Gizzard Shad??

Gizzard Shad??

View related threads: (in this forum | in all forums)

Logged in as: Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Pennsylvania Boards] >> Southwest PA >> Gizzard Shad??

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Gizzard Shad?? - 7/20/2008 12:10:21 PM

Walleyeman360

Posts: 57
Joined: 12/31/2007
From: Cheswick, Pa
Status: offline

Anybody see any Gizzard Shad on the Pgh area rivers so far this year? They were everywere this time last year. As well as the Skipjack Herring, nowhere to be found. If you can find them the fish are very close

Any info would be great. Thanks

Post #: 1

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/20/2008 12:12:07 PM

avidangler

Posts: 364
Joined: 11/2/2007
From: Ford City, PA
Status: offline

I've seen some shad within the past week on the allegheny and tribs. Not big schools like has been in the past few years but a fair number of smaller schools.

_____________________________

Born to fish, Forced to work...

(in reply to Walleyeman360)

Post #: 2

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/20/2008 12:23:14 PM

Walleyeman360

Posts: 57
Joined: 12/31/2007
From: Cheswick, Pa
Status: offline

Where at??? Im up by Lock 3 and have not seen any yet.

(in reply to avidangler)

Post #: 3

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/20/2008 1:10:13 PM

avidangler

Posts: 364
Joined: 11/2/2007
From: Ford City, PA
Status: offline

Between locks 6 and 7 pools. Like I said not many in the schools but seen a handful in the past week.

_____________________________

Born to fish, Forced to work...

(in reply to Walleyeman360)

Post #: 4

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/21/2008 7:27:52 AM

sagebrush

Posts: 154
Joined: 2/13/2002
Status: offline

I was out last night at lock 3 Harmarville and saw some type of shad taking bugs off the surface everywhere. They started right around dark and were all over the place. They were about 6 or 7" long.

_____________________________

Sagebrush
FlyRodReview.com

(in reply to avidangler)

Post #: 5

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/21/2008 4:08:37 PM

beerman0303

Posts: 40
Joined: 7/7/2008
Status: offline

I was fishing just above lock 3 last weekend and caught some sort of baitfish on a night crawler. I am no expert, so I don't know whether it was a shad or what. Very shiny about 9 inches long. In the past i have used these for bait when I catch them for catfish. This one was too big though (for me anyhow).

(in reply to sagebrush)

Post #: 6

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/21/2008 4:13:34 PM

TransAmWS6

Posts: 675
Joined: 9/22/2005
From: West Mifflin
Status: offline

seen plenty of small 5-6 inch shad (i think) taking bugs off the surface on the yough

(in reply to beerman0303)

Post #: 7

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/21/2008 6:20:54 PM

Porktown

Posts: 2296
Joined: 9/4/2001
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: beerman0303

I was fishing just above lock 3 last weekend and caught some sort of baitfish on a night crawler. I am no expert, so I don't know whether it was a shad or what. Very shiny about 9 inches long. In the past i have used these for bait when I catch them for catfish. This one was too big though (for me anyhow).

Probably a skipjack. Did it look like a small tarpon? Those things are actually pretty fun to catch. Will usually go airborne. Not the best fight, but scrappy for their size. Cats will gobble them up whole or cut in chunks.

(in reply to beerman0303)

Post #: 8

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/21/2008 6:39:58 PM

avidangler

Posts: 364
Joined: 11/2/2007
From: Ford City, PA
Status: offline

I'm going to say the fish you see taking bugs off the allegheny before dark are mooneyes. I know with the hexagonias coming off the past weeks around dusk the mooneyes come out of everywhere for them. They are 6 to 13 inches shiney with big scales and a rounded head. Hard to hook but will hit crawlers 18 inches under a float.

< Message edited by avidangler -- 7/21/2008 6:41:50 PM >

_____________________________

Born to fish, Forced to work...

(in reply to Porktown)

Post #: 9

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/21/2008 9:01:52 PM

beerman0303

Posts: 40
Joined: 7/7/2008
Status: offline

This fish I caught absolulely did look like a tarpon. By the way I caught it with a sinker on the bottom. Maybe that is why I only caught one.

(in reply to avidangler)

Post #: 10

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/22/2008 1:10:20 PM

smallmouth76

Posts: 147
Joined: 5/3/2006
Status: offline

I know some years there are a ton and others there are few. The shad run on the beaver river seems to cycle. always seems to be around August.

(in reply to beerman0303)

Post #: 11

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/22/2008 2:23:13 PM

Walleyeman360

Posts: 57
Joined: 12/31/2007
From: Cheswick, Pa
Status: offline

I guess i just need to look more and look harder. They love shallow flats, feeding and the alge that covers the rocks in 2-3 feet o water. The large flat by lock 3 by the sunken barge has always been a good spot, they were everywhere this time last year. Maybe they do run in cycles one year they go like crazy and the next is an off year. i think this year is an off year. Sux

(in reply to smallmouth76)

Post #: 12

RE: Gizzard Shad?? - 7/22/2008 4:39:30 PM

Porktown

Posts: 2296
Joined: 9/4/2001
Status: offline

Last year and the year of the Bassmaster Classic were healthy shad years. So, would imagine that they are every other year. When they are really thick, it makes fishing rather rough. Unless, if you have a cast net... Still, the fish seem to spread out a lot more, since the bait is everwhere.

I'm sure you will find some if you go out looking for them. They seemed to be all over the place last year when they were small, but hard to find when they got to the nice 3"-4" size. Find a good flat with algae like 360 said, and you'll likely find some.

(in reply to Walleyeman360)

Post #: 13

Page: [1]

All Forums >> [Pennsylvania Boards] >> Southwest PA >> Gizzard Shad??

Page: [1]

Jump to:

New Messages	Hot Topic w/ New Messages	Locked w/ New Messages
No New Messages	Hot Topic w/o New Messages	Locked w/o New Messages

0.141