Alewives/Shad

[Tundra18]

Has anyone had recent luck catching alewives/shad on LC? If so, is there a particular area, depth of water, etc. one needs to look for? I usually fish the Jamestown/Wolfe Creek area. Thanks to anyone willing to help.

[peter]

I've been doing good in main lake (the areas you described should be good too) 80-100 deep water. put a light out wait 30-40 minutes and throw net and let sink 30-40 feet. You can try letting sink 20 feet too. threadfin will be on top and nice alewives lower down.Remember they will disapear at the first hint of first light....so that would be getting up at 3:20 EST this time of year to get out on the lake and net them.

Problem is keeping them alive (water is 80 degrees) and getting enough sleep. Any way you cut it this time of year catching alewives and fishing early will make you a zombie fisherman unless you have a light on a dock in the right water.

[Tundra18]

Thanks for the quick reply! I had a more difficult time catching bait last year than in previous year. I was probably in a too shallow area. This will be my first attempt of the year.

[DavidPT40]

At Taylorsville Lake, I've seen hundreds of schools of shad swimming on the surface during mid-day. Easy to net, hard to keep alive without a chiller.

[peter]

Those are probably gizzards. You can get them at cland in late after noon in the very back of some creeks but I think you have to throw a lot just to get a few and how long of a ride is it to the back of the creek and back.

Also the floating headlight (car headlight stuck in foam) cheap where ever they are sold is what I have been using for many years. I think (don't know) it concentrates the bate under and the immediate vicinity of light.

[FlyLie]

Peter, when you put out your light(s) in deep water, how deep do you place them? On the surface, subsurface OR down 20-30-40-etc feet?

[aceoky]

Peter, when you put out your light(s) in deep water, how deep do you place them? On the surface, subsurface OR down 20-30-40-etc feet?

While I'm not Peter, I have two of the same lights he mentioned on our pontoon they only float on the surface.

[JoeB]

The alwives have been extremely easy since the last full moon for me. Getting 50 - 100 per throw.

[FlyLie]

Thanks guys, got to learn how to throw that net!!

[Tundra18]

Thanks guys, got to learn how to throw that net!!

Go to youtube.com and check out Calusa-How to throw a cast net. This is one of the easiest methods to learn.

[striperjoe]

Thanks guys, got to learn how to throw that net!!

Boone, go to Youtube and watch "How to throw a castnet the only way".
It was the very first one with a young kid and no sound it is the easiest
my son and I have found. Calusa is not that easy.
Striperjoe

[peter]

How deep of water are you throwing in?
How much is the line on your net? ie how deep you catchin em?
What is diameter of your net?

I've been netting em but not that many alewives at a time. Got some net fulls of threadfin with some alewives mixed in several weeks back.

Any help appreciated.

Had to throw for 30 minutes last Sunday am to get enough.