texasfishingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Power-Pole CS, T-Rigger, JoeGoes, EcKo
119150 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
hopalong 120,579
TexDawg 119,518
Bigbob_FTW 94,889
John175☮ 85,892
Pilothawk 83,260
Bob Davis 81,483
Mark Perry 72,289
Derek 🐝 68,312
JDavis7873 67,416
Forum Statistics
Forums59
Topics1,037,831
Posts13,935,274
Members144,150
Most Online39,925
Dec 30th, 2023
Print Thread
A big shad on a hair rig #14006927 05/22/21 09:46 PM
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 196
L
LastCastPodcast Offline OP
Outdoorsman
OP Offline
Outdoorsman
L
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 196
I was going after carp and such on Lady Bird this week, and I kept getting all these line twitches and short runs of my hair-rig corn which lead to nothing. So I set the hook on one of them, and find what's no doubt been eating all the range cubes I've been throwing out there:
[Linked Image]
I've never caught one of the big ones before, despite seeing them all over. Think it's a gizzard shad? So take it home. BTW, two hours on the stringer and it did not stop trying to swim for even an instant. It wrapped itself around a reed and just lay there twitching like a Billy Bass.

At home I fillet one side, and save the other half for cutbait. This is a stinky fish, like a gar. I had to run the dishwasher half full, because even after getting rinsed, the fillet knife stunk up the whole kitchen. Any rate, I can tell by the way the fillet cuts that this is going to be boney. Each cut sounds like when you run a matchstick up a pants zipper. But the fillet doesn't look half-bad. The meat is very firm, like a mackerel.
[Linked Image]

An hour ago, I fried it up. And you know, it wasn't half bad? My fishing buddy Jamey thought that shad are super-greasy, based on reports from the East Coast shad fishing scene, but I think that fish isn't even related to this.
[Linked Image]
It reminded me of gulf coast sheepshead. A very white, inoffensive flesh with a distinct saltwater tone to it.

However, it was absolutely ludicrously boney. It makes carp look like crappie in comparison. Every single bite of flesh had bones ranging from the width of 15pound mono, to barely visible hairlike bones:
[Linked Image]
I could see how if you scored the fillet and deep-fried it, like a carp, you could dissolve the bones and have a pretty decent piece of fish.

But I think I'll be earmarking these guys for cutbait if I catch any more.


Last Cast Podcast: Two TPWD-certified elite anglers. One canoe.
Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14006973 05/22/21 10:25 PM
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 12,608
C
Curt0407 Online Content
TFF Guru
Online Content
TFF Guru
C
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 12,608
You are the first person that I have ever heard of trying to eat a gizzard shad. As you said they smell so bad that they either end up released or saved for cut bait. Nice try though.

Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14007283 05/23/21 04:02 AM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,478
T
TXMulti-Species Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
T
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,478
You're not the first to try it! Lol you're right about it being the stinkiest fish. That smell never comes off your hands. Don't get me started about those tiny scales! Nice catch though! I've never caught one on the hair but have heard of others doing so.


Catch and release. The dream - to catch one of every species of Freshwater fish in our great state! If only I can resist Carp...
https://txmultispecies.imgur.com/
[Linked Image]
Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14007284 05/23/21 04:02 AM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,478
T
TXMulti-Species Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
T
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 1,478
Here's Luke from Catfish and Carp catching and cooking them:


Catch and release. The dream - to catch one of every species of Freshwater fish in our great state! If only I can resist Carp...
https://txmultispecies.imgur.com/
[Linked Image]
Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14007743 05/23/21 06:17 PM
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,777
O
Osbornfishing Offline
TFF Team Angler
Offline
TFF Team Angler
O
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,777
Congratulations on the hook-up. I am always interested in what is nibbling on my bait. thumb

Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14007985 05/23/21 11:39 PM
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,521
banker-always fishing Online Content
Pumpkin Head
Online Content
Pumpkin Head
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 75,521
That is one big Shad. cheers


[Linked Image][Linked Image]

IGFA World Record Rio Grande Cichlid. Lake Dunlap.

John 3:16

Sinner's Prayer. God forgive me a sinner. I accept Jesus Christ as my Savior !
Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14008053 05/24/21 12:55 AM
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 6,816
P
Pot licker Offline
TFF Celebrity
Offline
TFF Celebrity
P
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 6,816
You're brave! Nice shad btw! thumb


Texas Elite Angler 🎣
https://www.jiglyf.com
Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14009429 05/25/21 12:38 PM
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 19,021
L
Laker One Offline
TFF Guru
Offline
TFF Guru
L
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 19,021
Big Shad. Interesting thread.

Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14013801 05/28/21 08:19 PM
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 6
J
Jonesing2fish Offline
Green Horn
Offline
Green Horn
J
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 6
Caught on tiny jig, after years of hearing that wasn't possible. [Linked Image]

Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14013877 05/28/21 09:19 PM
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 196
L
LastCastPodcast Offline OP
Outdoorsman
OP Offline
Outdoorsman
L
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 196
@jonesing2fish, nice catch!

I tried targeting shad deliberately last night, using size 12 scud hooks and canned corn, but no luck. I think they were stripping me, but not taking the point.

I should add, that although I took a few bites of that shad I cooked, after the third bite I starting thinking that maybe it wasn't the wisest thing to eat an algae-eating fish from a lake which has had some high-profile poisonous algae fatalities . . .


Last Cast Podcast: Two TPWD-certified elite anglers. One canoe.
Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14024337 06/08/21 10:02 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,156
D
dmunsie Offline
Extreme Angler
Offline
Extreme Angler
D
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,156
Originally Posted by LastCastPodcast
I was going after carp and such on Lady Bird this week


Originally Posted by LastCastPodcast
[quote]Originally Posted by LastCastPodcast
I'm just saying I get an extra feeling of satisfaction when I murder carp, knowing the world won't miss em. Sweet sweet carp-murder. Hmmmm.


I was just wondering if you are practicing catch and release at Lady Bird?

Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: dmunsie] #14025414 06/09/21 02:03 AM
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 196
L
LastCastPodcast Offline OP
Outdoorsman
OP Offline
Outdoorsman
L
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 196
@dmunsie I am practicing catch and release on lady bird. I'm aware that people make their living off that carp fishery. I even bought a carp mat after a delicate chewing out by one of the local guides.


Last Cast Podcast: Two TPWD-certified elite anglers. One canoe.
Re: A big shad on a hair rig [Re: LastCastPodcast] #14077893 07/30/21 05:38 AM
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 96
C
CurlyTailFishing Offline
Outdoorsman
Offline
Outdoorsman
C
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 96
Wow! In all my accumulated years of targeting carp this has happened to me only once. To my knowledge it is a rare occurrence to catch a Shad on a hair rig. I was fishing with a piece of fake corn and a bigger Shad set off my alarms. Crazy that you took it home and tried it. That was awesome. Thanks for sharing. Here are a few pics of the Shad I caught on a hair rig. Enjoy! cheers

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Give a man a fish he can eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and you can get rid of him for the entire weekend!
[Linked Image]
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 1998-2022 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3