Anyone mind sharing some locations to catch some gizzard shad. I mainly fish tawakoni, but will consider going to another lake to get bait. I can't seem to find any since the water cooled down. Even general suggestions will help, such as depth, cover time of day, etc. Thanks

Wigman, try Whiterock Creek. I Caught several in my cast net last weekend. Plus they are foul hooking them in the bend above the bridge. You might also try the boathouse on the south side of the lake. I haven't tried yet but it's about that time of year.
How's your luck on Tawakoni? Hubbard's been hit or miss.
Good luck and tight lines.


Bigcat Dave

Been every other weekend for the past tow months. Haven't been able to catch any shad so we resorted to striper fishing. Caught four between 5 and 7 lbs last week on sassy shad. Thanks for the reply about White Rock Creek. Are you cathcing these from a boat? Not familiar with White Rock. Are you refering to the bend in the creek north of the Mockingbird Bridge? Not sure where the boat house is either. Is there only one? and are you allowed on it in order to throw a net?

Wigman, Glad to see you keep pushin on. If something ain't bitin, keep moving on.

We are catching shad (both threadfin and gizzard) from the banks of Whiterock creek.
Lawther Drive and Northwest Hwy. between Buckner Blvd. and Abrams. Near flagpole hill.
Hope this helps.

The old boathouses I'm refering to are on the south end of the lake on W. Lawther Dr.,
across the cove from the old pump station.

Your last question concerning legality of using a castnet on Whiterock Lake may stir up some debate, but I feel I've done my homework on this one.

First Whiterock CREEK. I have personally asked this question of the local Game Warden and here is his answer. "As long as you do not retain game fish your are legal".

Second Whiterock LAKE. The Dallas police have confiscated nets and possibly written tickets, but they shouldn't have gotten tickets etc.
The Dallas City Code states, "No Seine nets"
It says nothing about cast nets. I believe the reason for this is there is no Swimming in Whiterock. To use a Seine you have to get wet, I'll quit rambling in a minute. Maybe.
Any who, the Game Warden agreed with me that it was cool to throw a net in either place.
If Whiterock lake was classified as a Community fishing lake, Yes then it would illegal, because fishing is by pole & line only. But it is not a Community fishing lake.

Hope this helps. Here's how many shad are in the creek right now. My buddy said he cast his jig out and wouldn't go to the bottom it just sat there just below the surface.

Bigcat

I WAS USEING A 1/16 CRAPPIE JIG AND I WAS CATCHING SMALL SHAD 2-2 1/2 " LONG

See if this will help:
http://whiskerkitty.com/6/ubb.x?a=tpc&s=938604506&f=278603046&m=5636040735

jk

I caught lots of shad yesterday at White Rock Creek, it is loaded with them right now. Northwest hwy to lawther go North on Lawther over a bridge. Park in the parking area on the right side of the road and cross the road and cast about 50 ft up the creek from the bridge almost where the brush is at the bank, closer to the bridge there is a limb under the water to get caught on. I went out to Ray Hubbard in the fog this morning and set out 7 jug lines chummed the area with soured wheat and didn't get one bite. Fished with rods and reels, stayed until after 3. Water was smooth like glass, I had no luck at all. .........AL

Wigman,
It's dang near impossible to catch shad this time of year anywhere other than deep water. And Lowerider, you're in the majority if you couldn't catch any cats when their was no wind. I don't know anyone personally who catches cats when the water is as still as glass.

I haven't tried this myself in winter, but a couple of friends have told me that they get shad at night by shining a spotlight on the water in front of the boat, making the shad jump out of the water. One has a friend hold a net at the surface of the water and catches some that way; the other simply uses it as a shad-finder, and throws a cast net where there seems to be a concentration of shad.
Daytime, cold water, shad are often very deep, but if you can locate them on your depth finder, you can let your cast net go deep and catch some. If you have a cheaper net, you may find that adding some lead will help the net sink faster, and catch more shad.

Went to WRC yesterday evening in search of shad. Found a few small ones (4") in a flooded bar ditch. No luck in the creek or around the white boathouse. The flooding last weekend may have pushed them out. Anyone know where they are now? Any suggestions are welcome!!

Hey Wigman, you're right about wr creek. The rain did push them somewhere. They should be back as soon as the creek clears up.
Here are some more places to look. California Crossing spillway off of Northwest hwy on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Also, all around that general area between the canals and the Trinity River in Las Colinas/Irving.
Chaha boat ramp on Ray Hubbard (the water is still very low).
Good luck, how's the fishing been? I caught a 25 lb blue Monday on Hubbard, and had one try to snatch a rod in lake as well.

Tight lines,

Bigcat Dave


[This message has been edited by BCDAVE (edited 01-22-2004).]

Thanks for tips Big Cat. I will surely try these spots. Maybe tonight or sometime tomorrow. Are these areas better at night or during the day? I Haven't been fishing in a few weeks, mainly cause I haven't had any bait. But, we did catch a few stripers at Tawakoni on artificials on the 2nd of Jan. Nothing real big, 7.5 lb was the biggest. No cats though, no bait! Thanks again. BOL!

Wigman, night time seems to best at wr creek.
The Irving area seems to be best durning the heat of the day. California Crossing spillway is best at first light. I'll be heading out to catch bait friday night.
Can't keep that big fish outa my brain. Wonder what it looked like when big boy layed that rod down? I think I'll loosen my drag a little.


Bigcat

BC are you going to WRC to catch bait tonight? I would like to see where your throwing, Maybe I was not in the right spot. I was a little leary about where I threw do to all the brush. I caught a couple dozen yesterday afternoon at the spillway you told me about. Thanks for the tip. Although I noticed when I finished that there is a sign there that says no fishing. Was I in the right spot?
I'll be heading to Tawakoni about 5:00 in the a.m. and my stop by Chaha ramp just to see if I can catch some there. Always need some alternative locations. I drive a white Dodge Diesel P/U. If you see me at WRC some time, say hello!

Wigman, probably not tonight at wr. I will be going to Irving to catch bait tonight. I drive a maroon Dakota extended cab, usually looks like its been thru a mud hole.
Will probably be fishing Hubbard in the early am.
Good luck.

Bigcat