# Bulkhead Bite?



## hereford (Aug 25, 2005)

I hope I'm not jumping the gun here, but shouldn't the Bulkhead bite be gearing up? When does it usually get going?

Thanks!:fishy:


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## DUCK SLAYER (Apr 18, 2010)

I'm sure ready for the bulkhead bite to get started. Last year we caught em good from mid April thru mid May. It's a little early but with this warmer weather it might start sooner this year. You will know when it will start getting good when you go to the boat ramp in the morning and can't smell anything but shad.


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## waterspout (May 21, 2004)

I'll just say'n the channel(willow) cats have eggs are in the shallows,,, we hammered them and quality ones not quantity!


been hitting them after noon when the flats warm up and fish a are just of a channel where they come up as it warms... freezer is filling fast for a big ol fashion fish fry!:brew:


I pulled more than one 20"plus out of 6" to a foot of water friday and saturday before going to the cookoff


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## Tall1 (Aug 3, 2009)

Hereford-I got word Friday morning that the shad (and catfish) were starting to show up on the bulkheads. This was coming from a friend who has a lake house on Livingston at Kickapoo just south of 190. We're having warmer weather than this time last year, so I guess that's why it's starting earlier. Last year it was April 12th the first report I heard of shad on the bulkheads.


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## natureboy (Jan 21, 2010)

Hereford,
I was out Saturday and Sunday morning fishing the bulkheads. The shad are in and the white bass and catfish are right behind them. I fished the window period before the sun came out(pre dawn to a high sunrise). The catfish are good quality as well as the whitebass mostly females. It was great to see more people out bank fishing the bulkheads. Fishing should only get better from here. Good luck and go get them!!!!!


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## wshniwasfshn (Oct 14, 2010)

this is probably a stupid question...what exactly is a bulkhead? are we talking bank fishing or can it be done from a boat just close to shore? I have a little 16 footer and tend to get out on the lake with no luck


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## Jeff G (May 18, 2010)

When I was cutting large gizzard shad up Saturday night on lake Conroe , I noticed that they were full of yellow eggs so the spawn should be soon . Wiwf , bulkhead is basically the man made structure (most are wood) along the shoreline to keep the land from not eroding . To find it , look for nice houses along the shoreline . They usually have bulkhead . Lake Conroe south of 1097 and scott's ridge and weirs creek is mostly all bulkhead . 

I have never actually done rod and reel fishing for cats during the shad spawn but I have heard that it is some of the best and fastest catfish action that you will ever experience !!


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## natureboy (Jan 21, 2010)

wshniwasfshn,
There's no such thing as a stupid question, if you don't know then why not ask..On Livingston its the metal or aluminum covering along the shoreline to keep the land from eroding. There is also wood structure or metal pole sticking out of the water close water front property. Bank fishing is great and can be done from the boat fished close to shore just find the shad and the fish will follow. There are 2coolers all over the lake don't be afraid to ask people for a little help or point you in the right direction. The 190 bridge area north has great action early in the morning catfish and white bass are chasing the thick schools of shad. Good luck-don't caught them all.


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## DUCK SLAYER (Apr 18, 2010)

Sounds like i will be fishing the bulkheads this weekend. I am starting to feel a little sick right now, might have to take a sick day during the week.


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## rubberducky (Mar 19, 2010)

I am now going to run out to my favorite bulkhead in the morning. I will let yall know what the fishing is like. Now I'm just wondering I will be fishing from the bank (to much wind for me) never fished for white bass in the catfish run. Is it just throwing crank baits or what. 
James


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## PUTZLINER (Aug 21, 2005)

saturday morning there were a few shad on the boat ramp in the back of bentwater... not large numbers but there definately gearing up for it


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

RBDKY? Did you go fishing?


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## rubberducky (Mar 19, 2010)

No SS I didn't get to go. The boat is down. I might just get up early and drive out to the lake with my cast net and see what the shad look like. Sorry forgot to get back on here and let everyone know.
James


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## wshniwasfshn (Oct 14, 2010)

Guys thanks for the info. Its seems to be a trend that my fishing buddy and I end up not cathing anything. Hopefully I will continue to learn from here and get some coolers full and make some reports! Gotta learn to throw a cast net and they should be jumping in the boat


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## Ditto (Apr 18, 2005)

I was hoping they would hold off til the end of April, that's when my boys have a school holiday. Don't look like it's going to happen. Guess we'll have to make our own school holidya.


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## Andy_Holland_25 (Aug 8, 2007)

Ditto said:


> I was hoping they would hold off til the end of April, that's when my boys have a school holiday. Don't look like it's going to happen. Guess we'll have to make our own school holidya.


Not to worry it will still be great at the end of April. In fact I have limited out on shallow water and Bulkhead catfish in July. But the hotter it gets the earlier the bite gets. By the time the sun gets into full veiw it is generally over. Also it that late in the summer it is almost mandatory to have a deep channel nearby. My little brother and I are going bulkhead fishing this saturday but we will be fishing mid day. God luck to all!

Just realized there is no Catfish Icon in here somebody need to talk to Mont lol

Andy


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

Andy Holland, good to see you post up! I thought I would get back on here and find somebody's been bulkhead fishing.
It is a strange year, the white bass have not been as far as they are from home at this time of year.
I wonder if they will be back mid-April?


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## rubberducky (Mar 19, 2010)

SS I went out to day didn't get out there until late. There was some shad out there and some catfish. Wasn't as good as it will be but they were there
James


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

RBDKY, I don't see a cold front coming so I bet the bite gets better each day until we have a cool snap, there is bound to be one cold front before Easter.
Right now it looks like you can already catch some. I'm going to have to try my favorite place soon.


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## Andy_Holland_25 (Aug 8, 2007)

Thanks SS! We wnded up with 18 channel cats on saturday all caught in the middle of the afternoon on dead shrimp. Hope everyone is catching some fish!

Andy


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## HurleyJW (Jun 19, 2009)

*What is the best method of Fishing Bulkheads?*

Shad on a Circle Hook, under a Bobber, or Crank Bait, or someother method?

Thanks for any advice.

Jeff
Livingston


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I got a PM from a 2cooler on the same subject, so I'll pass along how I usually do it.
A 3/0 kale hook on a leader 20" long tied to a saltwater casting cork with a split shot above the hook about 5".
Toss that rig with a shad either cut in half and both pieces on the hook or a whole shad, half a big shad, right up next to the bulkhead, bank, rocks.
I find that you have to keep it in a zone that changes throughout the morning bite, but it is usually 2' from the bank for the most part.
later in the morning start casting bottom rigs out in deeper water.
Be sure to expose to some guts and eggs, a # 6 treble hook is good where there are a lot of channel cats. 
The cold front will have them pushed back a few days, but it will back heating up soon.


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## jhen (Mar 25, 2011)

*Thanks for the info SS*


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

It will work most of the time, sometimes you have to fish the bottom, then I use a 3/8 oz sinker on the bottom, a drop leader made by making 3 twists in doubled line so that it hangs about 1" above the sinker. Bait the same way, but use a 3/0 to 4/0 circle hook.


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