# Skipjack



## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

Does anyone know where you can buy some frozen skipjack? Cathunter if you want to part with about 25# I would pay top dollar.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

billyb said:


> Does anyone know where you can buy some frozen skipjack? Cathunter if you want to part with about 25# I would pay top dollar.


My stash is getting low, last night put a dent in my inventory.


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

Can you catch them in all the rivers around Pensacola?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

murfpcola said:


> Can you catch them in all the rivers around Pensacola?


You can but you will have better luck finding big foot


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

Where do you normally catch them, or is that a secret? I assume you cast net them?


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## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

I was told about a guy selling them so I sent him an email. He is checking on shipping charges, but I am afraid he will want more than I want to pay. What is a fair price?


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Billy, you probably know this, but be sure you're not buying ladyfish, aka "skipjack". You want river herring, also known as skipjack.

The only place I KNOW to catch them is below Wheeler Dam in north Alabama in the summer or fall. Crappie jigs or small spoons will get them.


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## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

I think this guy is inTN. He told me he just sold someone in Mobile 200 pounds. I am not sure what he is going to charge, but I am not going to pay $10 a pound.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

murfpcola said:


> Where do you normally catch them, or is that a secret? I assume you cast net them?


They are to fast for cast nets, you have to jig them in most cases.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

Hung one on a crappie jig Saturday that was easy 14". Jumped and spit the hook!


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

Interesting info guys. Guess that is why I have never really heard of them growing up around here.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

murfpcola said:


> Interesting info guys. Guess that is why I have never really heard of them growing up around here.



They are super oily. Not much difference in them and the gizzard shad as far as bait goes. Skip Jack seems a little tougher and stays alive longer. One big one will bait all 15 of my noodles and will easily net me 5 or 6 nice blue or channel cats and a ton of fun usually in less than an hour.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Bottom line is there is no better bait for blues, gizzard shad is a distant second but skipjack is the bait of choice by the pros. This is what they want, this is what I give them. That tip is on the house.


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## firespan1 (Sep 7, 2011)

Go below Cleiborne dam next month, use a sabiki rig.Cast out and reel in.You will see them busting the top all around you in April.Most days catch all you want. Flooded like a by george right now.Best when water guage shows 18 or less below the dam. If we are charging for tips I will take 50 dollars for this one!


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

firespan1 said:


> Go below Cleiborne dam next month, use a sabiki rig.Cast out and reel in.You will see them busting the top all around you in April.Most days catch all you want. Flooded like a by george right now.Best when water guage shows 18 or less below the dam. If we are charging for tips I will take 50 dollars for this one!


I went there twice looking for them, no luck. I know they are there I just missed them those times I went.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

firespan1 said:


> Go below Cleiborne dam next month, use a sabiki rig.Cast out and reel in.You will see them busting the top all around you in April.Most days catch all you want. Flooded like a by george right now.Best when water guage shows 18 or less below the dam. If we are charging for tips I will take 50 dollars for this one!



Thanks. Checks in the mail


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## GATER69 (Nov 19, 2011)

Tennessee tarpon, if was closer could hook you up ! They are starting to run here below the dams now. My son and me got our limit last week in a couple hours on chartreuse jigs with small spoons tied to the end! Your allowed 100 a day here so you stock up for the year now!


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## olegator (Dec 6, 2014)

Has anyone tried saltwater LYs for cat bait/??.....they aren't too fast for a cast net.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

years ago I use to catch the hell out of them in Bayou Chico. I thought they were just big shad, it wasent until a few years back that I realized what I was catching.


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## olegator (Dec 6, 2014)

CatHunter said:


> years ago I use to catch the hell out of them in Bayou Chico. I thought they were just big shad, it wasent until a few years back that I realized what I was catching.


Did you use them for cat bait? How did they do?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

olegator said:


> Did you use them for cat bait? How did they do?


Its all I use for blue cats. You cant catch blues like I catch using anything else. Anyone who tells you others wise arent having 400+ pound blue cat trips on rod n reel.


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## Try'n Hard (Oct 23, 2008)

CatHunter said:


> Its all I use for blue cats. You cant catch blues like I catch using anything else. Anyone who tells you others wise arent having 400+ pound blue cat trips on rod n reel.



Yeah! and that goes double for me.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

*Blue Cat Report*

Justin and his wife are a catfish duo. Here is their report from today.


We had a great time out today and caught some big fish! Caught 10 over 30lbs 2 over 60lbs and 3 in the 50s smile emoticon We laid the smack down on them at the James river! (SkipJacks for bait) -Rod N Reel) If you want big cats this is how you do it.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

With all the chatter about skipjack I found a link that is interesting to the uninformed....me! Saw mention of the Alabama Shad and discovered they are here in the Choctawhatchee River as well as over in Chattahoochee. I have snatched a couple of the Alabama Shad fishing mullet and didn't know what they were except I knew they were some kind of shad. Interesting what you can find on the net.

http://www.outdooralabama.com/skipjack-herring


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

fishwalton said:


> With all the chatter about skipjack I found a link that is interesting to the uninformed....me! Saw mention of the Alabama Shad and discovered they are here in the Choctawhatchee River as well as over in Chattahoochee. I have snatched a couple of the Alabama Shad fishing mullet and didn't know what they were except I knew they were some kind of shad. Interesting what you can find on the net.
> 
> http://www.outdooralabama.com/skipjack-herring


There are skipjack in the Choctawhatchee River.


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

That may be what I snagged...don't know one from any other.


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