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| Name: |
Lee Gantt
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/4/2009 10:18:24 AM
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We fished three days last week and ended up with seven fish that went over 20 pounds and four more that went over 30. I am posting a link to my personal photo site where I have posted some pics of these fish and hopefully there will be more to follow.
URL: striperadventures.shutterfly.com
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| Name: |
Maverick
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/4/2009 12:26:21 PM
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Lee:
NICE pics and great fish !!!!
If you do not mind me asking, as my son is coming down this weekend to try his hand at striper fishing.
What you are using for bait, what area of the lake and then what technique -- trolling with planer boards or drifting??
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
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| Name: |
Lee Gantt
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/4/2009 6:33:13 PM
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I was fishing up river pulling planer boards with gizzard shad however I would not advise someone who is not VERY familiar with the river on the upper end of lake martin going up there this time of year. With the lake down a little over 10ft there are many rocks and stumps that can quickly become hazards and can do extensive damage to a boat. With this being said, I do not take my center console up there until the water is up a couple feet more. One more thing to consider is this massive cold front that is over us right not and it's effect on the water temp up there. It is my opinion that this cold front will push many fish back down into the main lake and that you may have better luck trying to catch them on downlines.
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| Name: |
Maverick
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/4/2009 6:49:02 PM
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Thanks for the info, figured you might be up around Jaybird Landing running planner boards.
And you are correct extremely dangerous up there so we will stay in the big water. But have to say it is very pretty back there if you know how to navigate the area.
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| Name: |
alahusker
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/4/2009 8:08:28 PM
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long time lake resident and dedicated fisherman.. still have not broken the code on keeping shad alive, however..
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| Name: |
Lee Gantt
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/4/2009 10:46:04 PM
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I have been holding shad for a couple of years now and do admit it took some time before I felt confident that I knew exactly what I was doing. They require delicate care but if done correctly can last for a while as I have some in my tank right now that I have had for almost seven weeks. The key with shad is to minimize the stress that is put on them in catching and transporting and then again in the holding situation. Water temperature changes, ammonia levels, poor oxygen diffusion, etc. are all big factors that can cause major stress to the shad. When I started with this live bait, I went back to the basics and researched everything that I could find about gizzard shad to better understand them and then experimented with different chemicals, salts, filters and probably every other thing possible until I worked all of the quirks out. It is definitely a lot of work but with the proper methods you can keep bait over a period of time so that you can get in several fishing trips before you have to go catch it again.
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| Name: |
alahusker
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/5/2009 9:38:37 AM
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Thanks Lee,
If you are willing to share??
Where and how are you catching them.. used to get 'em with a cast net in the Elkahatchee, but that has pretty much disappeared..
Got the concept of a circular tank, but size and aeration?
What stuff are you using chemical wise?
Hell it would be easier to find out where you live and steal them outta your tank.. lol..
Regards,
Terry Burke
Pace Point
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| Name: |
Lee Gantt
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/5/2009 10:46:43 AM
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This time of year, I have to usually go to Logan Martin Lake to catch them because the water temp is too cold to get them below the dams in the tailraces. In about another two weeks I will probably start going to Neely Henry Dam to catch bait depending on reports I get from my buddies Jim Parramore and Cecil Williams since they live a lot closer than me and can check the bait situation a lot easier. My holding setup is a 250 gallon tank with a fishmate filter that I did a litlle custom rigging on with homemade spray bars that do not knock the scales off of the shad but do create a circular flow of the water in the tank. Also I have two air pumps releasing micro bubbles into my tank. As far as the chemicals go, I use Novaqua in my holding tank and meat salt that I get from Floyd's feed (1lb per 30 gallons). In my hauling tanks I use Polyaqua or fish protector and amquel which is a chemical to kill the ammonia since the shad coming out of the lake have not purged like the ones you catch below the dam and are more likely to spike the ammonia levels in the tank causing stress to the shad. I use the salt in my hauling tanks as well as the purpose of the salt is to harden the scales of the shad and make them less prone to bacterial wounds on the skin. I know it seems like a long way to go and a lot of work but I feel as though it is necessary to improve your odds at catching stripers consistently. Look at the bright side, when I was guiding back during the drought we were going all the way to Guntersville dam during the summer to catch shad. That make s the trip to Neely seem like a stone's throw away. I hope this helps and if you have anymore questions feel free to ask.
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| Name: |
mckaygmc
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| Subject: |
Lee
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Date:
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2/5/2009 12:51:18 PM
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Sounds to me like you might have the start of a bait buisness if you wanted. I know of several people who would love to buy Gizzard Shad.
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| Name: |
Lee Gantt
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| Subject: |
Lee
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Date:
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2/5/2009 6:47:41 PM
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I heard that the bait store on Smith Lake was getting $15 a dozen for gizzard shad before they stopped selling them but it would take too much time away from my true love of chasing these monster stripers. Catching the bait is just an exciting and fun bonus!
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| Name: |
alahusker
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/5/2009 8:28:32 PM
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Lee,
Thanks alot for the info.. I'm a recreational fisherman and full time resident.. Live on Pace Pt.. across from Big Sandy..
I do ok with schooling stripes and artificial stuff.. Watch for them out front and around Youngs Island, but they have not been up since early last spring.. Used to see them here and around Youngs Island in the fall/winter, not this year..
Kinda hooked on stripes.. fished with guides Doug Patterson and his son years ago.. live shad, free lining on planners in late December, way up the river and shallow.. suprised me the fish were up there.. cold as hell.. Did very well..
Kinda confident I could catch a 'wall hanger' if I broke the code on keeping shad.. May have to pick your mind on this..
The bass boat is hanging in the boat house above 485' and I'm out most of the weekends and getting anxious..
In any case, Lake is fixing to rise, crapppie are getting ready and the low level fish light is on in my freezer..
Warm regards,
Terry Burke
825-1843
212-2153 (cell)
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| Name: |
Pontoonfisher
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| Subject: |
A good Week
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Date:
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2/6/2009 7:27:02 AM
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I have seen shad for as much as $2.00 each on Smith. We use goldfish on Smith. They last forever on a hook and they are cheap. Trying to catch shad and keep them alive if your a recreational fisherman is a big task that is not worth it. My suggestion is to find any large bait to use. Goldfish, large minnows, bream. If the stripe are feeding they will bite. But if they are finicky, shad are pretty much the only bait that can intice them. We caught a 40 pounder on Smith last April using a goldfish and we caught a few this past weekend using goldfish and the finish were finicky and we still had some strikes on the goldfish.
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