Shad fishing/catching

[Fluke]

I have been posting a few questions (a lot probably) on this forum since I started fishing Stockton. I live over an hour north of the lake but plan on moving there permanently in a couple of years. Since I can’t get down there every weekend I read a lot of stuff and ask a lot of questions. Growing up (before the internet) we did old school networking; looking at old charts, talking to commercial fisherman, party boat deckhands, and even bennys (tourist) to figure out what’s going on and where to go. So I try to use this forum in the same manner. Hanging out at the local bait store was a thing and everyone stopped by to say where the fish were running and tell the tall tales of the one that broke the line lol.

[Johnsfolly]

37 minutes ago, Fluke said:

Very nice!

Just catching shad is one of my favorite things to do and in my opinion there is not better bait for freshwater.

A couple of gizzard shad that bit a 1/8 oz white/red shad dart.

A hickory on a green/chartreuse dart and spoon tandem set-up.

Lots of fun for sure!

[Fluke]

Does anyone know any good winter shad holes, around the Hawker point area? 

[Dutch]

It has been my experience that the shad congregate along the bluffs in the late fall and winter.  Sometime in the winter they head to open water.  I assume it has to do with the food supply.

[Fluke]

Thanks Dutch, I know every lake is a little different. At the only other lake I fished, in the winter they would move back and fourth from really shallow flats in coves with deeper channels close by.  If it warms up for a few days they would migrate to the warmer water and head back to deeper water when a cold front moves in. I was also told if you find this pattern in a certain area they will do this in the exact same spot year after year.  So a lot of people that don’t target shad specifically but seem to run in to them all the time at certain location, don’t realize they discovered a shad migration spot. I marked a couple of areas on my C-MAP app, I am going to look for them.
 

 

[MrGiggles]

2 hours ago, Fluke said:

Does anyone know any good winter shad holes, around the Hawker point area? 

Just generally speaking you can find them this time of year on bluffs like Dutch said, where the river channel is close by. 

Down around Hawker, I know I've seen them along the steep bluff just to the north near the big island, and straight to the east along state park cove where the channel swings close to the bank. The east side of the mile long bridge looks good too, but I have never looked there.

The next warmish calm day I will be out there scouting some more. Last time I was out the wind was a bear and I had a really hard time finding anything in an area that could be fished.

[Fluke]

Thanks MrGiggles,

 

I really appreciate the detailed answer. While your out and about if you come across some schooled up feel free to share where. Hopefully I can find their shallow spot close by. Thanks again 

[MoCarp]

On 2/16/2022 at 9:31 AM, Fluke said:

MoCarp, 

I have a green submersible tube light, I haven’t had much luck with it though. Starting to wonder if I “drank the kool aid” on going with green. What color light have you had luck with? And, are you using it in shallow or deep water?

The old floating headlight lanterns work set up over the channels place I did it was 40 ish feet….they can be tiny early in the season thumb nail size  and clear as glass, not good for much….

[Fluke]

Thanks MoCarp

I use to have some of those and got rid of them upgrading to the green submersible ones.Big mistake. Was planning on going this weekend but this snow storm canceled that plan. Hopefully it warms up a tad next weekend. If I go out I will post how it was.