# Stud Shellcrackers



## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Cod and I don't need any more fish for our freezers, but we figured we better make hay while the sun shines - this being the only time of the year we target sweetmeat shellcrackers. I was surprised when he wanted to take his boat, what with the possible worm dirt in his carpet and all. Funny thing about going in someone else's boat - I usually learn something. When we go in my boat, I go to the same old worn out places I always go, "'cause I caught a mess here back in the eighties".

Cod ran the outboard, but he wanted me to run the trolling motor, claiming when we're looking for bream beds, he doesn't know where to look and he doesn't know what to look for. I think it's because his old leg has been bothering him.

We checked several places on Yates Lake that I probably never would have checked, and we found a few here and there. It was a mix of shellcrackers and hump-nosed bluegills, and some that appeared to be hybrids of the two. Cod pulled into one insignificant-looking slough and when we eased into the back of the slough, a bunch of smallish bluegills swam out to inspect us. Amongst them, I spotted a whopper of a shellcracker! I didn't see any beds, probably because the water was dingy, but I told Cod I wanted to try to catch that giant 'cracker, so we anchored.

Good gosh amighty! First cast, we each got dinner-plate sized shellcrackers! These things were over a foot long each! We picked away and caught six that were over 12" apiece, and several others approaching that size.

We ended up with 19 bluegills and 16 shellcrackers for a total of 35 bream. I didn't have any scales, but I'm betting our top six would have weighed better than ten pounds. In one of the pics below, I placed a fine bluegill in the middle of the studs for comparison.

Super fine day of fishing except for when Codwrinkle crashed from the back deck onto the floor behind the console. I was too slow to catch the old fart this time, and he banged his head pretty hard on the gunnel. Said his old leg "gave out" and there was nothing to do except let gravity have its way with him. Didn't want me to touch him. I told him to quit scaring the fish and get his old ass back in the seat.


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## skiff89_jr (Apr 1, 2011)

Y'all got me itching for a legit bream fishing trip. I've been catching hundreds of 3 and 4 finger bream out of the creeks for catfish bait but y'all tempting me to go after the titty bream. STUDS!


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## GROUPERKING (Sep 28, 2011)

Some sure nuff fine shellcrackers !

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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

Now that's results!
Good job Bodupp.


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## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

That's the kind we use to catch back in the 60's. Some big ones there.


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## Strickly Fishin' (Sep 16, 2009)

Yum! 


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## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Man, ya'll had em tightened up today!!! Congrats on a mess!!!


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## fla_scout (Sep 28, 2007)

I'm jealous! That's some fine eating right there with a green onions and some cheese grits.


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## jcoss15 (Oct 11, 2010)

Hog mollies!


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## JoeyWelch (Sep 25, 2009)

Certified! Hogafied!!


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

That's the way to do it! I'm waiting for someone down here to pull one off like that.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Got an update on my fishing buddy. He said fine fishing offsets a crash to the deck any day. Said his "rubber legs" were better today.

And thanks for the comments guys.


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## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

Old Codwinkle still hanging in there.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

stc1993 said:


> Old Codwinkle still hanging in there.


Yep. Hard to keep him down for long. Next week we might try jugging for cats. We jugged a creek off the main lake last year, baiting with worms, and every time our jugs passed this one place in the creek, we got some fine shellcrackers. Hmmmm... might just have to anchor there for a while. :yes:


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

I really miss Shellcrackers! the pics made my eyes water...just a bit


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## blufire42 (Oct 28, 2015)

That's an awesome mess of bream! Wish I was as lucky...usually I just fish for anything that bites :whistling:


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## Dmoney (Feb 19, 2017)

Nice post Bod', I always enjoy reading you and Cod's adventures, although at this point I am beginning to feel concern that perhaps these rigorous trips that feature excessive, strenuous pulling on oversized fish are taxing Codrwrinkle , and I am wondering if you are keeping him properly nourished and hydrated on these trips. Don't forget your intake of liquids and "keep a line in the water" Fishin'Don


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## olegator (Dec 6, 2014)

Wow! Some beauties.


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## Michael f sights (Jun 19, 2012)

Sweet Shellies!


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