Flatheads and stripers

[clean air]

Went below Nickajack dam on the TN river.The water was deep and fast and shad,skipjack were everywhere.1 throw of the net got me around 50 shad.Started catching stripers with one keeper that was18 pounds.The dam cut half the flow and the stripers quit bitting but the flatheads were killing the live shad.Kept 1 striper and 6 flats 10-12 pounds.Released alot of stripers and all the big flatheads.

[troutless]

Thanks for a good report. It sounds like it was great time, and a lot of catching going on.

[shadslinger]

I really would like to see some pics of your fishing hole and some of your catches, I'm laid up recuperating from back surgery and enjoy seeing pics and reading reports of those who can get out. I haven't heard of the Nickjack dam in TN, but used to read about awesome bluecat fishing below the Pickwick dam, is it Tn as well?
SS

[clean air]

The TN river has alot of dams on it and Pickwick is one.It is good to but to far from my home.I will try and round up a few pics.I havent posted pics but will give it a try.I have alot of text pics and pics from a disposadle camera .Broke my digital.Go to www.catfishsupplyco.com (http://www.catfishsupplyco.com) amd look at the gallery.We fish together.

[shadslinger]

Those are some great trophy catfish in the pics. When you use skipjacks or big gizzard shad do you use them whole or cut? A friend of mine went up on a TN river below a dam and fished a brother-in-law. They caught their shad by going out at night and shining a light on the water, the shad jumped in the boat. They just used guts(mostly the gizzard) and caught big blues to 32lbs.

[clean air]

I fish shad live or I slash the sides toget them bleeding .Live shad get hooked in the nose and the slashed one I run the hook through the eyes and pull the head past the knot on the hook then tuck the point in the side like you would rig a plastic worm for bass.Most of the skipjack I catch are to big to fish live so I cut out the gut bag or cut the meat off of the side and use strips of the meat.Have to hook it right cause so much current that it will spin in the current and knot up the line.When the dam is generating you can throw a cast net by the dam and pull up all you need,for skips I tie 2 white 1/8 ounce grubs about 16 inches apart and cast in the swift water let it sink a little and jerk then crank it in like a stop and go retrive.

[shadslinger]

I catch skipjacks(river herring) pretty much the same way below the Livingston dam using tandem crappie jigs or curly tails, sometime a topwater with trailing crappie jig. I bait for big cats with cut mullet or skipjacks and also have to be careful about hooking right or it will spin all up on the line and make a mess. Sometimes gizzard shad guts w/a couple extra gizzards are just right for stripers. Live perch/lures are the best most of the time. Got your Pm and sent one back, sounds good to me!
SS