gizzard shad? Live bait?

dlkelley87

New member
I just moved to Chattanooga a few months back from Louisiana just wondering if there is anywhere close by I could get some large live/fresh bait for catfishing such as gizzard shad.
 

cptenn94

New member
Welcome to the city!

One of the best places to find shad from my limited experience, is down by the chickamauga dam, in the morning(earlier can be better). There you can catch a assortment of sizes of shad. The only downside is there are a bunch of rocks that you can get snagged on if you are not careful. Schools of shad like to move up along the bank of the river earlier in the morning, before the dam begins to produce more current.

I would take a net that I would not feel incredibly upset if it got some holes in it, or damaged. Because it is quite easy to get snagged on large rocks near the dam, if you are not careful. Underneath the railroad bridge is a pretty good area that I have usually found schools of larger shad in the morning before the dam increases the current.

Generally when the dam begins releasing more water, it can be a little harder to catch the bigger shad, because they become less common.


Here is a picture of a the size shad that I caught by the dam earlier in the morning(probably around 8-10 am)
P9260395_zpsc016b1b9.jpg
 

dlkelley87

New member
Thanks guys I'm gonna try behind the dam with the cast net. I have a tracker 170 bass boat just didn't know where to start looking for them. I might try to catch some bluegill as well for bait. Planning on putting in at the suck creek boat launch one night this week to look for some big cats just needed some big bait.
 

porthos33

New member
SpurHunter - 10/20/2014 9:37 AM Another good option is below Nickajack dam, you can scoop up gizzard shad with ease using a dip net right along the rocks. Since you have a boat, a good option is up HWY 58 at the Hiwassee bridge. Just north of the bridge in the mouth of Gunstocker creek there are TONS of gizzard shad stacked in there, I netted up a bunch two weeks ago.
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I thought that was you over there in gunstocker.I was wondering what you guys were getting into. You just cant miss that boat of yours. I love how it's just open in the front Figured you might be trying for them mud cats</p>
 

SpurHunter

New member
porthos33 - 10/20/2014 8:40 PM



SpurHunter - 10/20/2014 9:37 AM Another good option is below Nickajack dam, you can scoop up gizzard shad with ease using a dip net right along the rocks. Since you have a boat, a good option is up HWY 58 at the Hiwassee bridge. Just north of the bridge in the mouth of Gunstocker creek there are TONS of gizzard shad stacked in there, I netted up a bunch two weeks ago.
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 </p>

I thought that was you over there in gunstocker.  I was wondering what you guys were getting into.  You just cant miss that boat of yours. I love how it's just open in the front   Figured you might be trying for them mud cats  </p>

I have only been one time, that was back on the 8th of Oct. If you were there an hour before dark, you saw me. LOL
 
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