8 ft net. Wish I could find a good gizzard shad hole close to Seneca. Have heard Saluda lake may have some gizzards. Anyone got any info willing to share. I got two teenage boys just raring to throw some nets...
One thing you might want to think about.... if the transducer in on the back of your boat... and you're throwing from the front then you've pass them already. if you're seeing them from the transducer on the trolling motor then I'd throw from the middle of the boat to out the back. once you see the bait most times you've passed over them unless they are thick as mudd.
My question is if you don't mind telling how do you know they are gizzard shad? Also, if you see them deep you may need to let the net sink until you feel the bait hitting the edge of the net, many times if they're deep and you don't feel them your net has closed before you hit the bait ball. And as others have said them boogers is fast too... good luck.
Don't forget gold hooking. When I guided for a living in south Florida, we'd gold hook for threadfin shad. The folks had so much fun with it that I'd have to remind them that now it was time to actually go fishing. :)
Google Sabiki hooks. They come all snelled on a leader with about 8 or 10 hooks.