Question for shellcracker pros

I was talking to a biologist today and we were talking shellcracker fishing on KY and Barkley Lakes here in west KY. He told me about seeing a cooler full of 2-3 pound shellcrackers a few years ago that were caught by 2 gentlemen in their 70s on Barkley. These fish were caught in late summer on live bait in 15-20 feet of water. I have ZERO reason to not believe the story. My question is where would you pros start looking for shellcrackers in deep water in the summertime and what type of bottom/structure would you look for? I typically look for 6-10 feet of water in major coves that have creeks entering the lake and sandy/gravel bottoms. These are spawning fish in April-May. The prospect of catching trophy crackers in deep water has gotten my curiosity up, esp. quality fish like those mentioned. I have known for some time that crackers up to nearly 4 pounds can be caught here but they are like 10 pound bass locally. I've never been so lucky. Any ideas or input? Thanks, Doug.

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Originally Posted by mrdux

My question is where would you pros start looking for shellcrackers in deep water in the summertime and what type of bottom/structure would you look for? I typically look for 6-10 feet of water in major coves that have creeks entering the lake and sandy/gravel bottoms.

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I think you've got the right idea, but I would move out into deeper water. I wouldn't call myself a shellcracker "pro", but I look for the deepest water I can find near the spawning grounds. I fish much smaller waters than Kentucky Lake, so that usually means a max of 12-15' FOW for me. I have no doubt that a place like Kentucky Lake has huge shellcrackers. But like most places, people just forget about 'em after the spawn.

A 4 pound shellcracker??

I am not a pro, but I spend most of my time going after shell cracker and bluegill...

After the spawn they typically move to deeper water as already has been stated.

Typically, I look for some kind of transition, like where the bottom of the lake is dropping rapidly at a slew inlet, channel, etc.

Another thing to keep in mind, althought they eat insects, they prefer aquatic snails (hence the name shell cracker). Typically where there are hard bottoms, rocks, submerged logs, things of that nature have always been more productive for me. In the lake that I spend most of my time on, there is a submerged road bottom that consitently yeilds large shell crackers.

A 2lb shell is pretty rare in most peoples book. Although I have read about 4 pounders, I have never actually seen one.

Oscar

Thanks and keep the info coming.

The worlds record shellcracker is around 5 1/2 pounds. I have mounted some nearly 3 pounds. There was one caught and confirmed on certified scales on KY Lake that was almost 4 pounds a couple of years ago. I have no doubt that there are good numbers of exceptional crackers here if I could just learn to target them. It is a totally untapped resource no doubt.

Fish deep water humps in the summer time it works great in our area maybe yours want hurt trying. we fish humps from 10 ft to 25 ft.

Look at this!!!!!
http://www.dansfishinhole.com/bluegill.htm

Has any body tried the 1" plastic crawdad on a small jig for shell crackers,? I've cleaned shell crackers with little craw claws inside them.

Steve, that is one huge red ear. Man ,what a fight that must of been.

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Originally Posted by tinsmith

Has any body tried the 1" plastic crawdad on a small jig for shell crackers,? I've cleaned shell crackers with little craw claws inside them.

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Not tried those but I have tred the 1" southern pro worms. Pieces of nightcrawlers are better for me. The worms will catch fish but not like real bits of crawlers.......

Chris

The thought occured to me that rivers and streams infested with zebra mussels should produce plenty of red ears/crackers. Any thoughts or wisdom on this?
DP

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Originally Posted by tinsmith

Has any body tried the 1" plastic crawdad on a small jig for shell crackers,? I've cleaned shell crackers with little craw claws inside them.

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I have used them quite a bit and I love them. I usually fish them with a small silver or gold spinner and I have a good bit of luck with them. I usually buy the brown (no glitter or anything) from Wally-world (around a buck for 2 rigger and 3 spares). I really think they are a great jig for Crackers and gills too.

i have been fishing chinks for over forty yrs. ,i live in south central louisiana and fish one lake mostly(chicot lake/chicot state park).
i catch chinks on dragonfly nymphs,small red worms(midge fly larva) and grass shrimp,i tie the flies on #8 to #6 hooks.
The first spawn of the year almost always occurs on the full moon nearest the time the optimum water temperature first occurs. Some bream, particularly bluegills and shellcrackers, spawn around the new moon during the summer, when water temperature are well above the minimum spawning range. But the preponderance of the data shows that the period extending from one week prior to the full moon to one week after the full moon sees the strongest activity. This is definitely when most creel surveys show the highest per-hour catch rates.

Expert bream anglers narrow that time frame down even farther -- to a few days before the full moon to three or four days after the full moon

try the deep water off the rocks of a dam from 10 feet on down.

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Originally Posted by OKSTATEjiggy

A 4 pound shellcracker??

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Merrit`s mill pond in Marriana, Fla used to have a good supply of 3-4 pound crackers. The locals would spear them off beds and net them and ruint the population.

There was a CO on Lake Barkley a few years ago who reported checking a boat at night. The boat was a typical bowfishing set-up we see around here, high intensity lights, generator, etc. The guys in the boat had over 200 shellcrackers that they had gigged off beds.They were totally legal (sad to say). This was before the KY F&W designated them as sport fish and put limits on them on KY and Barkley. There will always be somebody who will ruin a resource if they are given the chance. I personally hope the SOBs choked on a bone!

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Originally Posted by mrdux

There was a CO on Lake Barkley a few years ago who reported checking a boat at night. The boat was a typical bowfishing set-up we see around here, high intensity lights, generator, etc. The guys in the boat had over 200 shellcrackers that they had gigged off beds.They were totally legal (sad to say). This was before the KY F&W designated them as sport fish and put limits on them on KY and Barkley. There will always be somebody who will ruin a resource if they are given the chance. I personally hope the SOBs choked on a bone!

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i agree ,but what would anyone want 200 for,they must have been selling those fish.lord how many is enough,i sometimes catch 75 or more but i never keep over 20 fish,and most of the time 10 or 12 at most.

shooter, I can only guess that they wanted to be able to brag to their drinking buddies about their "fishing" prowess. I see no sport in what they were doing but it wasn't illegal at that time.

The KY F&W stepped up BIG and made them a game fish with a 20 fish limit on KY and Barkley. If they had the manpower to check creels on a regular basis, I'm sure they would find that many fishermen could really care less what the limits are. I personally think they should check possession limits at campgrounds much more closely. Lots of folks catch and clean many more fish than allowed when they are camping around the lakes. Possession in these parts is usually 2X the daily limit. I hear often of folks heading home with deep freezers full of fillets after a couple of weeks at the campgrounds. I guess there will always be those who think game laws are made for someone other than themselves.

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The KY F&W stepped up BIG and made them a game fish with a 20 fish limit on KY and Barkley.

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I will second this statement.

I try to take home as many as I can when I go out to target bluegill and shellcrackers. I don't get to go that often and if I could catch 50 or 75, I will go home and clean them. I like to eat fish and it is good for you. Since I won't take that many shellcrackers home since the limit was put on though.

In California, we will fish for them in 50 feet in the winter, looking for flats nearby. Some great days of catching, while all others are targeting trout or bass.